Gone are the days of museums being quiet exhibitions that people drift through in an observe-only capacity. In the heart of Carlton Gardens (on Victoria Street between Rathdowne and Nicholson) is a bustling museum metropolis that both adults and children will love to explore.
Spend time discovering the past and present achievements, talents, and history of many creatives, scientists, and other notable people. Melbourne’s museums in Carlton will have you travelling back in time with the dinosaurs to embracing immersive new technology via IMAX movies or Virtual Reality World. Watch the kids run through the lavish Carlton Gardens while you sip on Melbourne’s best coffee or appreciate European art at Museo Italiano. Talk about Things To Do In Carlton!
Start with Melbourne Museum’s Walking Tour!
Melbourne Museum
Melbourne Museum is a fascinating place for people of all ages. Explore an ever-changing collection of permanent and rotating exhibitions drawn from Victoria’s rich natural and cultural heritage, as well as world-class temporary exhibitions that arrive throughout the year.
A few of the enduring highlights that make Melbourne Museum unmissable:
- Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre: Celebrating the living history, culture, and achievements of Victoria’s First Peoples through art, music, and storytelling.
- Forest Gallery: A living, breathing indoor rainforest teeming with native flora and fauna; a genuinely enchanting experience.
- Science & Life Gallery: From dinosaur skeletons to evolutionary biology, this gallery captivates curious minds of every age.
- Temporary & Touring Exhibitions: World-class visiting exhibitions from across the globe rotate regularly. There’s always something new to discover.
Royal Exhibition Building
The Royal Exhibition Building is a grand edifice and a prominent landmark on Melbourne’s inner-city landscape. Built in 1880, the building sits majestically in the lush Carlton Gardens and boasts an impressive 25,000sqm. Throughout the year they host a wide range of exhibitions, both in the Great Hall under the soaring dome as well as nestling in the glorious natural surroundings. Explore:
IMAX Melbourne
IMAX Melbourne is the largest cinema screen in the world, providing the most immersive cinematic experience.
Teleport yourself to places beyond your imagination as you experience the world’s most exciting films, on the world’s largest screen at 32-metres wide, with a 4K laser projector and 15,000 watts of digital surround sound that delivers the ultimate movie-going escape.
Museo Italiano
One of the most distinctive and moving museums near Lygon Street is Museo Italiano; the Italian Museum, which takes visitors on a deeply personal journey through the world of Italian migration to Australia. On show at Museo Italiano are historical records, photographs, books, and publications that together paint a vivid picture of the Italian community’s extraordinary contribution to Australian life, culture, and of course, la cucina.
Museo Italiano’s permanent collection is a love letter to the Italian community of Carlton: the very souls who transformed Lygon Street into Melbourne’s very own Little Italy. The museum also hosts rotating exhibitions and community events that celebrate Italian language, film, literature, and the arts throughout the year.
VR WORLD Melbourne
Venture into VR World Melbourne Virtual Reality Arcade, near Lygon Street Carlton, and immerse yourself in a rich, interactive world. Solve mysteries, fight zombies, escape from pyramids and explore new worlds together with your friends!
Step into the future of group entertainment and experience what it’s like to be somewhere else. Ideal for birthday parties for kids to corporate gatherings, make your next event out of this world.
There are so many things to do near Lygon Street, why not do all of them? Start with Melbourne Museum, enjoy a long lunch in the Carlton Gardens, and finish with an IMAX movie beneath the stars. Bellissima!