Melbourne Galleries, Museums, and Craft Centres

Places to Browse or Buy

Melbourne has an active community life, with many people exploring our history and our current intellectual and artistic life through clubs, museums, and galleries. For example, the William Ricketts sanctuary is an outdoor gallery of the artist's works; and the Old Melbourne Gaol is a museum of nineteenth-century penal life.

There is a wealth of small special-interest museums and even more galleries and craft centres. Week-ends especially bring people out to browse through displays and hunt out treasures of their own at the many craft stalls that operate weekly or monthly, depending on the location. In Melbourne, the street stalls outside the Arts Centre Melbourne (previously Victorian Arts Centre) show-and-sell a wide range of local artistic produce. One of the best-known of these gatherings of merchants and artists is that on the Esplanade in Saint Kilda.

Guidebook lists:
Inner Melbourne Parks & Gardens
Melbourne Environs Parks & Gardens
Inner Melbourne historic sites
Melbourne Environs Historic Sites
Art Deco Walk of Inner Melbourne
Another View Walking Trail
Inner Melbourne museums, galleries and craft markets.
Melbourne Environs museums, galleries and craft markets.
All lists

	Australian Gallery of Sport and Olympic Museum see National Sports Museum	Brunton Avenue, Richmond Olympic Stand, entrance to the Museum is via Gate 3 Hurstbridge or Epping train to Jolimont station, then cross Yarra Park. Tram 75 or 48 along Flinders St to Jolimont station.
	Chinese Museum Chinese costume collection, artifacts from the goldfields, home of Melbourne's big dragon, Chinese Australian History Gallery, Chinatown Heritage Walks	22 Cohen Place Melbourne, Victoria 3000 Australia. Getting there: In the Melbourne city centre, enter the Chinatown precinct in Little Bourke Street from Swanston or Russell Street. Cohen place is off Little Bourke Street.
	Hellenic Museum The Hellenic Museum is dedicated to the celebration, understanding, and preservation of the artistic and cultural heritage of ancient and modern Greece. The Hellenic Museum supports the visual arts, film, music, architecture, history, culture and education. See our Hellenic Museum guidebook entry For more information, contact details and opening hours see web site	280 William St, Melbourne City circle tram, 55 Tram, or train to Flagstaff station.
	Jewish Museum of Australia Exhibitions and collection giving an insight into Australian Jewish life. Mission: to engage people with Jewish culture. Opening hours, tours and contact details on Jewish Museum of Australia web site.	26 Alma Rd, St Kilda Two-minute walk from tram stop 32 on St Kilda Rd (Routes 3 or 67)
	Johnston Collection The Johnston Collection A house museum based on and around the Johnston Collection of Decorative and Fine Arts. The museum, lecture area and reference library are in three historic houses. Opening hours, tours and contact details on Johnston Collection web site (email: info@johnstoncollection.org).	East Melbourne Train to Jolimont Station, or 48 or 75 Tram to Hilton on the Park for pickup by the courtesy bus.
	Melbourne Museum Set in the Carlton Gardens beside the Royal Exhibition Building, and minutes from the Melbourne city centre, Melbourne Museum is a modern building housing a considerable collection. A beautiful rainforest atrium is one of the features. Also in the complex is IMAX Melbourne.
	National Gallery of Victoria World-class collection of art work, the international section in St Kilda Road, and the Australian collection in Federation Square (Ian Potter Centre). Features include the stained glass ceiling in the Great Hall. and the popular wall of water at the St Kilda Rd entrance (see guidebook entry for photographs). Recently redesigned and reopened. web site see also Arts Centre Melbourne check web site for contact details	NGV International: 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne From Flinders Street, cross Princes Bridge by foot or tram or cross the footbridge from Flinders Street Station. Ian Potter (NGV Australia) Federation Square, Melbourne
	Performing Arts Museum CLOSED see Arts Centre Melbourne The Performing Arts Collection can be seen in various free exhibitions and displays within Arts Centre Melbourne. While there are currently no confirmed plans for a permanent Performing Arts Museum, we are hopeful that oen day in the future plans will become more permanent.	100 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne St Kilda Rd, Melbourne From Flinders Street, cross Princes Bridge by foot or tram or cross the footbridge from Flinders Street Station.
	Polly Woodside Maritime Museum Polly Woodside, re-rigged and afloat, built in 1885. A maritime heritage museum. For contact details and opening hours, see the web site (or the National Trust web site).	Southbank Take tram No 10 or 12 west from Collins St to the Melbourne Exhibition Centre
	Queen Victoria Market Also known as the "Queen Vic" and "Vic Market", this long-time feature of Melbourne contains stalls selling limited arts & crafts, mainly food and clothing. Opening hours and contact details on QVM web site.	Corner Franklin & Elizabeth Sts Take any northbound tram along Elizabeth or William Sts
	The Esplanade Market, St Kilda Arts & Crafts market Just down the road from Acland St, St Kilda - possibly the cake capital of Melbourne. For contact details and opening hours, check the web site	The Esplanade, St Kilda Number 15 tram from Swanston St or Light Rail number 96 from Bourke St.
	scienceworks Hands-on exhibitions and activities, especially for kids of all ages. Open daily from 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. except Good Friday and Christmas Day. Site map Ph: 9392 4864 Web site	Train on Werribee, Williamstown or Newport line, alight at Spotswood railway station. 10 min walk (signposted). Or catch the City Wanderer bus from Flinders St station.
	Sinclair's Cottage Australian art, jewellry, scultures, pottery and other crafts. Daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Free	Fitzroy Gardens, Wellington Parade.
	Sport and Olympic Museum see Australian Gallery of Sport and Olympic Museum	Yarra Park, Melbourne
	Arts Centre Melbourne (previously Victorian Arts Centre) Theatres Building, Hamer Hall Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Home of the Australian Ballet; The Australian Opera; and the Victoria State Opera. Guided tours Guided tours, Backstage tours check web site web site	100 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne St Kilda Rd, Melbourne From Flinders Street, cross Princes Bridge by foot or tram or cross the footbridge from Flinders Street Station.
	Victorian Police Museum Depicting the history of the Victorian Police Force includes police motorcycles, insignias, photographs and Ned Kelly's armour. Mon - Fri 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Free admission Ph: 9247 5215	Victorian Police Centre, Building C, Concourse, World Trade Centre, 637 Flinders St, Melbourne
	Victorian Tapestry Workshop Tours Wed & Thus 2 p.m. & 2:30 p.m Viewing Mon - Fri 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Booking essential To view the best contemporary tapestries in public buildings, get the walking map. Ph: 9699 1494	260 Park St, Sth Melbourne

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