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Rebel Heart: Love letters and other declarations

State Library Victoria

Love doesn't follow the rules: it rewrites them. Rebel Heart: Love letters and other declarations is a tribute to defiant expressions of the heart, celebrating true stories of the rebels of romance from the past to the present. This stirring new exhibition explores romantic love – and its foil, heartbreak – through State Library Victoria's extraordinary archive of soul-baring letters, intimate diaries and rare manuscripts, amplified in powerful new music commissions by Australian artists Angie McMahon, Mindy Meng Wang, Mo'Ju and Amos Roach. Spanning centuries of connection and courage, meet the brave hearts who dared to love unapologetically – from same-sex couples in the Victorian era and a mid-century marriage at odds with the White Australia policy, to love outside marriage, across borders and online. Discover the love story of bushrangers Captain Moonlight and James Nesbitt, who met in Pentridge Prison; a mourning brooch from 1853 made of the woven hair of Anne Drysdale and Caroline Newcomb; and the legacy of Australian music icons Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter. The exhibition also spotlights modern expressions of the rebel heart, from mixtapes and DMs to fandoms and AI relationships, exploring how our search for connection is evolving in today's age of digital intimacy and algorithmic matchmaking.
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A giant blue neon heart within Rebel Heart's pink exhibition space
A display of beautiful foiled love letters
A person reading love letters in Rebel Heart
A person listening to a commissioned piece of music in Rebel Heart
A display of love letters and ancient scriptures on display in Rebel Heart
Cassette tapes on display at Rebel Heart
A person viewing a chat of online messages on a blue screen in Rebel Heart
Heartfelt love letters on display at Rebel Heart
A beautiful old book on display in Rebel Heart
A person walking through displays in Rebel Heart
When
06 October, 2026
Venue
State Library Victoria
Contact
Social
Location and Directions328 Swanston Street Keith Murdoch Gallery Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia
Directions in Google Maps
Ticket Prices
Free
Product Types
  • Exhibition and Shows
Facilities
  • Cafe
  • Conference/Convention Facilities
  • Family Friendly
  • Kiosk
  • Non Smoking
  • Parents Room
  • Public Toilet
  • Shop / Gift Shop
Accessibility
  • Actively welcomes people with access needs.
Accessibility Information
  • An access and inclusion statement is available on the business website.
Dates
  • Tuesday 06 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 07 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 08 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 09 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 10 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 11 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 12 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 13 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 14 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 15 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 16 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 17 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 18 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 19 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 20 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 21 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 22 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 23 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 24 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 25 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 26 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 27 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 28 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 29 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 30 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 31 October, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 01 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 02 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 03 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 04 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 05 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 06 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 07 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 08 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 09 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 10 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 11 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 12 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 13 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 14 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 15 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 16 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 17 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 18 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 19 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 20 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 21 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 22 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 23 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 24 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 25 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 26 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 27 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 28 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 29 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 30 November, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 01 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 02 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 03 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 04 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 05 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 06 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 07 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 08 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 09 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 10 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 11 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 12 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 13 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 14 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 15 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 16 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 17 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 18 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 19 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 20 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 21 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 22 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 23 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 24 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 27 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 28 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 29 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 30 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 31 December, 2026 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 01 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 02 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 03 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 04 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 05 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 06 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 07 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 08 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 09 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 10 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 11 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 12 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 13 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 14 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 15 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 16 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 17 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 18 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 19 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 20 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Thursday 21 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Friday 22 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Saturday 23 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Sunday 24 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Monday 25 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Tuesday 26 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event
  • Wednesday 27 January, 2027 - Confirmed Event

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Rebel Heart: Love letters and other declarations | ATDW