Once Apon a Time Exhibition. State Library of Victoria

The city is a noisy crowded place.  It is no surprise that people flock to the State Library of Victoria to seek out peaceful, reflective space.  Until Sunday 31st of August there is a special reason to take your children there – the Once Apon Time Exhibition, celebrating the world of children’s picture book art. On display are a selection of artwork from the impressively titled “Scholastic Dromkeen Children’s Literature Collection”.  To you and me that means beautiful artwork from children’s classics such as “Blinkey Bill”, “Wombat Stew” and “Who Sank the Boat?”    The exhibition also introduced my kids to, new children’s picture books such as the exhibition’s cover piece, “ Making friends with Frankenstein: a book of monstrous poems and pictures “

Once Apon a Time Exhibition

The Once Apon a Time Exhibition offered plenty of opportunity for interaction.  Around the gallery were free standing activity placards, challenging kids to engage with the artwork through puzzles and games.  Kids are also supplied with an exhibition keepsake, a story book for them to fill out on site using the exhibition as a creative stimulus (make sure you pick this up from the front desk as you go in).  Most importantly though, there is a reading area where parents can read all of the books featured in the exhibition to their kids.

Once Apon a Time Exhibition

Although the exhibition is not large – it fills one room, your visit could last twenty minutes to three hours, depending on how long you and your kids want to spend reading the books and creating the keepsake storybook.  We stayed for around an hour and a half enjoying the quiet, cosy time together.

Once Apon a Time Exhibition

Entry to the State Library of Victoria and ” Once Apon a Time” is free.  It is located in the Blue Rotunda Cowen Gallery on level 2A of the State Library of Victoria.  Entry is via the Swanton Street entrance of the library.  Melbourne Central Station is opposite the library for those wishing to use public transport. Bubs on the Move provides tips and advice for parents traveling with small children including attraction and accommodation reviews. You can join us on Facebook or Twitter to receive updates to your news feed.

You may also be interested in Why the Dreamworks Exhibition didn’t work for us.

Subscribe to Bubs on the Move's newsletter to keep updated on great places to visit with kids, travel tips and giveaways.

Your information will NEVER be shared or sold to a 3rd party.