The State Library of Victoria sits on Swanston Street in the heart of the CBD and has anchored Melbourne's intellectual life since 1856, making it one of the oldest public libraries in the world and the oldest in Australia. The building grew over eight decades of construction and contains several distinct rooms and galleries, including the magnificent La Trobe Reading Room, the Cowen Gallery, and the Keith Murdoch Reading Room.
Entry is free, and the library's temporary exhibitions are consistently excellent — covering Australian history, literature, photography, and design. The forecourt is a popular gathering place for students and workers, with large chess sets on the ground. The collection includes first editions, rare manuscripts, and photographs documenting Victoria's history from before European settlement to the present.