Along the underground roads beneath the seating, past the indoor cricket nets, and up into the exclusive members’ area, this tour blends sport with heritage, taking in the portrait-lined MCC Long Room, dedications to cricket greats like Donald Bradman and the MCC Library with its endless tomes of statistics. For more history, you can also take the exclusive behind-the-scenes Keepers’ Collection Tour into the secret storage rooms of the Australian Sports Museum. Hidden beneath the stadium, most of the collection hasn’t been seen by the public for years and there’s a thrill walking through the nondescript entrance into the trove of more than 70,000 items. Looking around, I easily spot a Melbourne Cup, a State of Origin ball and plenty from the 1956 Olympics.
