The Chelsea Historical Society Museum is a non-profit organization that was formed to preserve and exhibit the various artifacts, documents and historical items which pertain to Chelsea’s rich history. There are many interesting facts about this small Victorian suburb of Melbourne, including its reputation as a fashionable neighborhood for residents in the early 1900s. The museum traces its roots back to 1925 when the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea purchased an artificial hilltop estate known as “The Knoll” for $20,000. Known today as The Knoll House, this historic property has been maintained in condition by the Chelsea Historical Society Museum and is now open to visitors who enjoy browsing through original art pieces from the estate’s famous residents; as well as unique pieces of furniture and home decor made by local craftsmen during the 1910s and 1920s. The museum features three floors of displays with information on Chelsea’s rich history, notable characters, local events, attractions and more.
The museum has three floors with permanent exhibits and rotating exhibitions. The first floor holds information about the history of the neighborhood and the estate that was once home to many of the city’s social elite; the second floor holds exhibits focused on the neighborhood’s architecture and businesses; and the third floor holds rotating exhibits focused on a variety of topics, including popular Victorian customs, crafts and other unusual subjects.
There are several ways to visit the museum in Victoria. The first is to walk the path that the estate once sat on, which is laid out as a walking tour; another option is to take the self-guided tour or the chronological tour, which examines the various cabinets, shelves, cabinets of curiosities, a collection of art pieces, furniture, photographs and other artifacts that make up the collection. If you’d like to learn more about a particular cabinet, curio or other object, you can request a private guided tour. There’s also a cafe onsite for guests to enjoy lunch or snacks during their visit. Next blog post
Admission to the museum is free and open to the public, but you can get a head start by planning ahead and booking a visit to the museum at least a month in advance. On the day of your visit, be sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring a water bottle; walking around on the estate’s wooden floors is not for the faint of heart. If you’d like to visit the museum during a different time of the year, be sure to call ahead to make sure the tour is available. More
The museum features three floors of displays with information on Chelsea’s rich history, notable characters, local events, attractions and more. To visit the museum, walk the path that the estate once sat on, take the self-guided tour or the chronological tour and learn all about the different cabinets, shelves, cabinets of curiosities, a collection of art pieces, furniture, photographs and other artifacts that make up the collection. If you’d like to learn more about a particular cabinet, curio or other object, you can request a private guided tour. There’s also a cafe onsite for guests to enjoy lunch or snacks during their visit.
