The best sensory experiences in Melbourne

See, smell, hear, touch and taste everything that Melbourne offers. Gardens, galleries, libraries and museums. These places delight the senses, are all accessible and have access features for people with sensory disabilities and those who are neurodivergent.  

Sensory Garden 

Experience the beauty of the Sensory Garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens. Be immersed in the fragrance, colour, and sound – some of the plants are crunchy! – of this specially created living collection. Developed in consultation with Dementia Australia, it’s designed to improve wellbeing through connecting with nature by stimulating the senses. 

A map from the accessible Visitor Centre or the new wayfinding signage helps lead you to the Sensory Garden. The paths are easy to traverse with steep areas indicated on the map. There’s seating along the way as well as at the garden itself. The Fern Gully Rest House sits at the edge of the garden and has seating too. You can enhance your visit by hearing stories and sounds from the gardens via soundtrack. They’re perfect to listen to through your headphones whilst wandering around. 

Accessible toilets are dotted throughout and a Changing Places facility is near the main entry gate. Cafes The Terrace and Jardin Tan are both accessible or bring a picnic. Wheelchairs are provided but need to be booked, as does the Travellers Aid Companion Service. There’s more accessibility information on the website including a customised accessibility guide. The closest accessible platform stops are on St Kilda Road. 

Galleries of Remembrance 

Beneath Melbourne’s iconic memorial, The Shrine of Remembrance, lies an unexpected oasis. In a cathedral-like underground chamber, are the Galleries of Remembrance. Tucked between the original red brick foundation columns, moving permanent and special exhibitions are on display. 

Low lighting and a hushed, reverent atmosphere create a peaceful environment. Some of the exhibitions have audio and video, including the Gallipoli landing boat presentation, which has stories from the people who were there. And there is ample space and seating throughout.  

Entry is via the modern Visitor Centre, which is fully accessible and has accessible toilets. The Galleries, Crypt and Sanctuary are accessible by lift, however, the Balcony is accessed only via stairs with handrails. Wheelchairs are available to loan subject to availability. Accessible platform stops are on St Kilda Road and some accessible parking bays are on Birdwood Avenue. 

Australian Sports Museum and MCG tours 

Go on an immersive journey into Australia’s rich sporting history at the Australian Sports Museum. Located within the famed MCG, you can test your skills in the Game On! area, marvel at the extensive memorabilia, and learn about great moments in the story of sport. No ordinary museum, the interactive exhibitions encourage you to touch, listen, see, and play. Whether you’re competing against virtual athletes or yourself, it’s all so much fun.  

Ease of access starts from the moment you enter through Gate 3. The Museum’s ticket counter has a low-height window, with hearing loop receivers available and wheelchairs to loan. All levels are accessible via lift, ramps, or stairs. There are accessible toilets in the Museum, and a Changing Places facility just inside Gate 3. Part of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, a downloadable sensory map can direct you to busy and quiet spaces and seating spots. There’s also an online virtual tour to help you plan your visit. A dedicated sensory room is open only on event days. 

While you’re there why not go on a guided behind-the-scenes tour of the ‘G? Tours can be adjusted according to access needs and Auslan-interpreted ones run once a month. Trumble Bar & Cafe, which is open to the public, is accessible and has accessible toilets if you need a coffee and snack. There’s an accessible platform super stop on Wellington Parade and Jolimont train station is nearby. Or use the accessible parking at the corner of Jolimont Terrace and Jolimont Street. 

Marvel Stadium  

Attending an event at Marvel Stadium? Whether it’s a sports match or concert, Marvel offers an inclusive environment for people with disabilities and neurodivergent guests.  

Its two sensory rooms provide a calming space away from the noise and commotion of events. Staff are trained to recognise and assist people with sensory needs. Sensory bags are available to hire. They include noise-cancelling headphones, fidget tools, visual cue cards, and weighted lap pads. A social story is available for download via the website.  

The stadium concourse is accessible with lifts, ramps, and stairs. Wheelchair seating spaces can be booked online, and assistance animals are welcome. Accessible toilets are throughout the building including a Changing Places facility. The stadium has accessible parking and Southern Cross Station sits adjacent to the venue. Accessible platform super stops are on Spencer, Collins and Bourke Streets. 

SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium​ 

Ever wondered what a shark’s egg feels like? What about a sea star? At SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium’s Touch and Feel Discovery Rockpool, visitors are invited to immerse their hands in the water and find out. For people who can’t reach into it, sea stars can be placed in a bowl on their lap.  

This aquatic attraction’s many mesmerising marine creatures include jellyfish, sharks and penguins. There’s seahorses and Pinjarra the crocodile too. Explore the bioluminescent beach in the oceanarium – the floor lights up as you walk or roll on it. All levels can be accessed by lift, ramps or stairs, but not all experiences are accessible. You can find a detailed list on the website of possible access issues, which includes narrow walkways and strobe lights. 

For visitors with sensory sensitivity, quiet times are during the week, outside school holidays, after 2pm. Noise cancelling headphones are available upon entry. And exhibits have touchscreens with information. Social scripts are on the website to assist in preparing for your visit and staff are trained in the hidden disabilities sunflower program. Accessible platform super stops are right out the front on Flinders Street.

MPavilion 

The geometric concrete form that makes up the current MPavilion is a wonder to behold. A landmark architectural destination, this serene building sits nestled in the Queen Victoria Gardens. 

Designed by renowned Japanese architect, Tadao Ando, the pavilion is in harmony with the natural landscape. Concrete walls create the feeling of a walled garden, openings frame views of the city and gardens, and a reflective pool casts shimmering light on the large canopy.  

The sanctuary-like space has a long bench seat running along one wall. Both entrances are wide and barrier-free, however, you may need to travel a short distance over grass to get to them. Accessible platform stops are on St Kilda Road, and there are some accessible parking bays there too.  

Melbourne Museum​ 

Where else can you touch dinosaur teeth and feel a thigh bone from a 25-tonne sauropod? See, hear and smell the world of insects, spiders, and snails? Or listen to the sounds of Melbourne's music scene? Melbourne Museum is a journey through natural history, science, and culture. 

An autism-friendly museum, it provides maps of high and low sensory spaces in various languages. Seating and rest points, and accessible toilets are shown on it too. Social scripts can be downloaded for young and older children for visits to many of the areas. Low sensory sessions are offered on the first Saturday of every month.  

Lifts transport you to all the levels and The Forest Gallery and Milarri Gardens are easy to explore with ramps. Exhibitions have tactile components – just ask at the ticket desk for more information. There are hearing loops in many of the spaces. The IMAX cinema has wheelchair seating and assistive listening devices for any film. Or why not join one of the free Auslan tours for an overview of some of the museum's displays? Getting there is easy, with an accessible platform super stop on Nicholson Street. 

State Library Victoria  

Renowned for its stunning architecture and extensive collections, State Library Victoria is a historic and cultural treasure. As Australia’s oldest public library, it offers a wealth of resources, including rare books, photographs, and artworks. It also has craft workshops and story time for toddlers in the Children’s Quarter. Curator talks and tours. And exhibitions and displays, including Ned Kelly’s armour. 

A perfect example of adapting a heritage building for accessibility, it provides facilities and services for people with disability. Ramps, lifts and stairs provide access to all levels and there are accessible toilets throughout. 

The Library has two dedicated assistive technology workstation zones for visitors with vision, mobility, literacy or cognitive requirements. Two large-screen computers on height-adjustable workstations offer assistive software. And there are reading assistance tools. Permanent audio hearing loops are in various spaces and portable hearing loop units are available for visitors attending tours. A downloadable map indicates quiet zones and accessible entrances. Accessible platform super stops are right outside on Swanston Street and Melbourne Central Station is there too. 

ACMI 

Immerse yourself in the creative worlds of cinema, gaming, and digital art at ACMI. An interactive museum, you can create soundscapes and assemble film scenes. Play classic and modern video games. Engage with new and permanent exhibitions and so much more. Dedicated to the celebration of film, television and video games, ACMI’s interactive experiences continue long after you’ve left the building. 

This museum of screen culture is located in Fed Square, and all levels are accessible. There are two entrances, but it's best to use the Flinders Street one. Accessible toilets are on two of the levels. Carers accompanying companion cardholders get free entry to ACMI’s ticketed programs. 

A visual story is available to read or download via the website. Relaxed visits and audio described tours are offered for visitors to The Story of the Moving Image exhibition. Getting there is easy, with Flinders Street Station and accessible platform super stops nearby. There’s accessible parking on all levels of the Fed Square car park too. 

Melbourne Theatre Company, Southbank Theatre 

Inspiring, entertaining, challenging and enriching. Melbourne Theatre Company has been at the forefront of ground-breaking plays that have shaped artists and audiences. Showcasing a blend of classic and contemporary works, it presents the best theatre from Australia and overseas. 

The Southbank Theatre is the Company’s performance home. An accessible venue, wheelchair seating spaces can be booked online. There are accessible toilets, and the foyer has a low bar-service area. Committed to making performances accessible to everyone, audio description, tactile tours, Auslan interpretation, captioning, and hearing assistance are all offered. There are relaxed performances too, which make minor changes to sensory elements of the show. During these sessions, audiences are welcome to bring stimming devices. Theatre doors remain open, and lights are on, but dimmed. 

Plan your visit by using pre-show resources like visual stories or production content guides. They indicate whether there are acts, language or behaviour that may impact some audience members. You can also go on a virtual tour of the two performance spaces, as well as the bars and foyers. The closest accessible platform super stop is on Sturt Street.  

NGV International  

Whether you’re feeling the water running through your fingers at the iconic water wall entrance. Marvelling at the beautiful stained-glass ceiling in the Great Hall. Or getting absorbed in local and international exhibitions. NGV International is a sensory delight. 

Showcasing art, architecture, fashion, and experiences for kids, it’s all inspiring and accessible. Lifts take you to each floor, as well as ramps and escalators. Accessible toilets are on three levels, and there’s seating throughout. Service animals are welcome too. 

For visitors who are blind or have low vision, resources and events include audio descriptions, large print labels, and audio description tours. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, Auslan tours, captioned videos and relaxed sessions are only some of the access features. Social stories, sensory maps, and art-making resources are available for guests who are autistic or have sensory sensitivities. Getting there is easy, with accessible platform super stops directly outside on St Kilda Road. Paid accessible parking is available at the Arts Centre and Australian Ballet Centre car park.  

Melbourne Zoo  

See the baboons swinging in the trees. Hear the roar of the lions. Feel the butterflies flutter past in the Butterfly House. Smell the plants in the rainforest aviary. Melbourne Zoo brings visitors close to a diverse array of wildlife from Australia and around the world. A leading zoo-based conservation organisation, it is dedicated to fighting wildlife extinction. 

Not far from Melbourne’s CBD, its landscaped habitats mimic the natural environments of its animal residents. Paths are wide and easy to follow with drinking fountains along the way. Bringing your own food? There are picnic pavilions, tables and seating to use.  

Want to plan your visit around high and low sensory areas? Sensory maps show busy areas, loud noises, low lighting, strong smells and free-ranging animals. Accessible toilets and a Changing Places facility are shown too. Social scripts can be downloaded beforehand. There’s accessible parking at both entrances and accessible trams depart from the city centre every six minutes. 

Arts Centre Melbourne​ 

Passionate about the performing arts? Arts Centre Melbourne offers performances, programs and digital experiences by Australian and international artists and companies. Part of the Melbourne Arts Precinct, it has inspired and connected audiences through theatre, dance, music and so much more. 

Its many theatres and venues are wheelchair accessible and Companion Cards are accepted for all ticketed events. There are accessible toilets in all theatres and a Changing Places facility at Hamer Hall. Main venues like Playhouse, State Theatre and Sidney Myer Music Bowl have an assistive hearing system. 

The access services offered for performances are listed on each event page. These include Auslan-interpreted, audio-described, or open-captioned sessions. Tactile tours are available too. Booking accessible seats is a breeze, whether it’s for a relaxed performance or seating with low or no stairs. Some accessible parking spaces are on St Kilda Road and there are accessible platform super stops there as well. 

Federation Bells 

Jingle, chime, tinkle, ring, clang, ding-dong, knell, toll! Outdoor art installation and public musical instrument, Federation Bells, make all these sounds and more. Uniquely Australian and inspired by ancient European and Asian bell traditions, they are the world’s first harmonic bells.  

Made up of a set of 39 brass bells, more than 100 compositions can be heard daily.  Most fun of all, anyone can compose music for the bells via the online composer. At night, the bells light up, with the lighting on the larger bells responding to the music being played. 

Located in Birrarung Marr, the bells are set in a flat area on fine, compacted earth. There is a drinking fountain and seating overlooking the river nearby. A pedestrian bridge from Batman Avenue takes you past the Tree Top Walk to the bells. The closest accessible platform stops are on Flinders Street.  

Plan your visit  

Plan your visit to Melbourne with the Changing Places map. It outlines locations, opening hours, and other details. You can find more information on accessibility on the Accessing Melbourne webpage.  

Information correct at time of writing – always check ahead with the venue to make sure they can accommodate your individual access needs. 

Written and researched by an Access Consultant with lived experience of disability.