Uncover the BMI’s best secrets

WHETHER you’ve visited many times, or never before, there’s always something fascinating to discover inside the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute.

An easy way to find out about the space, what it has to offer, its history, and notable visitors is to take one of the organisation’s weekly Minerva’s Secrets tours.

“Our day tours run every Tuesday at 2pm, led by one of our extremely knowledgeable volunteers,” said BMI arts officer Katrina Hill. “As a not-for-profit we couldn’t survive without them.

“Each of the tour guides knows something different about the building, so you can take the tour more than once and have a completely different experience each time, always with accurate information.

“Some of them have even written books on gold rush Ballarat, so they’re exceptional guides to chat to, who will tell you secrets of the building and fun bits of information. I think that’s a real highlight.”

Spaces to explore include the Heritage Reading and Humffray rooms, Minerva Space theatre and function area, the main lending library, and the basement.

“We have wonderful graffiti from the late 1800s in the basement, which is a highlight, alongside some witch marks on the ceiling,” Ms Hill said.

“We’ve had notable people come to the Minerva Room like Mark Twain, who spent three days in Ballarat and held lectures at the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute. He really adored his time here.

“There have been banquets with more than 1000 people in the space, and we’ve had royalty come and visit the building in the 1800s.”

There are unique, one-of-a-kind books, newspapers, documents, and specimens in the Heritage Reading Room, including an “impressive” collection of texts on the supernatural, the occult, demonology, and phrenology which are hundreds of years old.

Ms Hill said many locals are surprised by how large the building is when they enter, while others don’t know where or what the institution is.

She encourages locals, particularly young people, to take the tours and check out the BMI’s services.

“It’s a cool, old space. We have a running theatre that seats up to 300 people, subscription and heritage libraries, unique maps and newspapers that you can’t see anywhere else.

“As a not-for-profit, we need fresh young eyes to come and take a look, to understand its value, its worth, and to help us maintain it,” she said.

“Come and see some shows, hire some rooms, borrow some books.”

A statue of Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, sits atop the BMI on Sturt Street.

A Minerva’s Secrets night tour is currently in development, set to showcase projected images, taking attendees back to the mid-to-late-1800s. Visit ballaratmi.org.au/events/tours to book.