12/05/2022 @ 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm An unhappy couple living on a remote Icelandic farm are reinvigorated by a miraculous discovery in their sheep shed. Filling the void with a bizarre animal-human hybrid lamb, a passionate attachment begins after naming the new lamb Ada after their lost daughter. Troubles and family strain ensues resulting in extreme drama and weirdness. Cinematographer Eli…
17/05/2022 @ 11:00 am - 04/07/2022 @ 11:00 am In a celebration of the Ballarat Heritage Festival, Our Collections volunteers have created a small exhibition of images of roles Nellie performed during her stella career (all taken from our heritage collection of books). They have also collected news items about Nellie's performances here in Ballarat (from our collection of Heritage Newspapers. The exhibition will…
17/05/2022 @ 11:00 am - 04/07/2022 @ 11:00 am In a celebration of the Ballarat Heritage Festival, Our Collections volunteers have created a small exhibition of images of roles Nellie performed during her stella career (all taken from our heritage collection of books). They have also collected news items about Nellie's performances here in Ballarat (from our collection of Heritage Newspapers. The exhibition will…
31/05/2022 @ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm The Reading Room (2pm in the Library for a start @ 10.30am - 12noon) This volunteer run reading and discussion group meets monthly. It is anticipated that members will read the selected book prior to attendance.If you would like to be a part of this group (free to BMI members) please complete the Expression of…
08/06/2022 @ 10:30 am - 1:00 pm $33.00 Image: Seville Oranges (detail) | Geoff Roderick A workshop in painting basics. In these sessions Geoff will be using water based artists quality Gouache (poster paint). Geoff sites five reasons for choosing this medium to teach. It is opaque, (unlike watercolour which is transparent) this means freedom of expression as it's easy to cover any marks…
08/06/2022 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm $10 Wendy McCarthy has been a trailblazer in the feminist movement in Australia for over 50 years. At this in-conversation event, she’ll discuss her tireless spirit for activism and change, as recounted in her new book Don’t Be Too Polite Girls. McCarthy’s inspiring memoir is filled with cautionary tales and insider stories about her experiences as…
09/06/2022 @ 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Stars: Clare Dunne, Harriet Walter, Conleth Hill and Ian Lloyd Anderson. Sandra, (Clare Dunne), is a young mum struggling to provide her two daughters with a warm, safe and happy home in which to grow up. With very little income and no savings, Sandra perservers to build a house from scratch in Dublin: an ambitious dream whilst trying to escape the…
10/06/2022 @ 9:00 pm $40 – $50 We are excited to bring you a much anticipated live event. Join us in the beautiful Minerva Space at the Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute, for a night of pure entertainment and cheesy disco classics with Ballarat's most notorious television duo Lance DeBoyle and Gabriella Labucci. This event will be broadcast live to community television station C31…
15/06/2022 @ 10:30 am - 1:00 pm $33.00 Image: Seville Oranges (detail) | Geoff Roderick A workshop in painting basics. In these sessions Geoff will be using water based artists quality Gouache (poster paint). Geoff sites five reasons for choosing this medium to teach. It is opaque, (unlike watercolour which is transparent) this means freedom of expression as it's easy to cover any marks…
19/06/2022 @ 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm $10 – $30 The Ballarat Symphony presents classical music with a twist. A Toy Symphony with real toys. Beethoven letting the cat out of the bag. Mozart outdoing P.D.Q. Bach. And Haydn being more surprising than the Surprise Symphony. Music by famous composers…with something funny happening! Conductor: Hugh McKelvey Program: - Beethoven: Symphony No.1 - Leopold Mozart: Toy Symphony…
22/06/2022 @ 10:30 am - 1:00 pm $33.00 Image: Seville Oranges (detail) | Geoff Roderick A workshop in painting basics. In these sessions Geoff will be using water based artists quality Gouache (poster paint). Geoff sites five reasons for choosing this medium to teach. It is opaque, (unlike watercolour which is transparent) this means freedom of expression as it's easy to cover any marks…
28/06/2022 @ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm The Reading Room (2pm in the Library for a start @ 10.30am - 12noon) This volunteer run reading and discussion group meets monthly. It is anticipated that members will read the selected book prior to attendance.If you would like to be a part of this group (free to BMI members) please complete the Expression of…
Minerva's Secrets Night Tours
Tue 19 May with special visit to Lantern Vaults
Tour 1 at 7pm – Tour 2 at 9pm.
Linen & Lace Exhbition
Includes Devonshire Tea | $20
Sat & Sun 22, 23 Oct
10am-4pm
Remembrance Day:
A Surgeon Commander & A Leading Cook - Recent War Memoribilia
Wed 29 Oct & 5 Nov, 5.30pm.
Coming soon…
Rozzi Bazzani. Stella Day Out: Katia Ariel & Samah Sabawi, Rachael Johns
Coming soon…
Dianne Dempsey, Chrissie Bellbrae, Paula Gleeson, Rozzi Bazzani.
Coming in November…
Stella Day Out, Ballarat, Rachael Johns & Margaret Hickey
Australian Heritage Festival
Minerva's Secrets
25 April – Tour 1 at 7.30pm – fully booked
Tour 2 at 9.30pm – still tickets.
Spring Season, History Talks:
Ballarat's Henry Lawson - The Dragon's Den - Gold! Gold! Gold!
Wed 3, 17 & 24 September, 5.30pm.
Bubbly on arrival & Featuring quality items from our Vintage Shop | $60
The Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute 2026 Calendar
Featuring illustrations from our Heritage Book Collection $40
Your gift will be tax-deductible this financial year if you make it before June 30.
Like many organisations the BMI faces significant funding challenges.
2 course dinner & lots
of dancing
