Best Arts and Culture Places in Docklands

"At the State Library of Victoria, you can take free tours and hear stories about the state of Victoria, and its people. You can even see the armour of Australia’s infamous bushranger Ned Kelly and artifacts from the expedition of explorers’ Burke and Wills. There are guided tours or various free programs and exhibitions all year round."

"Uni students and city workers alike spend their time hanging out on the lawn. We all know how boring libraries can be, but we guarantee you – this one is anything but!. It was actually one of the first free libraries in the entire world."

"I think the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) is one of the best museums in Melbourne after reopening in early 2021 with its $40-million-dollar redevelopment. It tells the history of the moving image from early days (with shadow puppets, for instance), right up to the modern era with video games and art installations. Although there are international aspects, there’s obviously a big focus on Australian cinema."

"This is a free museum showcasing Australia’s film, TV, video games, digital culture, and art. This is another one of the free and fun things to do in Melbourne CBD with the kids. I found it quite interesting to show Myla how I use to watch TV when I was a kid."

"Built for the 1880 International Exhibition, and winning Unesco World Heritage status in 2004, this beautiful Victorian edifice symbolises the glory days of the Industrial Revolution, the British Empire and 19th-century Melbourne’s economic supremacy. It was the first building to fly the Australian flag, and Australia’s first parliament was held here in 1901; it now hosts everything from trade fairs to car shows. Tours of the building leave from Melbourne Museum (opposite) at 2pm."

"Visit the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens for somewhere unique in Melbourne – it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest existing exhibition buildings in the world. The building hosts various exhibitions and events in all areas of interest, of which price for each will vary so check out what’s on before visiting. Regardless, a simple walk around the outside provides a moment to admire the restoration work on this wonderful building!"

"The geometric, zinc-clad home of Melbourne art collectors Charles and Leah Justin doubles as the Justin Art House Museum. Book ahead for a private tour of the couple's dynamic collection of contemporary art, consisting of more than 250 pieces amassed over four decades. There's a strong emphasis on video and digital art, with the works rotated regularly. Guided tours take around two hours. The house was designed by the couple's daughter, Elisa."

"A few doors down from Rice Paper Scissors, Hochi Mama is a modern Vietnamese restaurant that spills out onto Liverpool Street. Founded by childhood friends Midawell Phal, Thai Ho and Raymond Phan, Hochi Mama is an extension of the pay-what-you-want pop-up Pho Real. Hochi Mama offers separate lunch and dinner menus packed with contemporary meals inspired by traditional Vietnamese flavours."

"Perhaps the most notable council building is Melbourne Town Hall. This heritage listed building was the prototype for numerous suburban town halls. While the building’s architectural significance is clear with its impressive Tasmanian freestone façade (built in 1867), the Prince Alfred Tower (added in 1869) and temple-like portico (1887), it’s also notable for its role in many historical moments."

"Flinders Street Station is among Melbourne’s most recognizable landmarks & the busiest suburban railway Station in the southern hemisphere. The Melburnian idiom “I’ll meet you under the clocks” refers to the row of clocks above the main entrance, which indicate the departure time of the next train on each line"

"While Sydney has the Opera House (pfft), Melbourne has Flinders Street Station. Operating as the hub of the metropolitan train network, this city icon welcomes thousands of workers into the city every day. The station is also Melbourne's most popular meeting place."

"But on those amazing evenings when the setting sun really lights up the clouds, the colourful sky can add even more to your Flinders Street Station photos."

"Follow the red neon sign that shines like a beacon beckoning the hungry down this very Melbourne laneway landscape. The signature Xinjiang-style lamb shoulder is a feature dish for good reason – chilli-spiked fatty rich meat that’s eaten with sumac-spiced fried Ughgur bread is outrageously good. This is no cheap and cheerful canteen (especially once you factor in booze) but chef Victor Liong’s unapologetic cooking prods the boundaries of tradition for memorable Chinese food not as you know it."

"Head to the city where head chef Victor Liong is creating some truly modern cuisine that is sure to impress. Unbridled enthusiasm from the kitchen sees traditional dishes updated, like the Lee Ho Fook spring onion 'Chinizza': a fried pizza done shallot pancake-style, with buffalo mozzerella."

"Every weekend some of the best Yum Cha in Melbourne flows under the paper lamps and whitewashed walls of David’s. You can forget the anxious wait for the starters to arrive – the baskets flow fresh from the kitchen to table as soon as your butt hits the stool. One of the rare all you can eat affairs, each dish is a tribute to generations of fresh, simple cuisine dreamt up in the riverside homes of rural Shanghai and presented to you, basket by steaming basket, until all you can muster is a smile and a feeble ‘please, no more’."

"You would never guess that this light-filled, blonde timber restaurant is 20 years young. Run by David Zhou, this Melbourne institution is famous for its rural Shanghainese cuisine, with many of the dishes passed down from his great grandmothers. Head in for fare you won’t find anywhere else, from softshell river prawns to Shanghai belt noodles slathered in black vinegar."