Adults visiting Dynamic Earth exhibition during child-free hours at Nocturnal, Melbourne Museum.

Museum After Dark | Nocturnal: Space Odyssey

What
18+ EVENT
When
Tickets
Adult $32
Concession $30
Member $27

Blast off to the outer reaches of our universe at Nocturnal, your monthly invite to explore Melbourne Museum after-dark and child free.

Whether you’re looking for unique date night ideas or a Thursday night out in Melbourne, we’ve got you covered.

Embark on a cosmic journey through space and time with two levels of exhibitions and fun activities for adults. Learn something new with a full program of expert led talks and tours. Start the weekend early, and enjoy food, cocktails and music until 9pm.

Program & Schedule

  • Architectural model of a multi-storey building, featuring vertical garden panels and trees atop the roof.
    Station House by Phoebe Biggin, Top Designs 2024.

    Top Designs

    6pm to 9pm | 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.

    First Peoples

    6 to 8pm | Bunjilaka, Ground Level | 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.

    Melbourne Story

    6 to 9pm | 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 9pm | 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 9pm | 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!

  • Learn something new with short talks and tours led by our museum experts.

    First Peoples Exhibition Introduction

    6:15pm & 7pm | Bunjilaka, Ground Level | Expert Talk
    Learn about Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre and the First Peoples exhibition with Jess Alderton, First Peoples Senior Programs Officer at Museums Victoria.

    Gateway to the Galaxies

    6:15pm & 7:45pm | Digital Immersive Studio, Ground Level | Expert Talk
    Unravel the mysteries of the universe and discover how the James Webb Space Telescope is poised to revolutionise our understanding of our universe with Stephanie Bernard, Learning Facilitator at Scienceworks and PhD Candidate at the School of Physics, University of Melbourne.

    Light Fantastic

    6:45pm & 8pm | Digital Immersive Studio, Ground Level | Expert Talk
    Explore the hidden wonders of our universe with Dr Tanya Hill, Museums Victorias Senior Curator of Astronomy and learn about how different wavelengths of light offer new perspectives on the cosmos.

    Star Connections across the Great Ocean

    7:15 & 8:30pm | Digital Immersive Studio, Ground Level | Expert Talk
    Talanoa with Sione Napi Francis, Collection Manger at Museum’s Victoria, and connect with the rich cultural significance of Mataliki, Matariki or the Pleiades star cluster, with respect, to the First Nations Seven Sisters song lines. Celebrated as ancestors, navigators or the eyes of a high chief, these humble stars represent an epic story of empowerment, achievement, and humility, connecting Pasifika communities, across Moana Oceania.

    Triceratops Tour

    7:30pm & 8:15pm | Triceratops, Ground Level | Tour
    Embark on an insider's journey through Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs and discover how the stars aligned to uncover one of the most complete triceratops fossils ever found. Presented by Justin Wright, Museums Victoria Programs Officer.

    Murchison Meteorites

    7:30pm & 8:15pm | Galleria, Upper Level | Short Spot Talk
    Journey through time with Melbourne Museum’s Visitor Engagement Officers to explore some truly incredible meteorites with histories stretching back to the beginning of our solar system and beyond.

  • Unplug and play with fun activities for adults, music and more.

    Sarita

    6 to 9pm | Foyer, Ground Level | Music
    Melbourne/Naarm-based DJ and regular PBS FM broadcaster Sarita, plays cosmic-influenced house and disco with sojourns into jazz and tropical sounds

    Mini Masterpieces

    6 to 9pm | Main Foyer, Ground Level | Art Drop-in
    Channel your inner artist and drop-in to weave a star inspired by the Matariki star cluster.

    Museum Masterminds

    6:30pm, 7:30pm & 8:30pm | Museum Café, Ground Level | Trivia
    Get quizzical with Sci-Fi inspired Museum trivia, hosted by quizmaster Chris Heaslip.

    Windows to the Universe

    6 to 9pm | North Terrace | Astronomy
    Marvel at the beauty of our closest planetary neighbours under the vast expanse of the night sky. Presented by the Astronomical Society of Victoria.

    Postcards to the Universe

    6 to 9pm | Between 600 Million years and Bugs Alive, Ground Level | Activity
    Write a message to a friend, loved one, or your future self and we will post it to them.

    Mini Silent Disco

    6 to 9pm | AVIE, Dynamic Earth, Ground Level | Mini-Silent Disco
    Drift into orbit, dance among the stars and lose yourself in 3-channels of cosmic beats curated by No Lights No Lycra.

  • 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
    Magic Cocktail $16
    Magic 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.

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