The great dome
An exhibition palace.
Photograph taken by Diliff and straightened by Ian Fieggen — CC BY 2.5 · Andrew Hutton HuttyMcphoo — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Caroline Jones — CC BY 2.0
A grand nineteenth-century building with a great dome, built in 1879 and 1880 to host the Melbourne International Exhibition, part of the world-exhibition movement of the age, and one of the last major exhibition palaces still standing in the world. UNESCO listed it with the surrounding Carlton Gardens as a World Heritage Site in 2004, the first building in Australia on the list. The first parliament of federated Australia opened here in 1901, and for a century it hosted exhibitions, concerts and exams. The building is surrounded by the Victorian-era Carlton Gardens, with tree-shaded paths, fountains and flower beds, a peaceful place for a stroll. Next to it stands the modern Melbourne Museum, so together they form one cultural precinct. Viewing from outside and walking in the gardens are free; the interior can be seen on guided tours at set times for a fee, or during exhibitions held there.
An exhibition palace.
Fountains and flowers.
Inside.
9 Nicholson Street, Carlton Gardens, Melbourne
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