30/11/2023

1866, Melbourne AU – Intercolonial Exhibition

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1866 Melbourne

Name:Intercolonial Exhibition
Dates:24 Oct 1866 – 23 Feb 1867
Days:147 days
Venue:
Theme:
Exhibitors:2.955 – see splits in text below
Awards:
Visitors:263,634
Legacy:

Once again this Melbourne exhibition was organised to bring together exhibits that would be selected for a European event – this time it was the Paris 1867 Exposition Universelle.

The architects were Reed & Barnes, the venue had two main buildings, the Great Hall and the Rotunda. The buildings were constructed behind the Melbourne Public Library (now State Library Victoria), on the site where the La Trobe (Dome) Reading Room stands today.

1865 Melbourne venue during construction

You can watch a virtual reconstruction of these buildings on the State Library’s website.

1866 Melbourne medal

For the first time the regional colonies exhibited – New South Wales (273 exhibitors), Queensland (36 exhs), South Australia (103 exhs), Tasmania (738 exhs), Victoria (1,479 exhs), Western Australia (196 exhs) and from New Zealand (85 exhs), New Caledonia (36 exhs), Mauritius (6 exhs) and Netherlands-India (3 exhs). Each colony was assigned a court for their display. Victoria’s comprised separate courts for the Sandhurst (Bendigo), Ovens & Murray, and Wangaratta districts.

1866 Melbourne internal view
1866 Florrplan

The State Library of Victoria has a full copy of the Show Guide here

1866 Melbourne Guide

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