Museums Victoria

Welcome to the heart of Museums Victoria, specifically our flagship site, the Melbourne Museum, situated within the heritage-listed Carlton Gardens. As an organization, Museums Victoria is the largest public museum institution in…

Our first significant stop is the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, a space dedicated to the history, culture, and achievements of Victoria's First Peoples. The name 'Bunjilaka' means 'the place of Bunjil,' referring to the…

Moving into the Science and Life Gallery, we transition from human history to the grand scale of natural history. This section is a favorite for visitors of all ages, as it houses the museum's legendary dinosaur collection and…

Perhaps the most unique feature of the Melbourne Museum is the Forest Gallery, a living, breathing ecosystem housed within the museum walls. This massive atrium contains a slice of the Victorian mountain ash forest, complete with…

No visit to the Melbourne Museum is complete without paying homage to one of Australia’s most enduring icons: Phar Lap. The legendary racehorse, who became a symbol of hope during the Great Depression, is preserved here in a…

While we are at the Melbourne Museum, we must also acknowledge Museums Victoria’s deep connection to the state's seafaring heritage. Victoria’s coast is famously treacherous, known as the 'Shipwreck Coast,' where the Southern…

As we step out of the modern museum building, we are confronted by its historical counterpart: the Royal Exhibition Building. Completed in 1880 for the Melbourne International Exhibition, it is one of the world's oldest remaining…

Our exploration of Museums Victoria concludes back in the central plaza, between the modern museum and its historic predecessor. We have traveled from the ancestral stories of the First Peoples in Bunjilaka to the ancient fossils…