Take a cultural tour of Melbourne’s world-class museums, edgy artist-run spaces and blockbuster exhibitions. All without spending a cent!

A large hall with a stained glass ceiling.

NGV International

Old and new, beautiful and challenging, NGV International brings a world of art to Melbourne. The city’s premier art gallery has an ever-changing slew of free exhibits to peruse. See powerful, contemporary art, design and architecture at NGV Triennial. Explore homegrown art and exhibitions at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV. Current exhibition, Rekospective features massive neon installations, larger-than-life sculptures, street art-inspired paintings and more by well known Kamilaroi artist, Reko Rennie.

An exhibit displaying old movie cameras and projectors.

ACMI

From films to video games, ACMI celebrates screen culture past and present. Get behind the camera at ACMI’s free exhibition, The Story of the Moving Image. From the birth of film to today’s digital wonders, there’s more than a century of movie history to explore. And you can get hands-on at this fun cinema showcase, with animation and sound effects to play with.

A table in a gallery covering in round shell-like coloured glass pieces.

Tolarno Galleries

For a small gallery, Tolarno sure has hosted some big names in art. Step inside this hidden space to see incredible exhibitions of contemporary art and design. The early days saw the likes of Picasso, Bonnard and Matisse gracing the walls of the gallery. More recently, art lovers admired works by legendary Aussie artist Patricia Piccinini. Whoever is showing, you're bound to see something special.

A wall covered in framed images and photographs and displayed very close together.

Art and Heritage Collection Tour

See a Foster's beer tower from the good old days, retro Moomba Monarch crowns and a bottle of spumante dating back to who knows when. For the first time ever, City of Melbourne's Art and Heritage Collection is opening its doors to the public for free guided tours. This is your chance to access to some of Melbourne’s most weird and wonderful treasures and historical archives.

Two people walking past a wall covered in concert posters.

Australian Music Vault

If you’re musically inclined, the Australian Music Vault is a must. It’s a great overview of Melbourne’s backstage sounds and stories. Watch rare footage and see iconic objects like Kylie Minogue’s stage outfits and notebooks belonging to Nick Cave. The free exhibition is permanently on show at Arts Centre Melbourne.

People walking past City Gallery, located within the Melbourne Town Hall building in Swanston Street.

City Gallery

The City Gallery presents free, quarterly exhibitions on city life; past and present. Pop in to the gallery at Melbourne Town Hall to see Elements of the city's collection, an eclectic range of 8000 artworks and artefacts.

A tall brick building with people outside and a large detailed entrance.

Science Gallery Melbourne

Mix a dose of science, with a dash of art, and a pinch of innovation and you get Science Gallery Melbourne. This is where art and science meet. A unique cultural space, it aims to inspire curiosity and critical thinking through the fusion of art and science. Part of Melbourne University, it’s designed to engage young people in the creative industries and science. Visit the website to learn more about the gallery's upcoming exhibitions.

Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA)

From music to educational talks, screenings and more the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) will have you coming back again and again. Spot the iconic rust-red building along Southbank and head in to explore local and international art. Keep an eye out for pop-up events and teachings.

The glass-panelled entrance to the Victorian Police Museum.

Victoria Police Museum

Explore the state's crime history at this free museum in Docklands. History buffs will be amazed by Australia's largest collection of Kelly Gang armour. Dig through major investigations and learn how animals have served in the police force all the way back to the 1960s.

Melbourne's best small, independent and artist-run galleries

Stephen McLaughlan Gallery

Stephen McLaughlan Gallery

Curated contemporary art space in the iconic Nicholas Building.

Flinders Lane Gallery

Flinders Lane Gallery

Exhibiting collectable artworks and featuring solo exhibitions every three weeks.

Outre Gallery

Outre Gallery

Alternative art gallery specialising in lowbrow, pop surrealism and underground art.

West End Art Space

West End Art Space

A contemporary art gallery with a focus on living artists that strive for excellence.

ARC ONE Gallery

ARC ONE Gallery

A commercial gallery in Flinders Lane showing contemporary Australian art.

Kings Artist-Run Initiative

Kings Artist-Run Initiative

Space for contemporary art practice and gallery showcasing experimental projects.

Mystik River Gallery

Mystik River Gallery

Specialising in the ancient art of Indian sculpting.

Anna Schwartz Gallery

Anna Schwartz Gallery

The gallery represents over 30 established and emerging artists on individual projects.

Bridget McDonnell Gallery

Bridget McDonnell Gallery

A gallery exhibiting early and modern Australian art.

More free museums

College of Surgeons Museum

College of Surgeons Museum

An exhibition of surgical objects and memorabilia.

Victoria Police Museum

Victoria Police Museum

Explore the social history of policing through interactive displays and over 300 collection items.

Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre

Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre

A place of inspiration and vitality, that promotes the spirit and charism of Saint Mary MacKillop.

Medical History Museum

Medical History Museum

A free museum focusing on medicine's contribution to scientific discovery and community wellbeing.

The best free exhibitions

Catherine Weng: Waning Bodies

Catherine Weng: Waning Bodies

Experience Waning Bodies, an exploration of a surreal unravelling of lived skin and shifting forms.

Burdi Burdi

Burdi Burdi

A sonic installation along Evan Walker Bridge.

Jeswri: Beyond Hectic

Jeswri: Beyond Hectic

Emerse yourself in the work of Gadigal artist Jeswri for NAIDOC Week.

Exploration 25: Celebrating 25 Years of Emerging Art

Exploration 25: Celebrating 25 Years of Emerging Art

Flinders Lane Gallery present their annual showcase of emerging and unsigned artists.

DELIRI

DELIRI

State Library Victoria morphs with an algorithm-driven audio-visual hallucination.

Emerging Artist Award

Emerging Artist Award

An exhibition of early-career works by emerging artists.

Patricia Agus and James Farrar: Banana Split

Patricia Agus and James Farrar: Banana Split

This exhibition delves into the personal stories of James Farrar and Patricia Agus.

Rewind Forward: Creative in Residence Group Exhibition
Until

Rewind Forward: Creative in Residence Group Exhibition

Drawing from State archives, artists create works that reawaken Victoria’s historical narrative.

Victorian Artists Society 9x5 Exhibition
Until

Victorian Artists Society 9x5 Exhibition

An homage to the 1889 Impressionism exhibition of small works painted on cigar box lids.

Bark Salon
Until

Bark Salon

Bark Salon is a large-scale display of First Nations bark painting, with more than 160 works.

Christopher Kerley: Recent Paintings

Christopher Kerley: Recent Paintings

An exhibition of moody suburban scenes shaped by memory, emotion and absence.

Designing Remembrance
Until

Designing Remembrance

An exhibition of alternate visions for Victoria’s war memorial.

Protest Melbourne
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Protest Melbourne

An exhibition about Victoria's long history of public protest.

Plans For The Planet: Olaf Breuning For Kids
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Plans For The Planet: Olaf Breuning For Kids

Created by artist Olaf Breuning this exhibition invites kids to explore the natural environment.

Wild Country: The Ovens River

Wild Country: The Ovens River

Clare McCracken and Heather Hesterman explore the environmental history of the Ovens River.

What's free and what's open on the King's Birthday long weekend

What's free and what's open on the King's Birthday long weekend

Free events, winter markets, family-friendly activities and more.

Saskia Morris: de-extinct
Until

Saskia Morris: de-extinct

An exhibition of sculptures using upholstery fabrics.

Hyun Ju Lee – Coexistence: Stunning Beauty
Until

Hyun Ju Lee – Coexistence: Stunning Beauty

Hyun Ju’s work explores the imagination of landscape.

Viaggio Italiano: Photography and Drawings by Moses Tan

Viaggio Italiano: Photography and Drawings by Moses Tan

An exhibition of photographs and digital drawings of Italy by Moses Tan.

Oysters and Sustainability: From Harvest to Market
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Oysters and Sustainability: From Harvest to Market

A solo sculptural exhibition exploring Melbourne's oyster reefs, using discarded oyster shells.

Taste of Combat
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Taste of Combat

Honouring the vital work of the Catering Corps and the evolution of military food.

Behind the Lines: The Years Best Political Cartoons

Behind the Lines: The Years Best Political Cartoons

An exhibition celebrating the year's best political cartoons.

Homage to Turner Group Exhibition
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Homage to Turner Group Exhibition

A group exhibition bringing together contemporary painters that pay homage to J.M.W Turner.

Internal Landscapes
Until

Internal Landscapes

A First Nations emerging artist group exhibition featuring the work of four artists.

Nadine Guerra: Not Just Tattoos
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Nadine Guerra: Not Just Tattoos

The first Australian exhibition by the Brazilian tattoo artist.

Yarra: Stories of Melbourne's River
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Yarra: Stories of Melbourne's River

Explores the chequered history of the stream we call the ‘city’s river’.

 Sid Pattni: A Knot in the Thread

Sid Pattni: A Knot in the Thread

An exhibition interrogating the effects of colonial aesthetics on diasporic self-perception

Auto-Photo: A Life in Portraits
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Auto-Photo: A Life in Portraits

An exhibition celebrating the work of Melbourne photobooth technician Alan Adler.

What's free in Melbourne this month

What's free in Melbourne this month

Everything to see, do and enjoy in Melbourne for free this month.

The Office of Chthonic Services
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The Office of Chthonic Services

Gifts and gestures for the end of a world.

The Veil
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The Veil

An exhibition offering a deep exploration into identity, memory and cultural resilience.

Melbourne’s Shucked Foundations: Oyster Legacy

Melbourne’s Shucked Foundations: Oyster Legacy

A solo exhibition by Louise Marson, featuring sculptural artwork crafted from oyster shells.

Making Memoir of a Snail
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Making Memoir of a Snail

Explore handmade sets, props and characters from Adam Elliot's claymation film Memoir of a Snail.

Behind the Scenes Tours of the Victorian Archives Centre

Behind the Scenes Tours of the Victorian Archives Centre

Take a peek inside the drawers, boxes and cabinets of our state's archival repository.

Lost & Found
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Lost & Found

A group exhibition exploring urban relics, ghost signs and hidden histories.

Memento Mori
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Memento Mori

Public murals influenced by the Fates of Greek mythology, inspiring passersby to embrace life.

Make Believe: Encounters with Misinformation
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Make Believe: Encounters with Misinformation

Is it real or is it fake? Dive into how misinformation has shaped our lives and culture.

The Dirty Dozen
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The Dirty Dozen

Explore the stories behind the foods that made Melbourne.

CHARGE! Agincourt by Back to Back Theatre
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CHARGE! Agincourt by Back to Back Theatre

A new exhibition by Geelong's Back to Back Theatre brings fresh perspective to the story of Henry V.

Josh Deane: Revived

Josh Deane: Revived

A dynamic exhibition celebrating creativity and sustainability by Indigenous artist Josh Deane.

Last updated on Wed 11 Jun 2025

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Melbourne’s most Instagrammable experiences

You won't need filters at the city's most photogenic spots.

Shrine of Remembrance

Shrine of Remembrance

The national war memorial of Victoria, honouring all Australians who have served their country.

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Things you can only see in the city

Uncover secret rooms, historic architecture and iconic landmarks found only in the city.

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Free things to do in Melbourne every day

Free things to do in Melbourne every day

Have a grand day out on a budget at Melbourne's best free experiences, attractions and exhibits.

The Potter Museum of Art

The Potter Museum of Art

The Potter has supported generations of artists, curators, writers and academics for over 50 years.

Buxton Contemporary

Buxton Contemporary

A hub for creative engagement showcasing the best of contemporary Australian and international art.

Koorie Heritage Trust

Koorie Heritage Trust

An Australian First Peoples arts and cultural centre.