The Kew Historical Society was founded in 1958, and is one of the oldest continuing historical societies in Melbourne. For over 60 years, the Society has worked with local government and other organisations within Kew to stimulate interest in our history and heritage. The Society is affiliated with the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and the Australian Museums and Galleries Association. It co-operates with other historical societies and groups across the City of Boroondara through the Boroondara Historical Societies Association.
The Society acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the ancestral homelands upon which our premises are situated. We respect their Elders, past, present and future and recognise their continuous connection to Country.
EXHIBITIONS
200 YEARS OF WEDDING FASHION IN AUSTRALIA
This exhibition and lecture series is a major event during the 2025 Australian Heritage Festival. It will begin as you walk in the front door of the historic Villa Alba Museum, and enter its richly ornamented 1880s rooms.
This historic fashion expo will allow you to become immersed in the history of Australian wedding fashion through a curated collection of nineteenth and twentieth century wedding gowns and accessories, arranged by era in the main rooms of the house. Exhibits are drawn from the nationally significant fashion and design collection of the Kew Historical Society, as well as from private collections.
Villa Alba Museum, 44 Walmer Street, Kew, 3101
Dates: 26 April to 11 May 2025
Read more about the exhibition and lecture program
Program details Wedding Fashion Flyer
Kew Baby Health Centre (1939) and Country Roads Board buildings (1960)
POST-WAR KEW: CONTINUITY & CHANGE
While the end of World War II heralded a new era, postwar restrictions on resources affected what could be built, how people worked, and the everyday lives of men and women. The decade beginning in 1950 included monumental shifts in the social and cultural fabric of life in Australia.
This exhibition explores how life changed by exploring the memories of people who lived in Kew during these years, the development of notable private and public modern architecture, and the ways that innovation transformed the lives of Kew’s residents. You are invited to immerse yourself in this new exhibition which will be open from March to September 2025 each Friday between 11.00 and 1.00pm, public holidays excluded.
Level 1, Kew Court House, 188 High Street KEW 3101
Dates: Fridays from March to September 2025