Bringing living traditions to life at See Yup Temple

Launched by Member for Albert Park Nina Taylor MP on behalf of the Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt, this special Lunar New Year event is not to be missed during the prosperous Year of the Fire Horse.

The Robert Cripps Institute for Cultural Conservation has joined the See Yup Temple to deliver an exhibition See Yup Temple: The Next 170 Years, a special exhibition celebrating Lunar New Year, showcasing the post fire recovery, storytelling and community collaboration at Melbourne’s historic See Yup Temple.

^{See Yup Temple: The Next 170 Years. Image: Anthony Leong.}

The exhibition explores the historical and cultural significance of the Temple, the impact of the 2024 fire, how heritage professionals engage with living heritage and cultures of care, and the decisions made to recover and conserve the See Yup Temple items for the future.

At the launch Michael Lam, President of the See Yup Temple Recovery Project said:

“We happily have an accompanying display developed by Associate Professor Nicole Tse and students from the Robert Cripps Institute for Cultural Conservation at the University of Melbourne.”

Enjoy these displays inside the temple that showcase the documentation, safe storage, materials and scientific research, and the conservation cleaning of the fire damaged items. This has been an important partnership with the Cripps Institute and the University of Melbourne.

The Cripps Institute display in the 1901 building adjacent to the 1901 ancestor hall of spirit tablets, reminds us of the deep connection between living rituals and material culture.

Students and staff worked closely with temple representatives to research archival materials, interpret heritage objects, and create accessible displays for visitors during the Lunar New Year celebrations.

The project reflects the Institute’s commitment to experiential learning and community partnership, empowering students to apply their skills in real-world contexts while supporting the preservation and sharing of Melbourne’s multicultural heritage.

Since the fire in 2024, the Cripps Institute has been working closely with the temple to support the recovery and conservation through its research, education and translation programs which has been a great and profound honour for staff and students.

The exhibition was made possible by a Victorian Government Department of Multicultural Affairs Chinese Community Infrastructure Grant, under the guidance of historian Dr Sophie Couchman and Heritage Architect Janet Beeson.

Exhibition details: 

Location: See Yup Temple, 76 Raglan Street, South Melbourne, VIC 3205

When: 9 February to 6 March: Open daily, 9am to 4pm

After 6 March: Saturdays and Sundays, 9am to 4pm

Learn more about the exhibition:

New Exhibit Charts Path of Australia’s Oldest Temple: From Founding & Fire to Future — See Yup Temple 四邑關帝廟