An Evening with Rare Books | Hosted by Emeritus Professor Chris Browne

Thursday 11 Sep 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

As a very special treat, The Friends have been invited to an exclusive evening with an amazing private collection of very rare books. Emeritus Professor Chris Browne, a retired medical researcher and academic, is opening his home to us, and with it, his amazing collection of very rare books.

Born in Hampshire in England, thus sharing a county of birth with Charles Dickens and Jane Austen, Chris spent much of his childhood in British colonial Africa and the Middle East, before returning to the UK to attend school. Following degrees from the Universities of York and Oxford, and five years in medical research at McGill University in Montreal in the late 1970s, he has spent most of his working life in the Faculty of Medicine at Monash University.

Chris enjoyed reading from an early age, and became a serious book collector in 1970, putting together a personal library of around 15,000 books. His main interests are English literature and juvenilia from 1780 to 1940, fine illustrated books and the history of English publishing and printing. In the last 20 years, Chris has collected more and more French books and prints, particularly French fashion prints and magazines, French editions of English literature, illustrated French books, and books about the history and culture of Paris.

Since 2016, he has been the Program Director of Melbourne Rare Book Week. Unsurprisingly, his main hobby is reading, although his collecting habit also encompasses Fine Art, French Art Deco glass and fashion prints. Chris has been married to his wife Vivien for more than 45 years and has a daughter, Jennifer, who is also in academic health research. Fortunately, neither Vivien nor Jennifer, who are both avid readers, are book collectors.

Join The Friends for a relaxed evening with Chris and Vivien Browne, in their home, with their amazing collection of rare books and interesting art. Enjoy evening drinks and hors d’oeuvres, while spending time browsing, and learning more about this fabulous private collection.

Image: Courtesy of Emeritus Professor Chris Browne

Book Tickets

MEMBER $60.00

$ 60.00 ea


NON-MEMBER $70.00

$ 70.00 ea