Discover Melbourne: Art, History and Gardens

Melbourne can be explored through a wide range of interests: historic institutions, art collections, interactive media, markets and gardens. As you plan your trip, you can consider which of these themes you want to shape your stay. The city combines tangible insights into its history with places where art, food and nature take centre stage.

Culture, Art and City History

State Library Victoria was founded in 1854 as the Melbourne Public Library and is Australia’s oldest public library. One of its distinctive spaces is the La Trobe Reading Room, with its striking octagonal domed ceiling. The library’s galleries host permanent and temporary exhibitions, and free guided tours are also available. This institution brings together architecture, exhibitions and tours.

The art collections of the National Gallery of Victoria are represented at NGV International. There you can see collections of European, Asian, Oceanic and American art. The Story of the Moving Image offers a different way to engage with culture: this free interactive exhibition at ACMI in Fed Square features playable video games, film sets, and iconic costumes and props. If you are interested in art, you can choose between collections featuring works from different regions of the world and themes such as moving images and film objects.

The history of Old Melbourne Gaol is another notable theme in the city. Dating back to 1845, it is Melbourne’s oldest and most feared prison. With a Gaol Day Pass, you can explore the three levels of the original prison. Guided tours and immersive experiences complement the visitor offering. This historic site can therefore be experienced from a different perspective than the library’s exhibitions and collections or those of the galleries.

Squares, Markets and Laneways

Fed Square is a modern piazza and the public square in the city centre. It is directly opposite Flinders Street Station and is home to cultural attractions as well as numerous restaurants, bars and specialty shops. Its location provides a clear point of reference as you find your way around, while the square also brings together a range of cultural and dining options.

Queen Vic Market combines the atmosphere of a market with plenty of options for a break. Hundreds of small businesses are represented there, and it is also the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere. You can buy specialty cheese in the Dairy Hall, eat at cafés, or pick up a coffee and croissant to go. A visit to the market can therefore range from shopping for individual food items to stopping for a meal.

Melbourne’s laneways are characterised by colourful murals, stencils, paste-ups and mixed-media art. The Iconic laneways and arcades walk is approximately 2.4 kilometres long and takes about two hours. The Melbourne Street Art Walk passes through Hosier Lane, AC/DC Lane, Blender Lane, Flinders Way and the Upper West Side Arts Precinct. The two options have different emphases: one gives an approximate distance and duration, while the other takes you through several named locations in the street art scene.

Gardens and Nature Experiences

Melbourne Gardens covers 38 hectares and is home to more than 8,500 plant species from around the world. The garden is open every day of the year; check the latest opening information before your visit. A range of guided experiences is available for exploring the gardens by theme.

The Aboriginal Heritage Walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne is a multisensory journey led by a First Peoples guide. Along the way, significant native plants are identified. By contrast, the guided Secret Life of Birds walk focuses on waterbirds nesting around Ornamental Lake. The two experiences therefore have clearly distinct focuses: plant knowledge and cultural perspectives on the one hand, and nesting waterbirds on the other.

Whether you want to focus your time in Melbourne more on history and art, market visits, street art or garden spaces, the places and walks described here offer a range of themes to help plan your trip. You can take the approximate distance and duration of the Iconic laneways and arcades walk into account; the guided garden experiences, on the other hand, are suited to specific interests in plants or waterbirds.

Discover more destinations: Eden Park, Coldstream, Glen Waverley, Eltham, Kalorama, Essendon, South Yarra, Wantirna South, Williamstown, Kensington, Frankston, Brighton, Eumemmerring, Caulfield North, Oakleigh, Brunswick, Emerald, Yering, Dandenong, Wheelers Hill, Doveton, Clayton, Olinda, Noble Park, Sassafras, Yarra Glen, Fawkner, Healesville, Wonga Park, Heatherton, Point Cook, Doncaster East, Aspendale, St Albans, Hawthorn, Parkdale, Narre Warren, Warburton, Seville, Monbulk, Yarra Junction, Attwood, Gisborne, Mitcham, Mt Dandenong, Lilydale, Moorabbin, Kew, Forest Hill, Footscray, Flemington, Box Hill, Fairfield, Highett, Braybrook, Beaumaris, Carnegie, Mont Albert, Caroline Springs, Mt Waverley, Belgrave, Keilor, Preston, Taylors Lakes, Cranbourne, Heidelberg, Ferntree Gully.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.