In keeping with the PMI objective to organise educational activities relating to the history of Victoria there are four main events on our annual calendar. All our events are free of charge and open to the public. Subscribe to our newsletter, or keep an eye on this page to see what’s coming up at the PMI.
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Annual Bruce Turner Lecture
The first lecture of the year, usually held in March, reflects an open general topic relating to some aspect of the history of Victoria. Previous lecturers include:
 | 2011: Jenny Davies on Beyond the Facade: Flinders Street, More Than Just a Railway Station | |
 | 2010: Gary Presland on The Place for a Village: How Nature Shaped the City of Melbourne | |
 | 2009: Jenny Lee on Making Modern Melbourne | |
 | 2008: Don Hauser on Printers of the Streets and Lanes of Melbourne | |
 | 2007: Max Lay on Melbourne Miles: the Story of Melbourne's Roads | |
 | 2006: Andrew Brown-May on The Encylopedia of Melbourne |
2005: Peter Wolfenden on 'Movies at Mechanics' Institutes: More Than Meets the Eye'
2004: Jim Lowden on his visits to 33 mechanics' institutes in the UK and beyond
2003: Judith Buckrich on Port of Melbourne
2002: Marguerite Hancock on Colonial Consorts: the Wives of Victoria's Governors 1839-1900
2002: Ann Synan on We Came With Nothing: a History of the West Sale Migrant Holding Centre
2001: Frank Van Straten on 'Entertaining Melbourne: a Celebration of Our Unique Historic Theatres'
2001: Andrew Ward on 'Melbourne Metro Railway Architecture'
2000: John Lahey on Faces of Federation
2000: Catherine Milward-Bason on 'Mechanics' Institutes of North America'
1999: Ralph Stavely on 'A History of Victorian Police Valour, 1899-1999'
1998: Weston Bate on 'Essential but Unplanned: the Story of Melbourne's Lanes'
1998: Alex Tyrrell on 'The Origins of the Mechanics' Institute Movement'
1997: Richard Broom on 'The Rise and Fall of Side Show Alley'
1997: Weston Bate on 'History - Who Needs It?'
Annual Laurie McCalman Lecture
Usually held in May during National Library & Information Week, the Laurie McCalman Lecture is a joint presentation of the PMI and the Prahran Historical & Arts Society, and usually has a local flavour. Previous Laurie McCalman lecturers include:
 | 2011: Stella M. Barber on The Pride of Prahran : a History of the Prahran Library, 1860-2010 |
 | 2010: Kristin Otto on Capital: Melbourne When it was the Capital City of Australia 1901-1927 |
 | 2009: Helen D. Harris, OAM on Helen Hart: ‘Founder of Women’s Suffrage in Australasia’ |
 | 2008: Robin Grow on Art Deco in the Prahran area |
 | 2007: Judith Buckrich on Design for Living: a History of ‘Prahran Tech’ |
 | 2006: Kristin Otto on Yarra: a Diverting History of Melbourne's Murky River |
2004: Mary Ellis on People and Plants: a History of Gardening in Victoria
2003: Michael Challinger on Historic Court Houses of Victoria
2002: Meyer Eidelson on Great Lives & Stories from the St Kilda Cemetery
2001: Robyn Annear on Nothing but Gold
2000: Philippe Batters on 'Historic Houses of South Yarra'
1999: Jim Badger on 'The Diggers' Weddings'
History Week Lecture
Held during History Week in October, the History Week lecture is presented jointly with the Prahran Historical & Arts Society. Past History Week lecturers include:
 | 2011: Bruce McBrien OAM on his memoir Marvellous Melbourne and Me: Living in Melbourne in the 20th Century. |
 | 2010: Bruce Turner on ‘A History of Victoria Barracks’ |
Annual Family History Week Seminar
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Held during National Family History Week in August, the Family History Week Seminar is designed for beginner genealogists. The day includes two illustrated lectures, afternoon tea and a door prize provided by National Family History Week sponsors.
Past speakers include Alison Boundy on ‘Organising and Caring for your Family History Documents’, Christine Worthington on ‘Family History and Computers’ Eleanor Frost on ‘Dating Family Photographs’ and Dr George Legge speak on ‘Writing Family History’. In 2011 we were lucky to have Irene Fullerton (President, VicGUM) to speak on ‘An Introduction to Family History and Computers’. |
Annual Historic Picture Show
 | Held in October each year, and jointly presented by the PMI and the Cinema and Theatre Historical Society (CATHS), the Picture Show is a real treat. For five years, Peter Wolfenden of CATHS, has taken us on entertaining and informative journeys through time via series of historic short films relating to a different theme each year. Previous themes have included ‘Newsreel Theatres of Melbourne’, ‘Transport and Telecommunications’, ‘Melbourne and Victoria as they used to be’, ‘Documented Communication’, ‘Before the Video/DVD Store’ and a demonstartion of a real magic lantern show using authentic slides from the 1870s. |
 | In 2010 Mike Trickett and Gerry Kennedy (Secretary and President of CATHS) ran the Picture Show themed 'Historic Melbourne' to coincide with the 175th anniversary of Victoria. In 2011 Mike Trickett and Ross King (Sec and Vic Pres of CATHS) presented the Picture Show themed ‘Newsreel Theatres of Melbourne’.
The CATHS archive is located at the PMI and we are very proud of our partnership with this group. |
History displays
From time to time the PMI hosts displays and travelling exhibitions concerned with the history of Victoria and Australia. Some notable past displays include:
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Arena of Wonder: From Wires to Wireless. A display to commemorate 100 years of the Wireless Institute of Australia. A selection of items from the collection of Peter Wolfenden. |
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WW2 Art Deco Aeroplane Ashtrays: A selection of items from the collection of Jim Badger. |
| ‘Nothing on a Plate: Women's Journey Towards Equity in Victoria’, which was created in 2001 by the Union of Australian Women. | |
| ‘150 Years of Municipal History in Prahran and Malvern, the City of Stonnington’ created by the Stonnington Local History Service. | |
| ‘On the Run: Daring Convict Escapes’ created by the State Library of NSW, and sponsored in Victoria by the Department for Victorian Communities. | |
| ‘Mechanics and Proud of It’ created by the Mechanics’ Institutes of Victoria. | |
| ‘A Magnificent Spectacle: the Theatre Posters of J.C. Williamson’ created by the State Library of NSW, and sponsored in Victoria by the Department for Victorian Communities. |
If you or your historical group would like to create a small display at the PMI Victorian History Library using our three secure display cases and large display board, please let us know. library@pmi.net.au or (03) 9510 3393
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Bring Your Historical Group to the PMI
 | Historical groups are welcome to visit the PMI for an information session about the library collection, afternoon tea and assisted research. For further information contact the library library@pmi.net.au or (03) 9510 3393. |
