Gospel Hall Melbourne

The building at one hundred sixteen Little Bourke Street still bears the name Ancient Times House on its façade, a remnant of its decades spent as a museum for the Australian Institute of Archaeology. Behind this exterior lies a history tied to the Collins Street Baptist Church, which initiated a mission here in eighteen sixty-eight. Originally established as a response to the needs of Melbourne’s growing population, the hall operated for years as an educational and welfare center, particularly during the Great Depression when it opened its doors six nights a week to accommodate large crowds.