victoria’s state library

While I was in Melbourne for six weeks, someone suggested I should visit the state’s library. I headed into the city by tram and found a not so impressive building — but that was only from its exterior. Inside was a different story.

The Victorian State Library’s main ceiling that let natural light filter in.

I entered up stone steps into a huge room with an impressive ceiling where books lined both sides of the room and again on an open upper level. Another room to the left stored family history manuscripts. 

It felt like something old and mysterious was stored up there.

Behind the main room was a large area where paintings lined the walls and librarians were stationed to help with queries. I scanned manuscripts digging into a little family history before I discovered spiral stairs on the upper level that climbed into the ceiling. A wrought iron gate meant I couldn’t explore any further.