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.

Visit us

Our Locations
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

What's On

Events, talks, exhibitions and publications
Hazel Edwards
Training

Writing a non-boring family story for a significant child

To celebrate Family History Month, Hazel Edwards will provide you with the tools needed to plan and write a family history story or anecdote aimed at entertaining the younger children in your family. This three hour workshop is strictly limited to 25 participants, so you can get the most out of the session.
30 Aug 10:00 AM - 30 Aug 13:00 PM
Bendigo School of Mines
Talk

Bendigo Regional Archives Centre events

BRAC provides a variety of events that showcase the history of the Bendigo region and the breadth of the region's archival collection. Events coming up include the August workshops 'Discovering History' and 'Handle with Care'.
01 Jan 17:30 PM - 31 Dec 17:30 PM
Black and white illustration of Melbourne
Article

City views

Professor Andrew May's article examines the history of the construction of a scale model of Melbourne, made in 1838 for the 1888 Centennial International Exhibition. Reception of the model reveals that it held, at times, contradictory meanings for a variety of audiences and was a touchstone for nostalgic reflections about Melbourne’s past, the progressive achievements observable in its present and uncertainties about urban development in its future.
Tour guide at the Victorian Archives Centre
Tour

Behind the scenes tours at VAC

Once a year we open the doors of the archival repository to the public! Book your spot for our Open House Melbourne Tours. You'll learn how records are selected and preserved, and discover the stories contained within the many maps, plans, photographs and documents.
27 Jul 10:00 AM - 27 Jul 15:30 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