Melbourne has some of the best free museums and galleries in Australia. These are free to walk into any week. We opened each venue's own website on Sat 31 Oct 2026 to confirm entry is free, the hours and the address.
When Open daily 10am–5pm (closed Christmas Day)
Where 180 St Kilda Rd, Southbank
Price Free entry; some special exhibitions are ticketed
The home of international art and design in Melbourne. The permanent collection is free to wander, rain or shine.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Open daily 10am–5pm (closed Christmas Day)
Where Federation Square, Melbourne
Price Free entry; some special exhibitions are ticketed
Australian art from First Nations work to now, right on Fed Square.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Tue–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat–Sun 11am–5pm (Mon by appointment)
Where 111 Sturt St, Southbank
Price Gallery entry is always free
Major contemporary art exhibitions in the Melbourne Arts Precinct, a short walk from NGV International.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Open daily 10am–5pm
Where Birrarung Building, Federation Square (cnr Swanston and Flinders Sts), Melbourne
Price Free entry
Exhibitions of Aboriginal art and culture from south-east Australia, a short walk from Flinders Street Station.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Open daily 10am–5pm (1–5pm Anzac Day; closed Christmas Day)
Where Federation Square, Melbourne
Price Free entry, with some ticketed events
Melbourne's museum of film, TV, videogames and art, with the interactive Story of the Moving Image. Great on a rainy day.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Open daily 10am–6pm (closed New Year's Day, Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day)
Where 328 Swanston St, Melbourne
Price Free entry
The domed La Trobe Reading Room is one of Melbourne's great free interiors, and the galleries are free too.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Sun–Fri 10am–4pm (closed Saturdays; last admission 3:45pm). Closed Melbourne Cup Day (Tue 3 Nov) and Christmas Day
Where 20 Spring St, Melbourne
Price Admission is free
A small museum of Melbourne and Victorian history at the top of Collins St. Groups should book ahead.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Open every day 10am–5pm (last entry 4:30pm), except Christmas Day and Good Friday
Where Birdwood Ave, Melbourne
Price Free entry (donations welcome)
Victoria's war memorial. Free guided tours run on the hour from 10am to 4pm (except 1pm).
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Tue–Thu 10am–2pm, except public holidays
Where 313 Spencer St, Docklands
Price Free
Australia's largest collection of Kelly Gang armour, plus notorious Melbourne crimes and forensic evidence.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
Where 54 Victoria St, Carlton (enter via Lygon St)
Price Free
Artefacts from 150+ years of working people's campaigns in the world's oldest operating workers' hall.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
Museums Victoria charges adults, but children up to 16 and concession card holders get in free.
When See the museum's site for hours
Where 11 Nicholson St, Carlton
Price Free for children (up to 16) and concession card holders; adults $18
In Carlton Gardens opposite the Royal Exhibition Building. Free for kids, so it's a cheap family day out.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Open daily 10am–4:30pm
Where 2 Booker St, Spotswood
Price Free for children (up to 16) and concession card holders; adults $15; Planetarium extra
Hands-on science under the West Gate Bridge. Entry is free for under-16s.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Open daily (closed Good Friday and Christmas Day); see the museum's site for hours
Where 400 Flinders St, Melbourne
Price Free for children (up to 16) and concession card holders; adults $15
Stories of migration to Victoria in the Old Customs House by the river.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Sat 31 Oct 2026, 2pm–5pm
Where Edinburgh Gardens (near the bandstand), Alfred Cres, Fitzroy North
Price Free, all welcome
Free face painting, costume comp, pumpkin designing, a horror bake-off and drawing games in the park.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Sat 31 Oct, Sun 1 Nov, Thu 5 – Sun 8 Nov 2026, 12pm–4pm (Thu–Fri 12pm–5pm)
Where KINGS Artist-Run, 69 Capel St, West Melbourne
Price Free, booking not required
Three new shows across three rooms at one of Melbourne's best artist-run spaces.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Daily until Sun 8 Nov 2026 (closes), 10am–5pm
Where NGV International, Level 2, 180 St Kilda Rd, Southbank
Price Free entry
Last chance: barkcloth, fashion, photography and sculpture from across the Pacific. Closes 8 Nov.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Opened Fri 30 Oct 2026; daily (runs to 14 Jun 2027), 10am–5pm
Where The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Level 3, Fed Square
Price Free entry
Brand-new show of bold portrait photography by Melbourne-based South Sudanese artist Atong Atem.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Daily (runs to 7 Feb 2027), 10am–5pm
Where The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square
Price Free entry
Fungus leather, hemp fibreboard and more: design's relationship with plants. Pair it with Atong Atem upstairs.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When Regular public tours; see the schedule
Where NGV International and NGV Australia
Price Free, no bookings required
Volunteer guides take you through the highlights of the collection.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
When On the hour from 10am to 4pm (except 1pm), every day except Christmas Day and Good Friday
Where Birdwood Ave, Melbourne
Price Free (donations welcome)
Guided tours of Victoria's war memorial, starting on the hour.
Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 · Source
Yes. NGV International (180 St Kilda Rd) and The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia (Fed Square) are free to enter and open daily 10am–5pm. Some special exhibitions are ticketed. Checked Sat 31 Oct 2026 on ngv.vic.gov.au.
Free for children up to 16 and concession card holders. Adult entry is $18 (Museums Victoria, checked Sat 31 Oct 2026).
The State Library, NGV and ACMI open on most public holidays. Check each venue's closures: for example, the Old Treasury Building closes on Melbourne Cup Day.
Yes. ACMI at Fed Square has free entry, with some ticketed events, and is open daily 10am–5pm (closed Christmas Day).
