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The Archives contain a wide range of records that document the development and activities of The Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Archival records are retained permanently due to their continuing value. Records are selected for permanent preservation because they document evidence of the legal, fiscal or administrative framework of the hospital, or provide information about the hospital's functions, services, facilities, processes and personnel. Archival records document policy and decision making at the highest level.
An archival record may be any document, in any medium, created by officers of the hospital in the day-to-day administrative, legal, research, clinical and fiscal business of the hospital. Records may include paper documents, computer records, microfilm/microfiche, maps, plans, drawings, optical storage systems, photographs, sound recordings, video, artworks, museum objects, medical and surgical equipment, etc.
Role of the Archives Department
 The Archives Department was created in 1994 to facilitate the writing of a book celebrating the hospital's 150th anniversary history.
The department documents the tradition and history of the hospital. It serves as the hospital's corporate memory by documenting the hospital's cultural heritage and unique identity.
The collection supports the various educational and business activities of the hospital, including:
- administrative and legal requirements
- educating staff and students on the traditions of the hospital
- providing a sense of identity to the hospital community
- providing research services
- assisting with public relations through exhibitions
The Archives Department aims to ensure the continuing preservation of records by applying recognised archival principles to the identification, collection, classification, storage, retrieval, display and reference use of the records in its possession.
What records do the Archives hold?
 The Royal Melbourne Hospital is a public hospital and part of the Melbourne
Health Service. The Archives collects administrative records relating to The Royal Melbourne Hospital (Melbourne Hospital prior to 1935), Melbourne Health and records of another hospital within the Melbourne Health Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital - Royal Park Campus (the former Immigrants Aid Society/Mount Royal Hospital). Some records of the now defunct Essendon and District Memorial Hospital are also held.
Major holdings of the Archives Department include:
- Minutes and papers of the Board of Management and Executive Committees of the hospital and Networks/ Health Services, 1844+
- Correspondence of the Chief Executive Officer, c. 1935-1983
- Annual Reports, 1848+
- Senior Medical Staff Minutes, 1880-1996
- Plans, specifications and correspondence re the building of the hospital on its present Parkville site,
1930s-1940s
- Minutes, news cuttings and annual reports of hospital fundraising auxiliaries, 1921+
- Papers, reports, brochures re the history of nursing and nurse education, 1890+
- News cuttings and publicity material, 1866+
- Minutes of hospital related medical research foundations, 1975+
- Photographs of staff, services and departments of the hospital
- Medical/surgical instruments and equipment and memorabilia
- Oral histories of ex-staff members
- Essendon and District Memorial Hospital minutes of Board Committees and annual reports, 1965-1986
- Minutes, Annual Reports and some patient records for The Royal Melbourne Hospital - Royal Park Campus (and its predecessors, namely: Immigrants & Aid Society, Victorian Homes for Aged and Infirm, Mount Royal Hospital, North West Hospital, and MECRS - Melbourne Extended Care and Rehabilitation Service), c. 1870s+
 Donations to the Archives Collection
Donations to the archival collection from past and present staff, students and patients are welcome.
Donations received from the wider hospital community are one method by which the collection continues to grow. Another avenue is through acquisitions and transfers of records from hospital departments during the day-to-day running of the hospital.
All donated items are uniquely numbered so that the origin of the item is identified for researchers or future generations.
The types of material collected can include:
- records of management such as minute books and annual reports
- correspondence on a range of issues including administration, legal, financial, marketing, research, personnel, and transport policies, procedures, handbooks, manuals and newsletters educational material
- statistical information
- commemorative items depicting significant events or phases in the hospital&s history
- publicity material, including photographs, news reports and brochures, that illustrate the nature and extent of the hospital's involvement in community affairs
- personal items of significance used by hospital staff during their career with the hospital
- items or artefacts of historical significance, and any other material such as books or other published material, sound recordings, artwork, photographs, etc that have a bearing on the history of the hospital
Facilities and access
Facilities: Photocopying and photographic service for the copying of records and photographs available.
Access: Visits by appointment only. Advance notice of visit required. Access Agreement must be signed at the time of initial visit. Access is determined in accordance with Victorian Government requirements and guidelines. Some records may be closed to the public.
Contact details
RMH Archives Department
Room 16, Building 22 - Park House
RMH Royal Park Campus
Poplar Avenue, Parkville 3052
Victoria Australia
Archivist Gabriele Haveaux
Telephone 61 3 8387-2646
Email Gabriele.Haveaux@mh.org.au
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