Royal Exhibition Building

Did You Know?

• The building was completed in just 18 months, opening on 1 October 1880.
• In 1888, electric lighting was installed, making it one of the first buildings in the world accessible at night.
• On 3 September 1901, a flag 5.5 metres by 11 metres was unfurled and flown over the dome to announce the winners of the Australian National Flag competition.
• During the 1919 Spanish flu epidemic, the building was used as an influenza hospital.
• The wing housing the Melbourne Aquarium burnt down in 1953.

History

Melbourne's first exhibition building, a glass structure inspired by the Crystal Palace, was built in 1854 where the Melbourne Mint now stands, at the corner of William and Little Lonsdale Streets. It held the 1854 Melbourne Exhibition but fell into poor condition and was torn down in 1869, making way for a larger venue. The current building was first suggested in November 1877, when a committee formed to prepare a bid for the international exhibition committee by 1879. Initially, Flinders Park was the proposed site, offering rail access via Princes Bridge station and a possible extra stop at what became Jolimont Yard. However, a competing plan for Carlton Gardens gained support, as it could improve the park's amenities and place a landmark within walking distance for most locals. A budget of £100,000 was set, and the site was officially announced as Carlton Gardens on 27 June 1878. A planned rail line down Nicholson Street never materialised. The New Exhibition Bill of 1878, passed by parliament, allocated £210,000 in government funds—more than double the original budget. A public competition in May 1878 drew eighteen entries. The winner was prominent local architect Joseph Reed, who received £300. Second place went to Lloyd Tayler for a similar domed neoclassical design, earning £200 and an appointment as exhibition commissioner. Third place was Peter Matthews, who got £100. Reed, from the firm Reed and Barnes, also designed the Melbourne Town Hall, the State Library of Victoria, and the Baroque-style gardens. The Royal Exhibition Building was the largest project Reed and Barnes ever completed. Reed said its eclectic design drew from many sources. Built from brick, timber, steel, and slate, the building reflects Byzantine, Romanesque, Lombardic, and Italian Renaissance styles.

Current use

The Royal Exhibition Building is used as an exhibition venue for festivals and fairs including the Melbourne Fashion Festival, Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, and Brickvention. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it served as a mass vaccination centre operated by St Vincent's Hospital. It is also used as an exam hall for several educational institutions, including the University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne High School, Nossal High School, Mac.Robertson Girls' High School, and Suzanne Cory High School. The building is no longer Melbourne's largest commercial exhibition centre; the modern alternative is the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre in Southbank.