When you step inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), you immediately sense the significance of what is affectionately known as ‘the People’s Ground’.
And when you step inside the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) Museum, you become entrenched in the history of the Club – the stories, the artefacts, the memories – it all extends beyond what can be displayed within the four walls.The MCC prides itself on its ability to foster and grow sport both at community and elite level.
The MCC Museum volunteer guides (all MCC Members), also take great pride in sharing the rich history of the Club, playing a pivotal role in telling some of Australia’s greatest sporting stories to over 150,000 visitors from across the globe annually.
Right around the world, people visit museums and shrines, pay homage to structures that elicit certain emotions, learn about what once was, and delve deeper into the historical significance.
As with any tourist attraction around the world, there’s a story that extends beyond the visual that can be seen and heard.
As many visitors will have discovered, there’s much more to the story of the MCG and its ground manager, the Melbourne Cricket Club.
Having recently undergone renovations, the MCC Museum re-opened in December 2021, with the addition of a number of features that further explore and highlight the rich history of the Club.
While harnessing the unique artefacts within the MCC Museum, the rebuild saw the addition of interactive multimedia touchscreens, further enhancing the overall experience and the stories behind more than 700 objects on display.
The MCC Museum contains many objects that reflect the way both Australian Rules Football and Cricket has evolved through each decade.
While hearing the sound of the siren at the MCG is familiar to many fans and visitors, in the MCC Museum sits a 45 kilogram golden bell, the item that was formerly used to signify the quarters of football.
The bell’s journey is almost as significant as its volume, starting on the Lysander ship that travelled from England to Australia, before making its way to Hobson Bay, Coburg Fire Station, Richmond Fire station, eventually finding its home at the MCG in 1921.
The bell was replaced with a siren in 1946.
The Members’ Reserve may be full of both football and cricket fans on any given match day involving both sports, but there was a time when fans were easily divided.
The reversible stand, featured in the MCC Museum, shows how fans swayed between the two sports back in the 1870s.
The stand was designed to tip the seats, allowing a view out to Yarra Park to watch the football, with the ability to reverse the structure to watch the cricket in the summer.
It was an invention that didn’t stand the test of time, but highlights that while the structures may have drastically changed over the years, the passion of our fans and MCC members to watch their beloved sports hasn’t weakened.
The MCC and its management of the MCG will continue to evolve, and as it celebrates another birthday we recognise that behind every significant tourist attraction there is a story. And the stories behind the MCC are cherished and celebrated.
That’s what sets the MCC apart – while the rich history of the Club is something to be treasured, new stories will emerge and continue to be told.
The MCC Museum forms an integral part of the Australian Sports Museum experience, where ticket purchasers are able to access the MCC Museum from within the Australian Sports Museum. MCC members can also access the MCC Museum for free on MCG match days. For more information and to book tickets, click here.