External view of the Victorian Archives Centre
About Us

About Public Record Office Victoria

Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) is the archive of State and Local Governments in Victoria. We hold over 100 km of digital and physical records from 1836 to the present day. Many records are accessible to the public either online or for viewing in our Reading Rooms. PROV also sets mandatory recordkeeping standards for state and local government agencies and provides advice on recordkeeping to government.

Learn more about PROV
books lines up
Victorian Community History Awards

Winners announced

Presented by Public Record Office Victoria in partnership with the Royal Historical Society of Victoria, the Victorian Community History Awards are held annually to celebrate the people involved in community history. Described by judges as “an artwork in itself”, Letters to a Critic: Alan McCulloch’s World of Art by Rodney James, won the Victorian Premier’s History Award at the March ceremony. Another 10 prizes were awarded to the best of Victorian history. 

See the full list of winners
Drawing of The Melbourne Trident by Stanislav Szukalski
Award-winning podcast series

Look history in the eye

In this award-winning podcast series by Public Record Office Victoria we interview the people who delve into public archives and uncover interesting truths about Melbourne and Victoria's past. Hear about the amazing monuments never built, Victoria's queer history, prison escapes...and new to summer 2024, the Brookside Reformatory girls and Australian women of 1920s America.

Listen now
prison register
Check out our blog

Delve into the archives

Stay up to date with the latest records and interesting stories uncovered from the collection. This blog will offer you a snapshot into the world of historical research featuring the extraordinary tales of Victorian people captured within Victorian Government archives.

Read now
istock image of a blue folder under a microscope
Privacy and recordkeeping obligations

Records management

Personal information is at risk when agencies do not have an effective disposal program in place and continue to hold public records for longer than the required minimum legal retention period. See our advice for managing personal information in records.

Read our advice

Visit us

Our Locations
Plan your visit
Victorian Archives Centre
99 Shiel Street, North Melbourne

Monday to Friday 10am to 4:30pm and every second and last Saturday of the month. Closed public holidays. Visit

Ballarat Archives Centre
Eureka Centre, 102 Stawell St, South Ballarat Central

Monday to Thursday 10am to 4:30pm. Closed public holidays. Visit

Bendigo Regional Archives Centre
1st Floor Bendigo Library, 251-259 Hargreaves Street, Bendigo

Wednesday and Thursday 10am to 4pm. Closed public holidays. Visit

Geelong Library and Heritage Centre
51 Little Malop Street, Geelong

Tuesday to Friday 10am to 4pm. Closed weekends, Mondays and public holidays. Visit

Before your visit please check the individual location for opening times and any upcoming closures.

What's On

Events, talks, exhibitions and publications
All events
passengers crossing the street at flinders street
Exhibition

Making Modern Melbourne

An optimistic new nation was created at the dawn of the 20th century. Australia was self-governing, and Melbourne would be its temporary capital while Canberra was constructed. This free exhibition at Old Treasury Building examines the tumultuous century that was to come. Featuring photographs and plans from Public Record Office Victoria's collection, this is a must see exhibition for all Melburnians.
14 Apr 10:00 AM - 14 Apr 10:00 AM
A public building where the accessible ramp is integrated into the design.
Talk

Beyond Barriers: Inclusive design as a creative opportunity

How can we move beyond ramps and accessibility, to design outcomes where inclusive design is a creative opportunity not an afterthought or restriction? This exhibition and panel discussion will bring together architects, accessibility consultants, urban designers and disability advocates to examine barriers to inclusion from a lived-experience perspective and explore innovative examples from across the globe.
21 May 17:30 PM - 21 May 20:00 PM
Illustration by Sam Wallman of a person's face. With the text rewind forward.
Exhibition

Rewind Forward

Join us for the launch of 'Rewind Forward' at the Victorian Archives Centre Gallery, featuring the work of our 2025 Creative in Residence artists: Emile Zile, Sam Wallman, Shannon Slee, Susan Fitzgerald, and Queer-ways. Each contemporary artist has been researching within PROV's vast collection to create impactful works that reframe and reawaken Victoria’s historical narrative.
29 May 17:00 PM - 30 Nov 17:00 PM
https://digitaltwin.vic.gov.au/portals/44/map/?share=7bbb0c79-c02d-4253-b832-6f87b68d8c2c
Talk

Mapping (and Mapwarping) Ballarat’s History

Digital maps have become an integral part of our everyday lives - but they can also provide us with a valuable tool for navigating the past. In this session we'll talk about the history of mapping Ballarat and explore the changing historical landscape of Ballarat as a centre for entertainment and culture.
23 May 13:00 PM - 23 May 13:45 PM

Material in the Public Record Office Victoria archival collection contains words and descriptions that reflect attitudes and government policies at different times which may be insensitive and upsetting

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples should be aware the collection and website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.

PROV provides advice to researchers wishing to access, publish or re-use records about Aboriginal Peoples

Learn more