Old Treasury Building, Melbourne Museum

Address: 20 Spring Street, Melbourne VIC 3002, Australia

Website: https://www.oldtreasurybuilding.org.au

Old Treasury Building, Melbourne is a 19th-century public building on Spring Street in central Melbourne, Victoria, built during the Victorian gold rush era and noted for its classical civic architecture. It originally served as government offices and a secure repository for gold and public records.

Today the building houses museum galleries and public displays that interpret Melbourne’s gold-rush history, colonial government, and the building’s own administrative role. Restored rooms and exhibition spaces present artifacts and interpretive material for visitors.

Constructed in the late 1850s and completed in the early 1860s, the structure is an intact example of period public architecture and has been preserved for its historical and architectural significance. It has been adapted from government use to museum and public functions over time.

The Old Treasury Building sits on Spring Street opposite other government buildings in central Melbourne, within walking distance of the central business district, the Yarra River, and major civic sites.

• Construction date and style: The building was completed in the early 1860s and is a prominent example of 19th-century civic architecture in Melbourne.

What to See#

• Museum galleries: Ground-floor museum galleries interpret the gold-rush era, government history, and the building’s own role in Victoria’s 19th century administration.
• Historic rooms and displays: Restored historic rooms and offices on upper floors retain original 19th-century architectural features and are used for public displays and occasional events.

The Old Treasury Building (Treasury Museum) sits on Spring Street adjacent to Parliament House in central Melbourne. It’s a 2-5 minute walk from Parliament railway station (City Loop) and about a 10-15 minute walk from Flinders Street Station.

Many central Melbourne trams serve the nearby streets (Collins, Bourke and Spring Street corridors), so you can also arrive by tram and walk a few minutes to the building.

• Arrive in the morning before coach groups reach the area to see the building and its exhibits with fewer people-tour groups often cluster around mid-morning.
• Enter via the main Spring Street entrance opposite Parliament House for the quickest access to the visitor displays and guided-tour start points.
• Combine a visit with nearby attractions on the parliamentary precinct (Parliament Gardens, Old Melbourne Gaol) since they're within easy walking distance and let you make the most of the short central‑city trip.