MCC Library 150 Years - 150 Treasures full collection

September 6, 1873, is a significant day in history for the Melbourne Cricket Club.

It is the foundation date of the Club’s heritage collections, with the donation of 13 bound volumes of the Australasian newspaper establishing a Library for Members’ enjoyment. Since then the collection has expanded with a presence in each of the Club’s four Members’ Pavilions.

After decades of care under honorary librarians it was professionalised in the late 1980s and has grown into the modern reference library that today’s MCC Members know and love. The Club’s heritage collections have expanded to include the MCC Museum and MCC Archives alongside the MCC Library.

The 150th Anniversary of the Library collection was celebrated across 12 months commencing with the launch of the MCC Library – 150th Treasures exhibition on September 6, 2023. These treasures were posted on the @MelbCCLibrary Instagram account. This was not a countdown, instead highlighting adiverse range of treasures over 150 posts across the 12 months, with many posted on dates appropriate to items with some on public holidays such Grand Final Eve, Melbourne Cup Day & Boxing Day.

Highlights of the exhibition were displayed in the MCC Library foyer, with three rotations across the 12 months, starting with predominantly football-themed items in September 2023, cricket-themed items across the 2023/24 summer, & finally Olympic & general sport-themed items concluding in August 2024. Tours of specific groups of Library treasures took place across the year.

See @MelbCCLibrary on Instagram and search #melbcclibrary150years150treasures to find out more, or explore the collection below.