Movies at the Mechanics' Institute: Our Bruce Turner Lecture

In the early years of cinema, the Mechanics' Institute played a surprising role in bringing movies to life. Travelling showmen used these halls to share the wonder of film with small towns and growing suburbs across Victoria.

Join Royce Harris, Archivist and President of the Cinema and Theatre Historical Society, as he uncovers how these early screenings grew into regular film events that entertained communities and supported the Institutes financially.

The talk includes rare and fascinating images from the CATHS archive, showing the many venues that once hosted picture shows, some of which are still standing today.

Royce Harris is the President and Archivist of the Cinema and Theatre Historical Society (CATHS), whose archive is housed in the PMI Victorian History Library's building.

He grew up in a small country town, where local picture shows were a treasured part of community life. His lifelong interest in the history of cinema and Institutes has shaped much of his work. Royce contributed to the book These Walls Speak Volumes, compiling a detailed list of 172 Mechanics' Institutes known to have shown films.

Through his research and CATHS’ remarkable archive, Royce brings to life the story of how Mechanics' Institutes helped shape the early movie experience in Victoria.

When