What it is
The building was designed by Joseph Reed and completed in 1880 for the Melbourne International Exhibition, and it hosted the Centennial Exhibition of 1888. On 9 May 1901 the first Parliament of Australia was opened here. In 2004 the building and the surrounding Carlton Gardens became the first built heritage site in Australia to be inscribed on the World Heritage List.
The hall is still used for exhibitions and events. Next to it, the modern Melbourne Museum covers natural history, First Peoples' cultures and the story of Melbourne, and the gardens with their fountains and avenues of trees are pleasant to walk through.
Getting there by bus
Trams 86 and 96 run along Nicholson Street on the eastern side and stop at Melbourne Museum/Nicholson St (stop 11). Buses 250, 251 and 402 stop at Exhibition Building/Rathdowne St on the western side of the gardens.
Trams 30 and 35 stop at La Trobe St/Victoria St (stop 9), at the southern corner of Carlton Gardens.
