Best Arts and Culture Places in Victoria

"From its columned facade to the majestic domed reading room, the city-block-sized State Library of Victoria is a 19th century treasure. Queen’s Hall (now known as The Ian Potter Queen’s Hall), remains one of the city’s grandest and most beautiful 19th-century interiors. On 25 July architectural experts will lead a free video tour of the hall from inside the iconic patterned skylight roof."

"Melbourne can claim many of Australia's oldest attractions; the oldest public art gallery, oldest building, and the oldest arcade. We also have the oldest public library in Australia, and indeed one of the first libraries in the world. The State Library of Victoria is opposite Melbourne Central - and is filled with historical artifacts."

"The Australian Centre for the Moving Image is ‘Australia’s only national museum of film, video games, digital culture and art,’ and features two cinemas, exhibition spaces and the permanent and ever-evolving exhibit Screen Worlds. See Cate Blanchett’s Oscar, props from Baz Lurhmann’s Moulin Rouge and costumes from Kylie Minogue, Dame Edna and Heath Ledger. Visit the Time Slice room, gawk at the Zoetrope and discover the magic behind the moving image and digital culture."

"This is Melbourne's cultural heart, home to cutting-edge art at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) and an extensive range of Aboriginal works at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia. Explore the galleries before sitting down to lunch at one of the many restaurants on nearby Flinders Lane – Chin Chin and Coda are both standouts."

"has only been open a few years, but it has become one of the world’s leading moving image centres and is internationally recognised for its commitment to bringing excellence and innovationin world film and digital media. There are various exhibitions that are always worthwhile and screenings of various film. A very active Melbourne museum!"

"A free City Circle tram runs throughout town, starting at Flinders Street Station, and takes in must-see attractions such as St Paul's Cathedral, Parliament House and the Royal Exhibition Building. Hop off the tram at Flagstaff Station and take a five minute stroll to Queen Victoria Market. The market has been a Melbourne landmark for more than a century and offers an incredible range of local and imported gourmet foods. Grab a coffee from Market Lane Coffee, in the Deli Hall, and a spinach and cheese borek from the Borek Shop."

"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."

"Located in the heart of the city on the Northbank of the Yarra River, Signal is the last surviving signal box in Flinders Street Station. Once decommissioned, Signal has been converted into a creative studio for young people using simple environmental design concepts. Until your next visit, have a look-see at this creative hub online."

"What do you get when a team known for cocktail bars opens an art gallery?. The answer is Grau Projekt. The idea is to create a large warehouse-style art gallery that can do a whole range of contemporary shows, and then pair them with a cocktail to try to invent a new kind of art museum."

"For a really quirky interaction with Melbourne’s artistic scene, head to the eastern suburb of Kew to Lyon Housemuseum. The gallery consists of two distinct sections; the first being the original house museum, which is where founders Corbett and Yueji Lyon live and which can only be visited on pre-booked tours held on certain days of the year. The second space is the newly-opened public Housemuseum Galleries."

"This remarkable family home is also one of Australia’s most unique exhibition spaces. Lyon Housemuseum belongs to art patrons Corbett and Yueji Lyon, who open it up for pre-booked tours on select days of the year so that people can enjoy their exquisite private art collection. In 2019 they also opened a completely public gallery showcasing national and international exhibitions."

"What makes the Lyon Housemuseum so interesting is that it truly is both the things the name suggests – a house and a museum. It’s now made up of two adjacent sections. The first is the original Housemuseum that’s the private home of the founding patrons, with residential areas blending with exhibitions."

"The market consists of 15 car boot stalls, 27 standard stalls, 4 food stalls, a kids craft area, and space for musicians and performers."

"Situated within Storey Hall, the RMIT Gallery is the main art gallery and premier exhibition space of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. The gallery focuses on public art and design, with exhibition programs showcasing not only visual art, but also new media, sonic art, pop culture, technology and multidisciplinary artistic practice, all across five museum-standard galleries. Additionally, the RMIT Gallery runs a number of programmes and publications alongside its exhibitions, all in the name of strengthening interactions between RMIT and the public."

"RMIT’s premier gallery is for more than just university students. The exhibition space features a year-round program of distinctive visual art plus new media, design, technology and multidisciplinary practices. Being a university offshoot, you’ll see a lot of innovative work from the emerging artists of tomorrow."

"Coop’s shot tower standing tall and sunbaking under it’s massive glass dome. Sitting right in the middle of Melbourne Central train station (think the equivalent of New York’s central station but in Melbourne.) This 50-meter high tower truly is a sight to behold, especially sitting directly under the 84-meter high glass cone. Something really fascinating about this building is that it was actually built because of Melbourne’s riches during and after the Gold Rush."

"Coops shot tower is one of the most photographed buildings in Melbourne that claims of a heritage as old as the city itself. At the time of its construction, it was the tallest building in Melbourne's CBD until the mid-1940s. Today, this tower has been incorporated in the Melbourne centre where it been preserved and is opened for the visitors."

"The old historic Princes Pier in Port Melbourne is both a fisherman’s and photographers favourite early evening spot. With the sunsetting to the west, (right as you lookout to Port Phillip Bay), the golden hour light just before sunset is an ideal time to be here."

"The main feature of this playground is the large aeroplane play structure, named Grove Wings 3029. It has a climbing structure, swings and cockpit built for some imaginative play. Aeroplane Park, Stanhope Road, Tarneit"