Our beloved State Library of Victoria underwent a massive transformation this year and reopened on December 5th 2019 with 40% more space, 70% more seating and a range of new services! Kate and her library lovers spent hours in the Pauline Gandel Children’s Quarter last week and enjoyed what the different areas in this space had to offer.

Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids

After five years and 400,000 hours of work reimagining what a library can be, in addition to more than 5.1 million items in their collection including books, paintings, maps, costumes and manuscripts, the State Library of Victoria has added a world of unexpected spaces for creation, collaboration and play.

Whether you’re searching for artistic inspiration, a hub to study, a dance floor to celebrate with your friends, equipment to record your next podcast or an incubator to grow your business venture – this library has you covered. New spaces include: Victoria Gallery, The Ian Potter Queen’s Hall, Pauline Gandel Children’s Quarter, Conversation Quarter, Ideas Quarter and Create Quarter.

The Pauline Gandel Children's Quarter, supported by Gandel Philanthropy who also generously provided fundings for the Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery at Melbourne Museum (our review here) is a free, purpose-built space for children aged up to 12 years (and their parents and carers) to read, learn and play, with an associated program of activities.

Kids will enjoy dressing up, reading up from a collection of more than 4,000 children’s books, playing in the designed play space with educational toys and relaxing in the different reading/chilling nooks around the library.

Kids are invited to create their own chatterbox, origami fish or do some drawings and colouring and play with education toys.

The space spans across two floors and features a two-storey climbing castle: the top floor is designed for kids aged 9+, and the lower level caters for younger children.

Zoned areas have been designed to cater for children as they grow and develop, with specific areas and activities targeted towards babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers, primary schoolers and pre-teens.

Children from five to 12 years of age and their families can participate in free programs and events in the space. These new, innovative programs, supported by Gandel Philanthropy, are aimed at nurturing a love of stories and building literacy in children, and are offered in English and other languages.

Our info & tips:

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 10am–9pm and Friday to Sunday 10am–6pm.
Facilities include: Library staff, climbing castle, children's book collection of over 4000 books for browsing, reading nooks, wet-area makerspace for creative play, work tables, a family room with baby change and breastfeeding facilities as well as toilets for both children and adults, on the ground floor. There is also pram parking located on the ground floor and lift access between the two levels.
Children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Please stay with your child at all times.
Parents or carers may allow older children to be in the castle on their own; however, they retain duty of care and must stay within the Pauline Gandel Children's Quarter while their child is there.
Visitors of the Pauline Gandel Children's Quarter are asked by the State Library of Victoria to share the space so that everyone feels safe and enjoys their visit, respect each other with kind words and actions, keep pathways clear, clean up after themselves and be responsible for belongings.
Please be mindful that the spaces are not fenced off.

To find out more about the NEW State Library of Victoria, head to their website.

For more ideas of what to do with the kids in Melbourne, checkout our Website, our Daily Spots List, CBD Spots or Blog.

NEW Transformed State Library of Victoria - Melbourne - Review

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