Cool adventures await: Museums Victoria serves up refreshing summer fun these school holidays
At Melbourne Museum: delve into Titanic’s tragic story, meet Horridus, the extraordinary 67-million-year-old Triceratops, explore RELICS: A New World Rises, where pre-loved LEGO® pieces come alive, experience a week of creative adventure in the exciting world of STEM, build a lavish habitat fit for a magnificent Victorian animal, and enjoy a range of special screenings at IMAX. Voted Best Australian Museum for Kids in the 2023 Out & About with Kids Readers’ Choice Awards, general museum entry is free for children under 16.
In the world of Scienceworks, prepare for fun and educational holiday programs, including exciting new shows at the Melbourne Planetarium, exclusive on-site tours, and interactive experiences with air and aerodynamics at Air Playground, back by popular demand.
Join us for an enriching and entertaining summer with loads of free and affordable fun for families to enjoy these holidays.
See below for summer school holiday program details.
Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition
16 Dec 2023 – 14 Apr 2024 | Daily | Adult $32.50, Child $18, Concession $22.50, Member $14, Flexible ticket $39 | Includes Melbourne Museum entry
Collect your boarding pass and embark on a journey to explore the powerful stories of those who travelled and worked onboard the legendary ship at Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition
See more than 200 real artefacts recovered directly from the wreck site and be captivated by the compelling human stories behind each one as visitors journeys through the events of that fateful night.
One of the most famous tragedies in modern history, the story of the Titanic and its ill-fated maiden voyage continues to enthral, educate and break hearts more than 110 years since she sank to the bottom of the ocean.
Museum Lates: Titanic
All ages after-hours exhibition viewing
11 January 2024 & 18 January 2024 | Adult $35 / Member Adult $25 /Children $20 / Member $16 / Concession $25 / Member Concession $14 / Senior $25 |
Explore the extraordinary new exhibition Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition in our after-hours viewing sessions from 6:00pm – 9:00pm in our Touring Hall.
Make a night of it and book a screening of Titanic at IMAX
James Cameron’s masterpiece is back on the giant screen and looking better than ever with an IMAX 3D High Frame rate remaster.
RELICS: A New World Rises
1 September 2023 – 28 January 2024 | Daily | Adult $27.50 / Senior $22.50 / Child / Concession $17.50 / Member adult $22 / Member Child / Concession $14 | Includes Melbourne Museum entry
Leaving Melbourne at the end of January, RELICS: A New World Rises is set in a future where LEGO® people have taken over the dystopian world left behind by humans. Coupled with a scavenger hunt for the whole family to enjoy, this exhibition tells a stories packed with detail, humour and imagination inside the relics of a civilisation long gone.
Harboured within each vintage treasure is a hyper-detailed LEGO® world inspired by its new home – a ski resort inside a jet ski, a Mad Max-inspired city in a VW beetle, a Grease-style diner in a classic jukebox, and many more in a creatively inspired exhibition like none before.
Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs
Daily | Includes Melbourne Museum entry
Come face to face with one of the most awe-inspiring creatures ever to walk the Earth. Meet the most complete real dinosaur in Australia, 67-million-year-old Horridus the Triceratops, only at Melbourne Museum. Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs is an immersive voyage into a lost world, where visitors will explore the landscapes of the Cretaceous and get to know the creatures that thrived there.
Gandel Gondwana Garden
Daily | Includes Melbourne Museum entry
Explore Victoria’s ancient landscapes and learn about creatures that once walked this land, from dinosaurs and megafauna to the ancestors of today’s iconic Australian species in Melbourne’s newest living outdoor gallery. This summer, families are welcome to step into the ecosystems of the past to touch replicas of the bones, teeth and claws of ancient creatures. This multi-level experience allows visitors to experience First Peoples’ knowledge passed through thousands of generations, and uncover traces of Gondwana, the supercontinent that once connected Australia to the world.
Creative Lab
1 January 2024 – 25 January 2024 | Daily | Child $10 / Member Child $8
In this new, creative and crafty workshop program, children learn through play and imagination to build a special habitat for a Victorian animal and take home a digital photograph to remember their creation.
Grown-ups are welcome to join in or relax in our nearby pop-up café.
Tiny Tours
5 January 2024, 12 January 2024 and 19 January 2024 – 2 February 2024 | Child $22 / Guardians Free / Includes Melbourne Museum entry
Light the spark of curiosity and explore the museum like never before. Facilitated by learning experts and themed around museum objects that connect children to their world, this 45-minute tour invites our littlest visitors to wonder, discover and be amazed. This season we learn how in a world of giants, it can sometimes be the little things that matter most.
Developed for early years audiences 3 to 5 years.
Road to Zero Helmet Heroes
2 January 2024 – 20 January 2024 | 10:00am – 3:00pm | Daily excluding Sundays | Includes Melbourne Museum entry
Join the Road to Zero team to learn about bike, scooter and skateboard safety, and get tips on how to correctly choose and fit a helmet. Once your family is safely kitted out with helmets and gear, it’s time to grab some props, choose a digital background and take some fun holiday pictures. Add your photo to our helmet hero photo wall and take home an instant photo to remember your (safe) holiday journey. Road safety with a smile! Suitable for families with children 3 years and over. This is a drop-in activity; no booking required.
Air Playground
9 December 2023 – 6 October 2024 | Daily | 10:00am – 4:30pm | Adult $25, Senior $20, Child $10, Concession $10, Member $8 | Includes Scienceworks entry
Back by popular demand, Air Playground welcomes curious kids and their families to play with air, the amazing invisible force, and experience the science of aerodynamics.
Float objects in mid-air, place material in fast moving air-jets, squish a giant inflatable tentacled sculpture with your body, launch balls sky-high with compressed air, craft paper planes to soar and more.
Air-Palooza
21 December 2023 – 29 January 2024 | Daily | 12:00pm and 2:00pm | Includes Scienceworks entry
Discover the marvels of air at our free 20-minute live science show, making invisible forces come to life and leaving you in awe of the wonders that surround us. Uncover these secrets of invisible forces, witness captivating levitation demonstrations, and explore the fascinating power of air pressure through interactive experiments.
FlushBack
21 December 2023 – 29 January 2024 | Daily | 1:00pm & 2:00pm | | $3, $2 Museum Members
FlushBack, Scienceworks’ new, award-winning AR adventure, brings to life the awe-inspiring heritage-listed Spotswood Pumping Station, while also building students’ understanding of the importance of sewerage systems and how they fit into the water cycle.
Planetarium Shows
21 December 2023 – 29 January 2024 | Daily | $10 / $8 Museum Members
Book into the Planetarium and enjoy an out-of-this-world show exclusive to Scienceworks.
11:00am – Tycho Goes to Mars
12:00pm – Solar System Adventures: Where’s the Water?
1:00pm – Starlight
2:00pm – Solar System Adventures: Where’s the Water?
3:00pm – Blackholes
4:00pm – Dark Side of the Moon (only available from 26th December – 31st December)
Lightning Room Shows
21 December 2023 – 29 January 2024 | Daily | 11:00am, 12:00pm, 1:00pm, 2:00pm | $10 entry / $8 Museum Members
Take a seat in our Lightning Room and be mesmerised by The Glow Show, a stunning 30-minute live science show, focused on the fascinating processes behind luminosity, including the many ways a glow can be produced.
Pumping Station Tours
21 December 2023 – 29 January 2024 | Daily | 11:00am | Included with Scienceworks entry
Sniff out some of the smelly stories from the pumping station straining well and explore the magnificent engine room, marvelling at the engineering feat that helped overcome the stench of 19th century Melbourne in our daily Pumping Station tours.
Please note, tours run subject to guide availability and weather conditions.
Collection Store Tours
21 December 2023 – 29 January 2024 | Daily | 12:00pm and 2:00pm | Includes Scienceworks entry
Take an exclusive look behind-the-scenes with a tour of the Scienceworks Collection Store. Get a glimpse of some of the rare 40,000 collection items stored at Scienceworks, and hear some amazing stories belonging to these unique objects.
Please note, tours run subject to guide availability and weather conditions.
Night at the Museum – Minus 18 Youth Party
January 27 2024 | 6:30pm – 9:30pm | Free
Prepare for an extraordinary collaboration as the Immigration Museum joins forces with the Midsumma Festival and Minus18 to craft a dazzling evening of celebration, designed to honour pride and inclusivity for LGBTQIA+ youth aged 12–19. The iconic Long Room is scheduled to burst into life with the beats of DJs and mesmerising performances, setting the stage for an electrifying atmosphere. Meanwhile, the Museum will be a hub of activity, offering exclusive after-hours access to its exhibitions that will remain open late into the night.
However, this event is not just about entertainment, it’s a commitment to fostering a secure and invigorating environment. Immigration Museum’s Minus 18 Youth Party is committed to fostering a safe environment, free from the influence of smoke, drugs, and alcohol. A dedicated team of youth workers and Auslan interpreters will be on hand to ensure the well-being and accessibility of all participants.
Get ready to be a part of a professionally curated event that promises not only thrills, but also a genuine dedication to inclusivity and well-being.
What Makes Me Shine
December 1 2023 – January 28 2024 | 10:00am – 5:00pm | Free
Explore the dazzling world of global light festivals and uncover the rich symbolism behind elements such as divas, moons, fire and candles. Immerse yourself in the magic of these celebrations by crafting your own paper decorations – a delightful intergenerational activity that brings stories to life. Join us in collaboration with the Pillars of Light Festival for an illuminating experience.
ARCTIC 3D: OUR FROZEN PLANET
Opens 21 December 2023 | Daily | Surcharged price range between $10 – $25
Escape the heat these school holidays with IMAX’s exclusive new documentary ARCTIC 3D: OUR FROZEN PLANET, narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch. Explore the depths of the coldest inhabited place on Earth and witness the astonishing world of narwhals, belugas, baby harp seals and polar bears. ARCTIC 3D is screening daily throughout the school holidays. Tickets can be purchased here and joint tickets are available with Melbourne Museum entry.
Book through Museum entry
Book through IMAX
Out & About with Kids Readers’ Choice Awards win
Securing victory as the Best Australian Museum or Art Gallery for Kids in the 2023 Out & About with Kids Readers’ Choice Awards, Melbourne Museum stands as a testament to its extraordinary commitment to captivating and motivating young minds. The overwhelming support from Australian families underscores the museum’s profound impact on fostering a love for learning among younger generations.
About the Author
Adrian Gunning Adrian lives in Melbourne Australia and has a huge passion for gaming, technology and pop culture. He recently finished his a Bachelor of Journalism and is currently focusing on games journalism. When not writing and playing video games, Adrian can be found in Comics 'R' Us debating the pros of the DC Universe and cons of the Marvel Universe.
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