March Nocturnal: Museum After Dark

Subterranea

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

Enjoy a Thursday night exploring Melbourne Museum after-hours with fun activities and child-free access to two levels of exhibitions, music and surprises.

Whether you’re planning a unique date night or a Thursday night out in Melbourne, Nocturnal has you covered

Whether you’re planning a unique date night or a Thursday night out in Melbourne, Nocturnal has you covered. Dive into the mysterious subterranean networks that lie beneath us with talks and tours exploring seedy underbellies and prehistoric worlds. Dab your way to victory and win prizes at Dino Drag Bingo hosted by Drag Race alumni Isis Avis Loren and Max the Drag Queen.

Don’t miss your last chance to experience the immersive subterranean world of Antopia, by adding on a discounted ticket at checkout.

Program & Schedule

  • Explore our collections and exhibitions after-hours and child-free.

    Antopia

    6 to 9pm | Touring Hall, Lower Level | Exhibition | Ticket add-on

    Add Antopia to your ticket at checkout to explore a world of secret senses in this immersive, interactive experience that digitally reinterprets the world of ants.

    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 unexpected with a full program of short talks and tours.

    Adults listening to a talk about Horridus the triceratops while standing around the imposing 85% complete fossil.
    Hear about Horridus the triceratops while standing around the imposing 85% complete fossil.

    First Peoples Exhibition Introduction

    6:30pm & 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

    Going Underground

    6:45pm & 7:45pm | Research Institute Gallery, Ground Level | Expert Talk
    Delve into Victoria’s subterranean cave systems and discover the astounding fossil record of prehistoric megafauna preserved within. Presented by Tim Ziegler, Museum Victoria Collection Manager Vertebrate Palaeontology.

    Cess Pits, Sewers & Secrets

    7pm & 8pm | Melbourne Gallery, Upper Level | Expert Talk
    Get lost on the cess pits and sewers of Smell-bourne and step into Little Lon’s mysterious past, a realm of shadowy figures and hidden lives. Presented by Museums Victoria History and Technology Curators Matthew Churchward and Deb-Tout Smith.

    The Australian Megaraptors

    7:15pm & 8:15pm | Research Institute Gallery, Ground Level | Expert Talk
    From deep within opal mines, beneath tidal shore platforms, and cycled up from Blacksoil, uncover the secrets of the megaraptors: Australia's first and most successful carnivorous dinosaurs. Learn how subterranean opal hunting led to the discovery of some of Australia's earliest fossils, and what these animals can teach us about our deep past. Presented by Jake Kotevski, Museums Victoria PhD Candidate.

    Triceratops Tour

    7:30pm & 8:30pm | Triceratops, Ground Level | Tour
    Embark on an insider's journey through Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs, unearthing gripping tales of accidental discovery, illuminating the hidden mysteries of fossil formation in Earths subterranean crust. Presented by Justin Wright, Museums Victoria’s Associate Producer, Public Programs.

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

    A DJ works her decks at Nocturnal, Melbourne Museum.
    Enjoy live music all night.

    DJ Mothafunk

    6 to 9pm | Main Foyer | Music
    Hailing from Chicago, Mothafunk, also known as Crissy Collins, draws inspiration from her roots in Black America with genre spanning sets inspired by Chicago’s rich history of music and dance.

    Mini Masterpieces

    6 to 9pm | Main Foyer | Art Drop-in
    Channel your inner artist and drop-in to our make and take station to create a wearable bug inspired by underground dwelling insects.

    Dino Drag Bingo

    6:30pm, 7:30pm & 8:30pm | Museum Café, Ground Level | Bingo
    Unearth your fortune and dab your way to victory with dinosaur inspired Drag Bingo hosted by Isis Avis Loren and Max the Drag Queen.

  • Food and drink available at Nocturnal, Melbourne Museum.
    Indulge in a cocktail and grab a selection of delicious nibblies.

    Menu

    TBC

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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