We love learning about our surroundings – historic facts of days gone by, new places to shop at, fabulous restaurants to dine in, and everything there is to know about a city. It’s one thing to go online and watch a ton of videos. It’s another to visit a mall, eatery or museum. Let’s start with the historical side of this destination. Because Melbourne has no shortage of great museums.

Some of these venues focus on science, while others focus on aviation. That’s the beauty of it all; museum hopping in Melbourne will be a varied, exciting, and unforgettable experience. Don’t forget to use a luggage storage service in Melbourne before you stop in to any of these wonderful places. Large bags and backpacks are safer stowed away.

ACMI

The Australian Centre for Moving Images is quite a mouthful. ACMI is much easier to pronounce. This center for cinema, TV and gaming was founded in 2002. Since then, ACMI has drawn in millions of visitors each year. 

Expect the unexpected at ACMI; exhibits are interactive and immersive, making visitors feel like they’re well and truly inside of their favorite films. ACMI also has at least two studios where in-house productions are made and workshops are hosted.

Everyone has an artistic side. ACMI’s goal is to bring that side out and dazzle you with one-of-a-kind exhibits. An Australian cinema center wouldn’t be complete without references to Mad Max. In fact, Max’s V8 Interceptor is located here!

Australian Sports Museum

Australia is a very outdoorsy place; between wildlife encounters and gorgeous scenery, there are tons of reasons to go outside. A lot of Aussies are really big sports fans, particularly of Rugby, Football, and Cricket. Enter the Australian Sports Museum.

You won’t find a better tribute to Australia’s athletes anywhere else. Shrines and statues dedicated to famous athletes make up the bulk of this venue. The other half is filled with insightful exhibits. As an added plus, this museum is near the Melbourne Cricket Ground. 

Grainger Museum

Percy Grainger was a man of many talents; he was a musician, a teacher, a composer, and a folklorist. His contributions to Australia are almost immeasurable. The Grainger Museum is a tribute to this talented polymath and his impact on Australia.

The museum in question is bristling with Grainger’s personal effects. Sheet music, art pieces, and instruments that were personal to Percy are on display. Learn about this composer’s incredible creativity from his first compositions to information about performing at the White House through three presidencies.

Heide Museum of Modern Art

The Heide Museum of Modern Art is a relatively young art center. Art lovers opened this institution in 1981 decades after buying it from dairy farmers. The museum actually consists of three separate exhibition buildings, each with its own focuses and attractions. 

Heide I used to be a farmhouse, a fact that’s very evident by its architecture and design. Now, it’s a testament to French provincial aesthetics. Heide II is a Modernist masterpiece that displays contemporary artwork. Lastly, Heide III houses the largest gallery in the museum. 

Each of these buildings encourages visitors to explore, ask questions, and expand their artistic knowledge. There’s also an amazing garden and sculpture park where you can mull over art’s big questions.

Immigration Museum

Everyone is an immigrant, if you think about it; most modern nations were founded by people who came from other lands. Australia recognizes this fact, hence the Immigration Museum. This institution lets visitors take a deep dive into Australia’s history. 

Here, you can learn about Australia’s numerous Aboriginal Tribes as well as the moment Europeans made the first contact. The exhibits here are very extensive. By the time your visit is complete, you might have a brand new outlook on the Land Down Under.

Melbourne State Library

Knowledge isn’t just power, it’s essential. The Melbourne State Library would likely agree with that statement. Why else would they have stocked up on over two million books? Here’s something else to consider; this library has been around since 1854.

Books, tomes, scrolls, anthologies, and journals on every subject you can imagine are housed here. The library also has more than its fair share of rare pieces. The diaries of Melbourne’s founders are preserved here.

Polly Woodside

Australia isn’t just the Land Down Under, it’s the Land Surrounded by Water. Europeans had to sail across the sea just to reach it. Vessels like the Polly Woodside ushered them along their journey. Now, the Polly is one of the last remaining ships of its kind.

Visitors are encouraged to board the Polly Woodside and admire its nuanced features. You can see the crew cabin, captain’s quarters, and cargo hold up close. There aren’t too many tall ships left these days, making this vessel a true rarity. 

RAAF Museum

The Royal Australian Air Force Museum is exactly that – an institution dedicated to the members of Australia’s Air Force. This museum has been in operation since 1952. As you can imagine, the events of both World Wars inspired the creation of this venue.

The RAAF Museum is the second-largest Air Force museum on Earth. The sheer size and scope of this venue are staggering; aircraft from the distant past and the present are housed here. There are even several experimental planes that can’t be found anywhere else.

Scienceworks

Science isn’t everyone’s strong suit; when we say chemistry, some readers get flashbacks of long high school lectures. In our opinion, science isn’t the issue – the method of learning is. That’s why we love Scienceworks. It’s an interactive museum of epic proportions.

Visitors will find a bevy of hands-on exhibits available. Every subject from physics to biology is represented here. Scienceworks is also very family-friendly. If you have any budding scientists in your family, take them to Scienceworks.

Victoria Police Museum

The more things change, the more they stay the same. There’s yet to be a time when criminals haven’t been active. Members of police agencies around the world have put a stop to them. The Victoria Police Museum pays tribute to Australia’s lawmen.

The exhibits here aren’t as simple as you might expect. Back in the late 1800s, the Kelly Gang tried to fight the police with bulletproof armor. Several pieces are housed at the Victoria Police Museum.