Salvation Army Heritage Centre Melbourne

Salvation Army Heritage Centre Melbourne

Salvation Army Heritage Centre, Melbourne bears its origin in the Salvation Army, a religious mission for the upliftment of the poor and needy. It first began in England, in 1878. Salvation Army began its operations in Australia in 1880 in Adelaide, where its officers followed the pattern set by the Salvationists in England. They attended to the physical as well as spiritual needs of the poor.

The First Commander James Barker worked from his Melbourne Headquarters among the outcasts and pioneered activities such as Prison Gate Brigades that looked after prisoners on their release from jail. He provided them with accommodation and honest work and drew the attention of the political and business powerbrokers in the colonies and later the nation.

Salvation Army Heritage Centre was established in order to track the Salvation Army’s Australian origin. It was brought into existence in 1984 in Melbourne. It was formerly known as the Australian Southern Territory Heritage Centre (Archives and Museum) holding some of the rarest collections of Salvation Army memorabilia, and archives that trace the Salvation Army history from its beginning to the present day. This unique feature makes the Salvation Army Heritage Centre a significant museum among all the other museums in Melbourne and a must-see in the list of Melbourne tourist attractions.

This is one of the major Melbourne museums dedicated to war and exhibits that can be of interest to those out for sightseeing in Melbourne are Australian Salvation Army publications since 1883 (this includes War Cry, Victory and Musician), Photographic images (includes more than 7000 photographs and 2000 glass ‘magic lantern’ slides), Red Shield Was Services (symbolizing 100 years of welfare in to Australian troops during conflict) and Social Services (The Salvation Army’s international social work first began in Melbourne.

One of the unusual features of the Salvation Army Heritage Centre, Melbourne, is that it houses the Limelight department, which is a pioneer in Australian film history at the turn of the 20th Century. The museum still lives in the shadow of the original Limelight Studio by displaying the early projection and camera equipments to the public at present. The students and the visitors are given a unique opportunity to have an insight into the Salvation Army’s work and its contribution to film industry.

The Salvation Army Heritage Centre, Melbourne, is open between 9:30a.m. To 4p.m. from Monday to Friday and closed on public holidays. The entry as well as all research facilities in the museum is free of charge. However the photocopy and genealogical research work by the Centre staff are chargeable.

The address of Salvation Army Heritage Centre, Melbourne is:

69 Bourke Street,
Melbourne
Vic 3001

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