{"id":146,"date":"2022-09-13T07:24:40","date_gmt":"2022-09-13T07:24:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/melbourneathenaeum.org.au\/staging\/?post_type=timeline&p=146"},"modified":"2025-04-30T23:47:37","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T23:47:37","slug":"1886","status":"publish","type":"timeline","link":"https:\/\/melbourneathenaeum.org.au\/staging\/timeline\/1886\/","title":{"rendered":"1886"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The official opening was described in the annual report for 1886:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The New Building was formally opened on Wednesday 7th July 1886 by His Excellency Sir H. B. Loch, K.C.B., who was accompanied by Lady Loch and Suite. Several old patrons and friends of the Institution, and also a large number of subscribers and leading citizens of Melbourne. An address was delivered by the President, Mr Charles Rennie, who gave a sketch of the history of the Institution. He was followed by Professor Elkington who enlarged on some of the uses of the Institution. His Excellency then declared the New Building open, and expressed a hope that all old friends, and many new ones, would accord the Institution a very hearty support, now that it had taken possession of its New Building and was entering on a fresh career of usefulness.
A Musical Entertainment followed, which was given by the members of the Metropolitan Liedertafel, assisted by some ladies, the whole being under the conductorship of Mr Julius Herz.
The President, at the conclusion of his address, informed the audience that Mr Alderman Moubray, one of the Trustees of the Institution, had generously given a donation of one hundred guineas for the purchase of a statue of Minerva to be placed in the niche at the top of the building. The modelling of the statue was entrusted to Mr Kretzschmar, who completed his work a few weeks ago, and placed the statue in the niche.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read a full account reported in the Argus the following day, 8 July 1886, page 7 transcribed<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a completely renovated fa\u00e7ade and the large hall, the Melbourne Athenaeum became a cultural hub in the city. Dances and balls, musical and theatrical performances, exhibitions, flower shows and meetings were held there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lectures continued to be given like those by the Reverend Haskett Smith<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":151,"template":"","meta":[],"class_list":["post-146","timeline","type-timeline","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n1886 - Athenaeum<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"1886 - Athenaeum\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The official opening was described in the annual report for 1886: The New Building was formally opened on Wednesday 7th July 1886 by His Excellency Sir H. B. 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