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Nelson Mandela with his fist raised

Mandela My Life: The Official Exhibition

A new world-class exhibition on Nelson Mandela's extraordinary life, curated from the extensive collections of the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg.

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exhibition Until
A tree trunk hollowed out, also known as a scar tree

Silent Witness

Jim Berg’s photographic exhibition of Scar trees.

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exhibition Until Bunjilaka
E. coli bacteria

Gut Feelings

Microbes in your gut talk to your brain and body. Your microbes are beautiful. Be immersed. Be curious. Love your guts. 

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exhibition –
Two baby kangaroos embracing

From the Heart

Marking the 10th anniversary of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires.

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special event Until
Child peering out of a loin mask

Lunar New Year Closing Party

Celebrate the Year of the Pig.

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special event
Nocturnal crowd

Nocturnal X Melbourne Fashion

This special edition of Nocturnal, curated in collaboration with the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival (VAMFF), celebrates the opening of the festival with live music, performance, drinks, and late night access to museum exhibitions.

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special event
Projections displayed on the Royal Exhibition Building for Lunar New Year celebrations.

Lunar New Year projections: Royal Exhibition Building

Finish Lunar New Year celebrations in style, with stunning Year of the Pig projections at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Royal Exhibition Building.

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special event
Child touching mineral on display in Children's Museum.

Museum Playdates

Come and play in our newest program for 2 to 5 year olds.

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activity –
Digital image of a close up detail of part of a watercolour painting by John Wolseley. The artwork is titled Distant glimpses of the great floodplain seen through a veil of trees and hanging vines and was painted by John Wolseley in 2017. The artwork has been painted using watercolour paints on cream coloured paper; the colours of the paint are soft tones of browns and blues. The close up focuses on djalkurrk, the Yolgŋu name for a nodding swamp orchid (Geodorum densiflorum).

Miḏawarr: Harvest

Miḏawarr means 'harvest' in the Yolgηu matha (language); it is the season when rich plant life on Yolgηu country is ready to be collected and prepared.

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exhibition Opens Bunjilaka
Garments from Museums Victoria collections in the Fashion and Textiles Store at Moreland.

Fashion Redux

Presented in partnership with Virgin Australia Fashion Festival Fashion Redux exhibition displays reimagined items from the museum's vast and fascinating collection.

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exhibition –
Woman giving a presentation

Museum Lectures

Come on a journey of discovery with a program of talks.

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talk

Before Hours Tour

Join an early morning, small group tour of Melbourne Museum before it opens

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tour Until
A mother and son are sitting in a beanbag reading a book

Hello Possums Story Time

Join your friends for Hello Possums Story Time in the Pauline Gandel Children's Gallery at Melbourne Museum.

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activity
Detail of the Cole's Funny Picture Book cover

Hilarity in Print

We like books. You like books. Melbourne has always loved books!

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activity Until
Audience

The History of Money: Part 1

Money, trade and the human experience discovery debate series.

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talk

First Peoples Tour

Enjoy a guided tour of the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum and experience the vibrant cultures of Indigenous Australia

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tour Until Bunjilaka
Women sitting at a sewing machine

Fashion and Ethics: Knowing your clothes

Join Ethical Clothing Australia and the Melbourne Museum as we meet the people behind the labels at some of Australia's most ethical brands.

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talk
Woman looking at wool designs.

From Sketch to Sample

In this three part workshop, learn how professional designers develop their ideas, create patterns and work with manufacturers, to create high end fashion pieces.

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workshop
Boy wearing Aztec mask and animal costume (leopard print) at the Winter School Holiday Aztec activity.

Hot to Trot: Phar Lap's Fashion Revamp

Reuse, revamp and runway this VAMFF with a catwalk fashion extravaganza with Australia’s most iconic horse Phar Lap.

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show
Woman holding a small bird on her hand

Listening for Nature

Discover how sound recordings reveal the secrets of nature with Dr Karen Rowe’s work on birds in Australia and Sulawesi.

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talk
Gut Feelings exhibition

Melbourne Design Week

Museums Victoria is excited to participate in Melbourne Design Week 2019.

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tour
Audience watching a man on stage with a brown paper bag presenting an idea.

FameLab 2019 Victorian Finals

One big night with scientists live on stage – a fast-paced session of genius, laughs and true stories of real science.

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special event
Exhibition entry with visitors looking at language map

First Peoples

Celebrating the history, culture, achievements and survival of Victoria’s Aboriginal people. 

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exhibition Bunjilaka
Top Designs 2019

Top Designs 2019

Glimpse into the future of Australian design when Melbourne Museum showcases the work of outstanding VCE and VET design students.

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exhibition –
Child wearing a dinosaur costume dancing at the Jurassic Dinosaur Disco at Melbourne Museum

Hello Museum Dino Disco

Say hello at the Dinosaur Disco and enjoy a special evening opening of the Children's Gallery and Garden.

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special event

Illuminating Nature

Learn how a Melbourne watchmaker and amateur scientist used the art of magic lantern projection to present scientific discoveries of the natural world. 

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talk
A green Goliath stick insect hanging from a human hand.

Meet the Museum Expert: Live Exhibits

Peek inside, and you will find out, what museum staff do and what's behind those closed doors.

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tour –
Making stop motion animation at Melbourne Museum.

Stop! Intergenerational Animation Workshops!

Bring your grandkids or your grandparents to the Melbourne Museum for an afternoon of storytelling and skill sharing in the digital age.

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workshop –
Old book

The History of Money: Part 2 Abolishing Slavery

Money, trade and the human experience lecture series.

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talk
garden

Milarri Garden trail

Explore Bunjilaka's beautiful Indigenous garden.

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activity Bunjilaka
Twenty faceted forsterite specimens in a range of green and yellow hues.

Sunday Family Program: Kaleidoscope Gems

Be inspired by the Dynamic Earth exhibition and make your very own kaleidoscope to take home.

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activity –
Beetroot Tartlet.

Mother’s Day High Tea at Melbourne Museum

Capture the sense of occasion with the time honoured ritual of high tea at Melbourne Museum this Mother's Day.

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special event
Man and a woman with animations projected over them

Gut Feelings lecture

An expert panel explains the latest research on how our guts and mental health are linked and what we can do to be healthy and happy from the inside out.

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talk
Children participating in an archaeological activity in the Great Wall of China Exhibition during the 2007 Winter School Holiday Program at Melbourne Museum.

Under Your Feet

Join us for a short ride into the amazing world of Archaeology and its role in shaping the future and uncovering the past.

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talk

Melbourne Museum Tours

Enrich your visit to Melbourne Museum with a small group guided tour.

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tour
Girl and her mother looking out the windows of a pretend train

Children's Gallery

A wondrous place for babies to 5-year-olds to explore, play and learn.

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exhibition
Detail of zinc etching

Wurreka

An etched zinc wall that spans the north wall of Birrarung Gallery and surrounds the entry to First Peoples. 

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display Bunjilaka
Two students using virtual reality googles to experience a road trip from the past to the future of travel in Victoria.

Road to Zero experience

The world’s first immersive experience that explores a future free from deaths and serious injuries on our roads.

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exhibition
Collection manager Bentley Bird checking drawers with eggs during collection audit in Ornithology store.

Curious?

A place for visitors to meet staff and find answers relating to the research, collections and the work of Museums Victoria. 

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activity
Visitor in front of butterfly display at the entrance to Bugs Alive exhibition

Bugs Alive!

The amazing world of insects and spiders!

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exhibition
Visitors viewing a showcase

Wild

Over 600 birds, reptiles, mammals and amphibians from around the world.

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exhibition
Visiting children examining Inostrancevia skeleton in the Dinosaur Walk exhibition.

Dinosaur Walk

Walk among skeletons of prehistoric animals.

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exhibition
Crinoid fossils and models

600 Million Years

The origin and evolution of life in Victoria.

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exhibition
Woman talking to a crowd about the eels in the pond

Eel feeding

Watch a writhing mass of hungry eels gobble up their lunch!

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talk Bunjilaka
Advertising posters

IMAX Melbourne

The most immersive cinematic experience in the world.

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show
Girls looking into case

The Melbourne Story

An exhibition packed with icons of the city's past and present.

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exhibition
Trees and mist

Forest Secrets

Walk through a stand of Victoria's mountain forests in the middle of the city.

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exhibition
stuffed birds in showcase

Darwin to DNA

The processes and mechanisms of evolution.

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exhibition
four people standing amongst rocks and grass

Highlights tour

Introduction to the museum's displays.

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tour

The Mind

Think about the workings of your own mind and the minds of others.

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exhibition
Horse Phar Lap on display in the Melbourne Story gallery

Phar Lap

Australia's greatest racehorse.

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exhibition
External view of Royal Exhibition Building from Nicholson Street

Royal Exhibition Building Tours

Discover the history and beauty of this magnificently restored building.

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tour
Various sails within Te Pasifika gallery

Te Vainui O Pasifika

Watercraft and other objects from nearly every Pacific Island nation.

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exhibition
A child looking at Earth globe display

Dynamic Earth

A brilliant, immersive exhibition about our ever-changing Earth.

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exhibition
Front view of mounted display shark

Marine Life

Dramatic underwater footage, vivid photographs and rare specimens bring Victoria’s marine animals to life.

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exhibition
Close up of a plate of gourmet food

Museum Market Pop-Up Restaurant

Enjoy a glass of wine, coffee and lunch at Melbourne Museum’s Pop-Up Restaurant in May, overlooking the stunning Royal Exhibition Building.

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special event