Royal Exhibition Building Dome Promenade

What: TOUR
When: Various Dates
9am to 5pm
A guided 60 minute tour
General information: 中文信息
Bookings essential
Tickets: Meet Melbourne Museum foyer
Tour only
Adult $29
Concession $23
Child $15
Museum Member $13

An icon of Melbourne’s history opens its doors to a unique view unseen for 100 years.

With its origins steeped in history, the Royal Exhibition Building was built for the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition. As a key attraction of the 1880 and 1888 international exhibitions, the Dome Promenade provided visitors a unique opportunity to overlook the gardens and view the Melbourne skyline.

This guided tour allows visitors to once again be able to experience these spectacular views along with an exhibition that explores the building’s significant history and varied uses over time.

10am Dome Promenade Tour + Devonshire Tea

Mercury Restaurant at Melbourne Museum | $15 ticket add-on | from 11am

Two cups of tea served with freshly made scones, forest berry preserve jam and clotted cream.

A couple enjoying their Devonshire Tea as part of the Royal Exhibition Building Tour and Devonshire Tea special at Mercury Restaurant, Melbourne Museum.

Complement your Dome Promenade Tour with a Devonshire Tea experience at Mercury Restaurant at Melbourne Museum. Enjoy freshly made scones served with forest berry preserve jam and clotted cream and bottomless tea while overlooking sweeping views of the historic Royal Exhibition Building.

A view of a decorative ceiling from below looking up — Royal Exhibition Building Ceiling

The Royal Exhibition Building is beautiful inside and out – and a true landmark of Melbourne.

Explore the history of the Royal Exhibition Building

Dome Promenade venue hire

Royal Exhibition Building interior showing detail of dome and arches in the Great Hall area.

Accessibility information

Tour participants will meet their tour guide at the meeting point in the Melbourne Museum foyer before travelling across to the Royal Exhibition Building.

Three levels of the exhibition (basement, mezzanine and lower promenade) are wheelchair accessible via a lift. The fourth level, the upper dome promenade, is not wheelchair accessible and requires participants to climb around 20 steps.

From there, there are additional stairs required to travel around the entire upper promenade to see a 360 degree view. Both the upper and lower promenade are outside and exposed to the elements.

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.

A social story for this experience can be found on our Autism Friendly Museum webpage.