Museum After Dark | Nocturnal: Next Gen
- What
- 18+ EVENT
- When
- Tickets
Mark NAIDOC Week and connect with this year's theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy at Nocturnal, with a full program of talks, tours and a chance to explore our collections and exhibitions up late and child free.
Learn something new with friends, and enjoy food, drinks, music and child-free access to Melbourne Museum until 9:30pm.
As part of our strong commitment as allies to First Peoples, we have a limited number of complimentary tickets available on a first in first served basis to any members of First Peoples who wish to attend this event. Please email us to book your spot: [email protected].
Program & Schedule
-
First Peoples
6 to 8pm | Bunjilaka, Ground Level | Exhibition
Bunjil's Wing kinetic sculpture display in First Peoples exhibition. Through the voices and languages of the south-eastern First Peoples community, the First Peoples exhibition celebrates the cultures of First Peoples with its rich traditions of performance, storytelling, artwork, and knowledge sharing, set against the history of survival throughout the ongoing impacts of colonisation.
Stronger Families, Stronger Communities
6 to 8pm | Bunjilaka, Ground Level | Exhibition
Elevating the voices of nine First Nations men wo have taken part in the Dardi Munwurro’s healing and leadership programs, this show explores the themes of strength, healing, resilience and cultural pride of the individuals working to break cycles of trauma and build stronger communities.Top Designs
6pm to 9:30pm | Upper Level | Exhibition
Top Designs 2025 celebrates the innovation of Victoria’s VCE and VCE VET design students, offering insight into the future of socially conscious and responsive design.Melbourne Story
6 to 9:30pm | Melbourne Story, Upper Level | Exhibition
Melbourne Story is packed with icons of the city's past and present – tales of heroes and scoundrels, growth and decline, and the changing ways Melburnians live, work and play.Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs
6 to 9:30pm | Science & Life Gallery, Ground Level | Exhibition
An immersive voyage into a lost world to explore the landscapes of the Cretaceous and get to know the creatures that thrived there.Science & Life Gallery
6 to 9:30pm | Science & Life Gallery, Ground Level | Exhibition
Walk past the skeletons of 17 prehistoric animals through Dinosaur Walk, discover the origin of life in Victoria told through fossils, models, animatronics and animations, and see a world of insects, spiders, snails and other invertebrates in Bugs Alive!River Connections
6 to 9:30pm | Learning Lab, Ground Level | Digital Experience
We are all part of a dynamic web of life. Journey through the unique environment of the Murray River in this immersive infinity projection that explores how all life is connected and dependent on a healthy environment to thrive, made in collaboration with First Peoples community members exploring their close connections to the land, animals, plants and rivers of Victoria.50 Years of NAIDOC
6 to 9:30pm | Learning Lab, Ground Level | Poster Showcase
This year NAIDOC Week marks a powerful milestone: 50 years of honouring and elevating First Peoples voices, culture, and resilience. View a digital showcase of NAIDOC Week themes and posters from each year since 1976. -
Learn something new with short talks and tours led by our museum experts.
Ask your burning questions of our Museums Victoria experts and get close to collections that are rarely available to the public. Celebrating NAIDOC Week
6:30pm | Foyer, Ground Level | Expert Talk
Hear from young First Peoples voices on the powerful milestone that is 50 years of NAIDOC Week and how this year’s theme 'The Next Generation: Strength, Vision, & Legacy' is recognising the strength of young First Peoples leaders and the legacy of legacy of Ancestors. Presented by Cultural Interpreters Tilly Doran and Sol Musk.First Peoples Exhibition Introduction
7:30pm | Bunjilaka, Ground Level | Talk
Learn about Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre and the First Peoples exhibition with Jess Alderton, First Peoples Senior Programs Officer at Museums Victoria.Bone Deep
6 to 9pm | Between Bugs Alive and 600 Million Years, Ground Level | Ask An Expert
Dive into the fascinating world of reptile osteoderms and discover how emerging technologies in micro-imaging are revealing evolutionary secrets etched in bone with researcher and PhD candidate at Museums Victoria Roy Ebel.A Whale of Two Halves
7pm | Foyer, Ground Level | Talk
New research and a newly identified ancient whale species has the potential to rewrite the fossil record and our understanding of how the largest animals of all time evolved. Hear from Ruairidh Duncan, Museums Victoria PhD Candidate on what these findings mean for cetaceans and scientists alike.Deep Time in the Digital Age
7:15pm | Foyer, Ground Level | Talk
Meet the next generation of paleontologists and hear how cutting-edge technologies are transforming the field, unlocking new insights and pushing the boundaries of our knowledge of Earth’s deep past. Presented by Jake Kotevski, Museums Victoria PhD Candidate and Adele Pentland, PhD Candidate, Curtin University.Triceratops Tour
7pm & 8:30pm | Triceratops, Ground Level | Tour
Embark on an insider's journey through Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs and uncover the secrets behind one of the most complete triceratops fossils ever found. Presented by Sydney Shuherk, Visitor Engagement Team Leader at Museums Victoria. -
Unplug and play with fun activities for adults, music and more.
A different DJ every month! Fosters
6 to 9:30pm | Foyer, Ground Level | Music
Fosters is a proud Narungga man raised in Melbourne. He fell in love with the house music scene in the early 2000s and since then, has chipped away at developing his productions and honing in on the craft of the DJ.Gammin Threads
6 to 9:30pm | Foyer, Ground Level | paid workshop
Drop-in and create your own custom Gammin tee or tote bag with Tahnee from Gammin Threads. Known for its fresh designs and cheeky, empowering messages, celebrating First Nations resilience and creativity, Gammin Threads is deeply rooted in culture, identity, and community, blending contemporary fashion with strong storytelling.
Paid workshop (Pay on the day)
Customisable Tee $55 | Customisable Tote Bag $30Drag Trivia
8 to 8:30pm | Museum Café, Ground Level | Trivia
Pop-in for a game of Trivia with Miss First Nations: Supreme Queen 2023, Cerulean and your chance to win heaps of prizes.Drag Performance
8:45pm | Foyer, Ground Level | Performance
Hailing from the Torres Strait, Cerulean is one of Naarm's most dynamic and vibrant performers bringing a refreshing cloud of excitement and pleasure to the stage.Protest Badges
6 to 9:30pm | Foyer, Ground Level | Make & Create
Make a statement and design your own protest and activism badge to wear loud and proud. -
Fuel for your mind and body is available all night! Menu
vgn=Vegan v=Vegetarian gf=Gluten Free
Hot Food Cost Chicken katsu burger, tonkatsu sauce, spicy slaw $16.50 Cheeseburger, angus beef patty, bread & butter pickles, seeded bun $16.50 Vada pav sliders, spiced potato fritters, tamarind, coriander chutney (2) vgn $16.50 Nachos, pico de gallo, guacamole, jalapeno, cheese sauce v, gf $16.50 Grab & Go Cost Tyrells Crinkly Chips – Sea Salted / Cheddar / Salt & Vinegar $6 Maltesers $7 Popcorn – Sweet & Salty / Butter $8 Choc Tops – Vanilla / Boysenberry / Chocolate $8.50 Drinks Cost Signature Cocktail $16 Signature Mocktail $14 Morgan’s Bay Cuvee Sparkling $12 Morgan’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc $11 Morgan’s Bay Shiraz Cabernet $11 Furphy Lager $10 Pipsqueak Apple Cider $10 James Boags - Premium Light $8 Heaps Normal XPA $8 Pepsi / Pepsi Max / Solo / Lemonade / Cool Ridge $5
Accessibility
Please view our accessibility page for general information. Contact our team on 13 11 02 or email us at [email protected] to discuss how we can support your visit.
