Melbourne Museum, Melbourne, Bezoekersgids & wat te doen in de buurt

Melbourne Museum is the main natural and cultural history museum in Melbourne, Australia, set in the Carlton Gardens just north of the city centre. It is run by Museums Victoria and covers Victorian wildlife, Aboriginal culture, science and the story of the city itself. It stands beside the Royal Exhibition Building, so one short stroll takes in a modern museum and a World Heritage listed hall.

The story behind it

The museum opened in 2000 as a new home for collections that Museums Victoria had built up over many decades. It was designed by the architecture firm Denton Corker Marshall. Its bold, contemporary form was placed deliberately next to a much older neighbour, the Royal Exhibition Building, which was built for the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition and added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2004.

Inside, the museum is known for a few signature draws. The Forest Gallery is a living indoor rainforest. Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre presents the stories and living culture of Aboriginal Victoria. The preserved hide of Phar Lap, the champion racehorse who became a national hero in the early 1930s, is also kept here.

What to look for

• Notice how the museum's angular, modern architecture sits against the ornate Royal Exhibition Building across the lawn, and compare the two from the gardens.
• Step into the Forest Gallery to see a real indoor forest, with plants and animals of Victoria arranged beneath a canopy.
• Look for Phar Lap, the racehorse whose fame reached well beyond Australia, and read how the story of his career is told.
• Pause at Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, which gives a voice to Aboriginal communities in the telling of their own history.

Tips for your visit

• Allow two to three hours if you want to see the main galleries properly, and more if you are visiting with children.
• Check current opening hours and ticket details on the Museums Victoria website before you go, as they change.
• Leave time for the Carlton Gardens outside, which are pleasant for a walk and free to enter, with fountains and shaded paths around the Royal Exhibition Building.
• The museum is a short walk from Carlton's cafes and restaurants, especially around Lygon Street, which makes it easy to pair with a meal.

See it on a quest

The Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Carlton, Melbourne quest passes Melbourne Museum as one stop on a longer walk through Carlton. You reach each place on foot, the app tells you about it as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot, so you notice the buildings and streets you might otherwise walk past. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group, so it suits a family or a few friends who want a more playful way to explore the area. You start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join.