Heritage Places of Adelaide

Mortlock Wing, State Library of South Australia

North Terrace ADELAIDE

State Heritage Place

Opened in 1884, the Jervois Wing of the State Library, so named in 1965, is historically significant as the second home of the South Australian Institute. It was planned as first stage of grandiose new accommodation for the Institute and was intended to be joined by three other wings to form a quadrangle. The building was occupied in 1882 but the Library and Museum were not formally opened until 18 December 1884, by which time the Institute had been replaced by the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery, a combined body managed by a single board. The Jervois Wing housed the National Gallery (now Art Gallery) of South Australia 1882-89 and the Museum until 1893. Since then the Library has been the principal tenant. The interior is significant as a relatively well-preserved example of a Victorian library.

Listing Information

Date of Listing: 28 May 1981

More Information

Mortlock Wing (State Library of South Australia), North Terrace - Heritage Information Sheet (104kb pdf file)
Heritage information about Mortlock Wing (State Library of South Australia), North Terrace, Adelaide from Heritage of the City of Adelaide: An Illustrated Guide 1996