Museums Victoria (MV) is responsible for the state's scientific and cultural collections, providing public access through three museums. The organization also oversees a wide range of research programs, the continued development of the state's collections, and run major education and research based websites.MV is the largest public museums organisation in Australia.CollectionsAs the state's museum, MV is responsible for more than 16 million individual items. These objects are organised within two priceless collections - Sciences and Humanities.MuseumsMV operates the Melbourne Museum in Carlton Gardens, Scienceworks and Melbourne Planetarium in Spotswood, and the Immigration Museum in Melbourne's Old Customs House in Flinders Street. MV is also custodian for the heritage listed Royal Exhibition Building.HistoryThe National Museum of Victoria, the state's first museum, was established in 1854. In 1870, the Industrial and Technological Museum of Victoria, later known as the Science Museum, was built. These institutions were amalgamated and Museums Victoria was established in 1983, under the Museums Act.