Donate Items

What We Collect

The Royal Historical Society of Victoria Inc (RHSV) is dedicated to collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting Victoria’s history. The RHSV will collect research material relating to Victoria from European arrival to the present day with a particular emphasis on Melbourne.

The RHSV recognises that it is a custodian of the material entrusted to it for preservation for future generations. It is therefore committed to ensuring that the collection is properly catalogued and stored in such a way as to be accessible to the members and the public, under supervision, and available for loan to other institutions when deemed appropriate.

Donating Items

We accept donations  that adhere to our collection aims, which will be assessed for suitability for the collection. Generally, we are interestested in collecting research material (books, documents, images, periodicals, newspapers etc.) that are concerned with Victorian history. For more detail about our collecting practices see Key Collection Themes and Items Collected sections or view the RHSV Collection Policy.

If you would like to make a donation to the Society please read and complete the Donating to the RHSV – information form or contact the Collections Manager by email collections@historyvictoria.org.au.

Key Collection Themes

  • Architecture and the built environment
  • Contact history
  • Domestic life
  • Education
  • Ethnic groups
  • Local history
  • Natural environment and geography
  • Political life
  • Recreation and social life
  • Religion
  • Transport
  • Working life

Items Collected

  • Archives
  • Databases
  • Directories
  • Ephemera
  • Historical Society publications, including newsletters and other records
  • Images
  • Manuscripts
  • Maps
  • Newspapers
  • Objects
  • Pamphlets
  • Rare Books
  • Scrapbooks