Melbourne’s most Instagrammable experiences

A glittering after-dark garden, exclusive sneaker stores and more. These aesthetic spots in Melbourne need to be snapped ASAP.

Dine in an Igloo Wonderland

Melbourne's pop-up Igloo Wonderland returns to the Wharf Hotel on the banks of the Yarra. Cosy up beneath a sky of twinkling fairy lights in your own private igloo. Get warm with mulled wine, luxe grazing boards, chocolate fondue and boozy hot chocolate. The igloos fit up to eight people, so you can bring your pals or have a cute date night for two.

Snap the ultimate mirror selfie

Enter a supersized illusion of colour, sound and light in this magical hall of mirrors. Created by one of the masterminds behind artistic hits House of Mirrors and 1000 Doors, Kaleidoscope is an immersive experience you need to tick off your list. The maze is in the forecourt of the Arts Centre so look up for a one-of-a-kind shot of the iconic spire.

Linger in aesthetic galleries

Art-lovers know the other great mirror selfie in Melbourne can be found in the foyer of NGV International. Get your shot in the mirrored ceiling, then head inside the new Picasso exhibit to pose with iconic artworks. Next, seek inspiration from an unlikely source: the kids gallery. Encouraging families to explore art, little ones will love the eye-popping colours at Making Art: Imagine Everything is Real.

Light up your feed at an art exhibit

Giant glowing orbs, bright bursts of neon and towering rainbow sculptures. Light: Works from Tate’s Collection is made to be snapped. This illuminating collection of art is curated by the Tate and drawn from their prestigious collection. Historical paintings by artistic heavyweights are transformed by ground-breaking light works. Think Claude Monet, Yayoi Kusama and more.

See an eerie installation that watches you back

Feel the hairs stand up on the back of your neck... is somebody watching you? Fed Square's winter installation is a giant ode to surveillance. The Eyes is a 10m-high sculpture of a head covered in eyes. The spine-tingling art installation will leave you wondering, who else is watching?

See a glowing winter garden

Luminous trees, winding paths aglow with twinkling lights and towering large-scale installations. Lightscape will be a night out of epic proportions. Capture the sea of rainbow trees. Then bling out your feed with a shot of the Winter Cathedral and its 100,000 tiny lights. The after-dark garden takeover hits Royal Botanic Gardens in June.

Practice yoga in a virtual rainforest

Step inside a painting at The Lume, a 3,000 square metre projection art gallery. Explore endless rooms swirling with floor-to-ceiling digital displays based on iconic artworks by Vincent van Gogh. Wake up early for Melbourne's most aesthetic yoga class. Strike poses surrounded by tranquil rainforests, a Bhutanese monastery and more scenic landscapes.

Wander rooms of illusion at ArtVo

Lose yourself in a world of illusion at this one-of-a-kind art gallery. ArtVo is the ultimate trick art spot, home to a collection of over 80 hand-painted immersive artworks. Kids young and old will love the different zones where viewers become the art.

Take a dip in the pink pond

No one does a summer installation quite like the NGV. Their latest architectural commission is a glorious pink pond, surrounded by indigenous plants. Dip your toe in the cooling water and ponder the environmental questions posed by this stunning new piece.

Find glowing street art after-dark

Flash Forward is the epic new creative program taking over 40 city laneways with music, murals and more from the best local talent. After dark, laneways like Drewery Alley and Stevenson Lane light up to reveal a different side of their respective artworks. Get exploring with our guide to the completed works so far.

Pose in a retro gaming arcade

Arcade games old and new will have you clicking away at Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq. Go classic with Space Invaders, or take a seat in the life-sized Mario Kart. Be dazzled by neon while playing Let’s Bounce or NBA Hoops. Then order a fairy-floss topped cocktail for the ultimate Insta-feed.

Get clicking at a luxury shoe boutique

Golden Goose’s new Melbourne digs at 80 Collins are as eye-catching as the cult Italian sneakers on sale. A gold metal staircase leads to glowing white walls lined with backlit shelves. The flagship store’s industrial edge complements Lab GGDB’s range of handmade distressed sneakers. Speak to the sneaker creator to customise your new pair of star-detailed shoes.