The Johnston Collection

The Johnston Collection is a house museum in Melbourne devoted to fine and decorative arts, presented inside Fairhall, an historic 1860s East Melbourne townhouse. Rather than separating the collection into a conventional gallery layout, the museum displays the works in a domestic setting that is regularly rearranged. The result is a visit centred on rooms, objects and the way they relate to one another within a former home.

The collection was assembled by William Robert Johnston, a Melbourne-born antiques dealer, collector and property investor. It includes more than 1,500 objects from the English Georgian, Regency and Louis XV periods, including furniture, paintings, ceramics and other decorative works. Johnston’s interest began with a small Minton teacup given to him by his grandmother when he was about eight years old, and developed into what the museum describes as one of Australasia’s strongest collections of its kind. The collection was gifted to the people of Victoria.

Fairhall’s presentation also has its own story. After Johnston’s death, the house was converted into an exhibition-house between 1986 and 1990, with contributions from conservation architect Peter Lovell, interior designer David McCabe, landscape architect John Patrick and the museum’s inaugural director, Judith Thompson. The property opened to the public in November 1990. Visitors interested in historic interiors, collecting, decorative arts or the relationship between objects and domestic spaces will find plenty to look at, whether visiting alone or with others.

The Johnston Collection runs exhibition tours and a programme of lectures, workshops and special events. The listed 2026 programme includes the exhibition Taste & Temptation, book-club sessions, afternoon tea and lectures, sketching, and talks on subjects ranging from Scandinavian ceramics and historical clothing to Baroque architecture and Cartier jewellery. Tours are offered Wednesday to Sunday at 10am, 12pm and 2pm, with bookings required through the venue’s visit information. It is a considered choice for visitors who prefer a focused museum experience, guided interpretation and a close look at fine and decorative arts rather than a large-scale public gallery.