Heidelberg Historical Society facts for kids

The Heidelberg Historical Society is a special museum and research group. It is all about the local history of Heidelberg and the areas around it. These places are in the north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

The Society is made up of members and started in 1967. In 1979, it opened its museum and research centre. This centre is in the old Heidelberg Courthouse. Volunteers help to run everything there. The Society is part of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria. It is located in the City of Banyule. This is a local government area.

The Old Courthouse Building

The Society's main home and museum is the Old Heidelberg Courthouse. This building used to be part of the Magistrate's Court of Victoria. It is made of red bricks. An architect named J B Cohen designed it. Swanson Bros built it. The first stone was laid on October 4, 1899. The building opened for its first court case on April 2, 1900.

The Courthouse was used for court cases until 1979. Then, a newer courthouse was built nearby. The State Government of Victoria owns the building. The Society helps to manage it.

The Old Heidelberg Courthouse is very special. In 1982, it was listed on a special register. This was done by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria). They said it was 'an unusual example of Edwardian period architecture'. This means it has a unique design from the early 1900s. The building has a tall, eight-sided court room. This room has windows high up and a steep roof. It is surrounded by other offices. There is also a grand entrance with a special stained-glass window. In 2018, the Society let people visit the building. This was part of the Open House Melbourne program.

What the Society Collects

The Society collects and keeps important historical items. These items are from the Heidelberg area. This area has changed its boundaries over time. It started in 1838. Then it became the Shire of Heidelberg (1871-1934). After that, it was the City of Heidelberg (1934-1994). Now, it is part of the City of Banyule (since 1994). The Heidelberg District was once very large. It stretched from the Merri Creek along the Yarra River and Plenty River. It went through the Diamond Valley to the Kinglake Ranges.

The Society collects many things. These include old objects, photographs, and maps. They also have business and community records. They keep audio and video recordings. Old local newspapers are also part of their collection. They have digital information too. The Society also has a library. This library helps people do research.

Exciting Exhibitions

The Society creates exhibitions to show off its collections. Sometimes, they also borrow items from their members. Here are some of their recent exhibitions:

• An Invitation to the Ball: Women's formal wear, 1850-1950 (2010). This show looked at fancy dresses from the past.
• Against the Forces: A tribute to the memory of Walter Burley Griffin and Marian Mahony Griffin (2013). This exhibition celebrated the people who designed the city of Canberra.
• A Brush with Heidelberg (2016). This show highlighted how artists painted the local area.
• Remembering 67 (2017). This exhibition let visitors experience what the year 1967 was like. This was the year the Society started.
• Planting Heidelberg (2018). This show explored the history of farms, parks, and gardens in Heidelberg.
• Heidelberg's Busy Bee Signature Quilt, 1895-96 (2019-2021). This exhibition opened in May 2019. It was part of the Australian Heritage Festival. It showed an old quilt that was given to the Society. This quilt is listed on Australia's National Quilt Register. There is also an interactive website. On the website, people can learn about the names on the quilt. They can also add their own information.
• Truth, Beauty & Utility (2021). This exhibition looked at the Arts & Crafts Movement in Heidelberg. It showed how styles changed over time. This included Japanese-inspired designs and Art Nouveau.

What the Society Does

The Society works to protect historical places in its area. It also helps to celebrate important local events. They hold public meetings. At these meetings, guest speakers share information about Heidelberg's history. They also organize tours to interesting historical places. Volunteers at the museum can help people with their research questions.

The Society publishes a newsletter called The Heidelberg Historian. It comes out every two months. The Society is a not-for-profit group. This means it uses all its money to help the community. It gets money from its members and people who donate. Sometimes, other groups also help with special projects.

Awards and Special Recognition

The Society is recognized by the Public Record Office of Victoria (PROV). This means they can keep important public records. These records are about local history.

Their exhibition 'An Invitation to the Ball' won an award. It was named 'Best Exhibit/Display' in 2010. This was at the Victorian Community History Awards.

The exhibition 'A Brush with Heidelberg' also received praise. It was honored in 2016. This was in the Historical Interpretation category. The Age newspaper even listed it as a top reason to visit Heidelberg.

In 2017, the Parliament of Victoria recognized the Society. This was for their 50th anniversary. In 2018, a local politician, Mr Anthony Carbines MP, spoke about the Society. He said it was an important part of the Ivanhoe area.

In May 2019, an item from the Society's collection was listed. It was the Heidelberg's Busy Bee Signature Quilt (1895–96). It was added to the National Quilt Register. Also in May 2019, the Society's Weekday Volunteers won an award. They received the Community Group Award. This was from the Banyule City Council.

The exhibition 'Heidelberg's Busy Bee Signature Quilt 1895–96' was also honored. It was commended in 2019. This was in the Collaborative Community Award category.