Villa Alba Museum

Situated on the edge of the Melbourne suburb of Kew sits the Villa Alba Museum, a house that holds great cultural and historical significance in the history of Melbourne. The Villa Alba was designed and constructed between 1882 and 1884 and was initially owned by husband and wife Anna Maria McEvoy and William Greenlaw.

It was designed in the 1800s Italianate architectural style and the elaborate, luxurious interior furnishings remain to this day. A particular highlight inside is the two panoramic murals of Sydney Harbour and Edinburgh. On the outside of the building lies the heritage garden, a recreated garden that aims to mimic a late Victorian-era garden.

The Villa Alba building had various uses through the 1900s, and after becoming a home for trainee nurses in the 1950s, it became part of the Royal Women’s Hospital. The building is now part of the Victorian Heritage Register as a means of conserving this interesting building.