Marvel At These Melbourne Galleries And Museums

Add these 19 art galleries and museums to your Melbourne itinerary to get a sense of the city’s intimate and endearing relationship with the arts.

Melbourne has long been anchored with a proud artistic flair. One that’s inseparable from the city’s identity and ongoing evolution as one of the world’s most creative cities.

From Southbank to Footscray, Melbourne Museum to NGV International, Melbourne’s art galleries and museums are generously scattered throughout the city. Better yet, most of them are open to the general public for free, with special exhibitions usually ticketed.

Below, you’ll find a list of 19 of the best art galleries in Melbourne. As well as several important museums that serve as constant sources of inspiration, whether it’s for a rainy day or an all-encompassing art crawl. As you’ll see, Melbourne’s art scene is thorough and fiercely open-minded, taking in everything from photography and contemporary art, to fine art, sculpture work, film, video games and more.

1. NGV International, Southbank

As the state’s most recognised art institution, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) International is always going to be the first place mentioned in any discussion on the best art galleries in Melbourne. A permanent collection of over 75,000 works spread across two sites, NGV International on St Kilda Rd and the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia nearby at Federation Square, is completely free to view, while frequent special exhibitions are ticketed.

a welcome to Melbourne signage at the exterior of NGV International — Kick off your Melbourne adventure with a visit to NGV International. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The gallery, which was first opened in 1861, has a reputation for hosting some of the world’s biggest exhibitions, so it’s always worth checking to see what’s on when you’re in town. Past highlights include exhibitions dedicated to Dior, Alexander McQueen, Andy Warhol, John Wolseley and Louise Zhang.

visitors admiring artworks inside NGV International, Melbourne — This art institution hosts some of the world’s biggest exhibitions. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Cost: Entry to the gallery is free but some special exhibitions may be ticketed.

Address: 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne

2. Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)

From David Bowie to Yayoi Kasuma, ACMI is big and bright with many rotating exhibitions. The public art gallery is dedicated to the screen, encompassing everything from video games to music.

costumes from The Last Emperor film on display at Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) — Costumes from The Last Emperor film are displayed at ACMI.

You’ll find exhibitions that focus on one subject at ACMI, but you’re just as likely to find broad, overarching exhibitions dedicated to fascinating ideas and forward-thinking mediums. This is in addition to a permanent collection of over 250,000 objects illustrating video games, TV and film dating back to 1946.

a dimly lit exhibition inside Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) — Find everything from video games to music. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Cost: Entry is free but select events will be ticketed.

Address: Federation Square, Flinders St, Melbourne

3. Australian Centre For Contemporary Art, Southbank

ACCA is where you go when your scope of contemporary art needs a swift expansion. This not-for-profit gallery is one of the most recognised in Australia with a reputation for experimentation.

Local and international artists are showcased across big, shapely spaces, geared towards making an impact and leading cultural conversations.

Show-stopping exhibitions are designed to explore bold ideas and works, alongside programs of talks, lectures, performances, screenings and other events to help push the ongoing development of the arts in Australia.

Cost: Gallery entry is always free but Monday is closed for appointment-only visits. Special events will be ticketed.

Address: 111 Sturt St, Southbank

4. Melbourne Museum

Melbourne Museum rests on a more traditional structure, presenting history, culture, science and nature with fascinating exhibitions for all ages in the heart of Carlton Gardens.

Immaculate dinosaur fossils, a replica of a living rainforest, and a Children’s Gallery make Melbourne Museum one of the most multifaceted in the country.

It’ll only cost you $15 for an adult ticket, so it’s worth spending a few hours wandering through the museum’s eight galleries to get a thorough education on the land and its history.

Cost: Free entry for members, children and concession; Adults $15; Seniors $10

Address: 11 Nicholson St, Carlton VIC 3053

5. Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre

Located at Melbourne Museum, the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre provides exhibitions with incredible depth and power around First Peoples and their stories.

guests visiting Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre — Browse through incredible exhibitions of Koorie artists. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The space hosts just three exhibitions a year dedicated to Koorie artists. There’s also a performance stage for cultural events and an art gallery highlighting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists throughout the year.

people admiring an Indigenous art at Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre — First Peoples art takes centre stage at Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Cost: Free entry for members, children and concession; Adults $15; Seniors $10.

Address: 11 Nicholson St, Carlton

6. The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, CBD

While NGV International looks at the bigger picture, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia in Federation Square is dedicated to Australia.

a man looking at artworks on the wall inside The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, CBD — Explore a diverse range of artworks, from the Colonial era to contemporary art (Image: Visit Victoria)

An extensive collection of Australian artwork tells our story from the Colonial period through to contemporary art in a way that provides great insight into the issues that have built our country from then to now.

sculptures on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Melbourne — Gain insight into the history and stories of Australian art. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The highlight is the rich collection of works and regular exhibitions from First Nations artists, occupying a sizable space across a total of 25,000 works from indigenous and non-indigenous artists.

Indigenous art on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Melbourne — The Ian Potter Centre showcases First Nations artwork. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Cost: Entry to the gallery is free although some special exhibitions may be ticketed.

Address: Federation Square, Flinders St &, Russell St, Melbourne

7. Heide Museum of Modern Art

Made up of three buildings set around beautiful gardens and a popular sculpture park, Heide Museum of Modern Art is one of Australia’s most important hubs for the arts.

the exterior of the Heide Museum of Modern Art — Heide Museum of Modern Art is just a short drive from the CBD. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The former farm property of locals John and Sunday Reed has been transformed into this massive art complex just 30 minutes outside of Melbourne CBD, dedicated mostly to the modernist period in Australia.

guests admiring an artwork on the wall at the Heide Museum of Modern Art — Be in awe of the unique display of works. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Throughout their lifetime, the Reeds assembled a massive collection of pieces from The Heide Circle, a notable art collective. And it’s this extensive network that has resulted in a unique display of works from across history, anchored by an incredible range of sculptures by local artists.

colourful sculptures outside the Heide Museum of Modern Art — The popular sculpture park. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Cost: The gardens and sculpture park are always free. Entry to the gallery is ticketed: Adult $25; Concession $20; Seniors $20 on Tuesdays; free for members, children under 16, and Manningham residents.

Address: 7 Templestowe Rd, Bulleen

8. Footscray Community Arts Centre, Footscray

The Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC) was established in 1974. Multiculturalism flows throughout the building, taking an open approach to art with a preference for Melbourne’s western suburbs.

a mural painted on the outside walls of FCAC, Melbourne — Multiculturalism flows throughout the building. (Image: Gianna Rizzo)

A constant stream of performances and workshops draws many people out to Footscray just for this space. There are also art workshops for people with disabilities.

artworks on display at FCAC, Melbourne — FCAC is hosting a series of workshops and exhibitions. (Image: Gianna Rizzo)

With diversity at its core, the regular program of special exhibitions takes a similarly wide-ranging approach so you’ll often find everything from photography to light works. No manner of expression is off the table.

a garden surrounding FCAC, Melbourne — The art complex is surrounded by beautiful gardens. (Image: Gianna Rizzo)

Cost: Entry to the gallery is free.

Address: 45 Moreland St, Footscray

9. Linden New Art, St Kilda

Located in St Kilda, Linden New Art is a gallery designed to hero works from unestablished Australian artists. The space is best known for its annual Postcard Show, which prefers tiny wall-hung pieces from Australian artists across every medium, from watercolour and textiles to ceramics and glass.

the exterior of Linden New Art, St Kilda — Step into Linden New Art for the annual Postcard Show. (Image: Mathieu Vendeville)

With the gallery specialising in pint-sized works, you’ll find many locals heading along to the not-for-profit to grab several pieces and cobble them together for their collage back home.

a collage-like wall art at Linden New Art, St Kilda — Unestablished Australian artists can hang their art like a collage. (Image: Simon Strong)

Cost: Entry to the gallery and annual Postcard Show are free for the public.

Address: Bunurong Boon Wurrung Country, 26 Acland St, St Kilda

10. MARS Gallery, Windsor

Melbourne Art Rooms , or MARS, is one of the more recognisable galleries in Melbourne, founded in 2004 by Andy Dinan.

colourful artworks on the walls at MARS Gallery, Windsor — Marvel at the two-dimensional works of Tricky Walsh.

Originally in Port Melbourne, the art gallery has since moved to a purpose-built space in Windsor, expanding its collection to support further and build the careers of Australia’s emerging contemporary artists.

While the collection is free to view for the public, you’ll find that most people here would be serious buyers looking to score their next treasure.

an art exhibition dedicated to Bernhard Sachs, MARS Gallery, Windsor — MARS also pays homage to the remarkable legacy of late artist and mentor, Bernhard Sachs.

Cost: Entry to the gallery is free but there may be ticketed special events.

Address: 7 James St, Windsor

11. Anna Schwartz Gallery, CBD

Founded by Anna Schwartz in 1986 before moving to Flinders Lane in 1993, this eponymous gallery is considered one of the city’s foremost cultural institutions and the quintessential Melbourne art gallery.

The long history Schwartz has within the local art community has given her unparalleled access to established and emerging artists. As such, her collection is curated with high standards, representing over thirty different artists.

Cost: Entry to the gallery is free.

Address: 185 Flinders Ln, Melbourne

12. Buxton Contemporary, Southbank

Local property developer and collector Michael Buxton has built up a trove of pieces so impressive and varied that his eponymous Buxton Contemporary is now part of the University of Melbourne’s Victorian College of Arts.

an art display inside Buxton Contemporary, Southbank — Buxton Contemporary has long been a hidden treasure trove of impressive art collections. (Image: Christian Capurro)

You’ll find Buxton Contemporary on the corner opposite the NGV, championing mostly Australiasian artists and favouring moving images and video works. Video is so central to how Buxton Contemporary operates that the space hosts the largest outdoor screen in Australia.

Special exhibitions are only open Wednesday through Sunday and entry is completely free.

an art exhibition at Buxton Contemporary, Southbank — Don’t miss out on the special exhibitions. (Image: Christian Capurro)

Cost: Entry to the gallery and most special exhibitions is free.

Address: Corner Southbank Boulevard &, Dodds St, Southbank

13. Centre For Contemporary Photography, Fitzroy

Art lovers with a specific interest in photography should head to Fitzroy, where they’ll find the Centre For Contemporary Photography .

human portraits on display at the Centre For Contemporary Photography, Fitzroy — The gallery features contemporary human portraits. (Image: Kelvin Lau & Hannah NIkkelsen)

The not-for-profit institution has been around since the mid-80s and acts as an important resource centre for anyone looking to get into photography.

The collection is free to view and is mostly made up of works from emerging and established photographers across a wide range of practices.

a photography collection at the Centre For Contemporary Photography, Fitzroy — It boasts an extensive photography collection. (Image: Kelvin Lau & Hannah NIkkelsen)

Cost: Entry to the gallery is free but education workshops are $5-$10 for students.

Address: 404 George St, Fitzroy

14. Gertrude Contemporary, Preston

You’ll now find Gertrude Contemporary in Preston but the project began its life in Fitzroy in 1983, established as a series of artist studios. There is also a satellite exhibition space called Gertrude Glasshouse, which can be found on Glasshouse Road in Collingwood.

The art complex is popular amongst Melbourne’s core art crowd, referenced mostly for its conceptual artworks and tireless support of the arts community through constant studio residencies.

Highlights: A frequently rotating collection of works across all types of mediums.

Cost: Entry to the gallery and most special exhibitions is free.

Address: 21-31 High St, Preston

15. The Blender Studios, West Melbourne

The Blender Studios is less of a year-round gallery that’s open to the public and more of an artist hub with space for residences and exhibitions.

an artist painting at The Blender Studios, West Melbourne — This artist hub provides a welcoming space for art enthusiasts. (Image: Visit Victoria)

As opposed to more commercial galleries, this space is purposed for more accessible mediums, such as a wide variety of street art. As such, you can head along here to buy works from Blenders artists as well as join a street art tour of West Melbourne.

an artist busy working inside The Blender Studios, West Melbourne — These artworks are the product of hard work. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Cost: Entry to the gallery is free although most workshops will be ticketed.

Address: 33-35 Dudley St, West Melbourne

16. Koorie Heritage Trust, CBD

Dedicated to Koorie culture and First Nations art, the Koorie Heritage Trust is one of Melbourne’s most important art complexes with three dedicated gallery spaces.

the entrance to Koorie Heritage Trust, Melbourne — Koorie Heritage Trust offers insights into First Nations art. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Works displayed here have been collected since the early 1980s, presenting a broad scope for those who want to admire Indigenous art and culture.

two women admiring artworks at Koorie Heritage Trust, Melbourne — Admire Indigenous art inside the art complex. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Most popular is the centre’s walking tours which explore the heart of Melbourne with an Indigenous guide, offering insights into the rich and complex history of the world’s oldest continuous living culture.

visitors exploring inside Koorie Heritage Trust, Melbourne — Take your time to peruse the three dedicated gallery spaces. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Cost: Entry to the gallery is free although some exhibitions may be ticketed.

Address: The Yarra Building, Federation Square, Flinders St &, Swanston St, Melbourne

17. Honey Bones Gallery, Brunswick

Run by artists, the Honey Bones Gallery in Brunswick is known for group shows that often showcase up to 50 artists at a time, as well as popular communal art parties.

a crowd-filled art space at Honey Bones Gallery, Brunswick — The gallery supports community creatives with a roster of exhibitions. (Image: Jack Gruber)

The gallery has a prescient reputation for digging deep into the community and championing artists before they become much bigger names. This is why collectors hold Honey Bones Gallery in such high regard.

people chatting inside Honey Bones Gallery with a neon-lit signage on the wall, Brunswick — The Honey Bones Gallery champions local artists. (Image: Jack Gruber)

Cost: Entry to exhibitions is generally free to the public.

Address:46 Trafford St, Brunswick

18. Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh), Wheelers Hill

This Harry Seidler-designed building, hidden in Wheelers Hill, is a bastion of the visual arts. Everything MAPh does in the local community is in complete support of Australian artists.

Australian photographers take centre stage at MUPh throughout the year, fostering a comprehensive permanent collection of over 1,500 works tracking the history of visual storytelling in Australia.

With around 20 exhibitions per year, the Museum of Australian Photography is one of Melbourne’s busiest and most active incubators. There’s also a constant stream of innovative programs and talks, much like Fitzroy’s Centre For Contemporary Photography.

a dimly lit art installation at the Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh), Wheelers Hill — MAPh serves as a stronghold for the visual arts.

Cost: Entry to the gallery is free to the public but workshops and talks may be ticketed.

Address: 860 Ferntree Gully Rd, Wheelers Hill

19. RMIT Gallery, CBD

RMIT Gallery is another ode to visual storytelling with exhibitions that change frequently, blending art and research from the global University of Technology and Design.

a look inside RMIT Gallery, Melbourne — Find art that inspires conversation and contemplation. (Image: Christian Capurro)

Exhibitions generally tackle big, cerebral questions like healing and connection, while also leaning heavily on RMIT’s extensive network in the worlds of arts and academia.

an art display at RMIT Gallery, Melbourne — The collections blend art and research. (Image: Christian Capurro)

The throughline of cultural stories and provocative works is aimed mostly at the student population but anyone can enter this free public gallery.

a woman viewing an exhibition of Indonesian Australian artist, Tintin Wulia at RMIT Gallery, Melbourne — The gallery features the works of Indonesian Australian artist, Tintin Wulia. (Image: Christian Capurro)

Cost: Entry to the gallery is free.

Address: 344 Swanston St, Melbourne

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Slow down and find your rhythm on a Murray River journey through time and place.

Trust is a funny thing. It seems not that long ago that my mother was insisting on pouring the milk into my cereal bowl, because she didn’t trust me not to slosh it over the table, and yet here I am on the Murray River at Mildura in far north-west Victoria, being handed the keys to a very new and very expensive luxury houseboat.

After a crash course in how not to crash, I’m at the wheel of the good ship Elevate – pride of the All Seasons fleet – guiding her upstream past red-ochre cliffs as pelicans glide above the rippled river and kookaburras call from reedy banks. There’s a brief moment of breath-holding while I negotiate a hairpin turn around a jagged reef of skeletal, submerged gum trees, before a cheer rings out and calm descends as the timeless river unfurls in front of us.

The Murray River winding through Yarrawonga. (Image: Rob Blackburn)

Setting sail from Mildura

Murray River birds — Home to a large number of bird species, including pelicans. (Image: The Precint Studios)

A journey along the Murray River is never less than magical, and launching from Mildura makes perfect sense. Up here the river is wide and largely empty, giving novice skippers like myself the confidence to nudge the 60-tonne houseboat up to the riverbank where we tie up for the night, without fear of shattering the glass elevator (the boat is fully wheelchair accessible) or spilling our Champagne.

My friends and I spend three days on the water, swimming and fishing, sitting around campfires onshore at night, and basking in air so warm you’d swear you were in the tropics. The simplicity of river life reveals an interesting dichotomy: we feel disconnected from the world but at the same time connected to Country, privileged to be part of something so ancient and special.

Stop one: Echuca

19th-century paddlesteamers — A historic 19th-century paddlesteamer cruises along the Murray River. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The six-hour drive from Melbourne to Mildura (or four hours and 20 minutes from Adelaide) is more than worth it, but you don’t have to travel that far to find fun on the river. Once Australia’s largest inland port, Echuca is the closest point on the Murray to Melbourne (two hours 45 minutes), and you’ll still find a plethora of paddlesteamers tethered to the historic timber wharf, a throwback to the thriving river trade days of the 19th century. The PS Adelaide, built in 1866 and the oldest wooden-hulled paddlesteamer operating in the world, departs daily for one-hour cruises, while a brand-new paddlesteamer, the PS Australian Star , is launching luxury seven-night voyages in December through APT Touring.

The town is also a hot food and wine destination. St Anne’s Winery at the historic Port of Echuca precinct has an incredibly photogenic cellar door, set inside an old carriage builders’ workshop on the wharf and filled with huge, 3000-litre port barrels. The Mill, meanwhile, is a cosy winter spot to sample regional produce as an open fire warms the red-brick walls of this former flour mill.

Stop two: Barmah National Park

Just half-an-hour upstream, Barmah National Park is flourishing, its river red gum landscape (the largest in the world) rebounding magnificently after the recent removal of more than 700 feral horses. The internationally significant Ramsar-listed wetland sits in the heart of Yorta Yorta Country, with Traditional Owners managing the environment in close partnership with Parks Victoria. Walkways weave through the forest, crossing creeks lined with rare or threatened plants, passing remnants of Yorta Yorta oven mounds and numerous scar trees, where the bark was removed to build canoes, containers or shields.

The Dharnya Centre (open weekdays until 3pm) is the cultural hub for the Yorta Yorta. Visitors can learn about the ecological significance of the Barmah Lakes on a 90-minute river cruise, led by a First Nations guide, or take a one-hour, guided cultural walking tour along the Yamyabuc Trail.

Stop three: Cobram

Continue east to Cobram to find the southern hemisphere’s largest inland beach. Swarming with sun-seekers in summer, the white sand of Thompson’s Beach is shaded by majestic river red gums and dotted with hundreds of beach umbrellas, as beachgoers launch all manner of water craft and set up stumps for beach cricket. But the beach is at its most captivating at sunset, when the crowds thin out, the glassy river mirrors the purple sky, and the canopies of the gum trees glow fiery orange.

The region is also home to some fine resorts and indulgent retreats. Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort has two riverside championship golf courses, luxury apartments and self-contained villas. While not strictly on the Murray, the historic wine town of Rutherglen is rife with boutique (and unique) accommodation, including an exquisitely renovated red-brick tower in a French provincial-style castle at Mount Ophir Estate. Fans of fortified wines can unravel the mystery of Rutherglen’s ‘Muscat Mile’, meeting the vignerons and master-blenders whose artistry has put the town on the global map for this rich and complex wine style.

Stop four: Albury-Wodonga

First Nations YindyamarraSculpture Walk — First Nations Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk is part of the Wagirra Trail. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

Follow the river far enough upstream and you’ll arrive at the twin border cities of Albury-Wodonga. The Hume Highway thunders through, but serenity can be found along the five-kilometre Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk – part of the Wagirra Trail that meanders through river wetlands just west of Albury in Wiradjuri country. Fifteen sculptures by local First Nations artists line the trail, conveying stories of reconciliation, enduring connection to culture, local Milawa lore and traditional practices. It feels a long way from Mildura, and it is, but the pelicans and kookaburras remind us that it’s the same river, the great conduit that connects our country.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

New Mildura motel Kar-rama. (Image: Iain Bond Photo)

Kar-Rama is a brand-new boutique, retro-styled motel in Mildura, with a butterfly-shaped pool and a tropical, Palm Springs vibe. Echuca Holiday Homes has a range of high-end accommodation options, both on the riverfront and in town.

Playing there

BruceMunro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura — Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura. (Image: Imogen Eveson)

Artist Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights installation, comprising more than 12,000 illuminated ‘fireflies’, is currently lighting up Mildura’s Lock Island in the middle of the Murray. Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) is a hub for contemporary art, with a rotating roster of exhibitions, and is a major outlet for young and First Nations artists.

Eating there

Mildura’s diverse demographic means it’s a fantastic place to eat. Andy’s Kitchen is a local favourite, serving up delicious pan-Asian dishes and creative cocktails in a Balinese-style garden setting. Call in to Spoons Riverside in Swan Hill to enjoy locally sourced, seasonal produce in a tranquil setting overlooking the river.

A guide to the best Melbourne art galleries and museums