The best free museums and art galleries in ³Ô¹ÏÍø
Take a cultural tour of ³Ô¹ÏÍø’s world-class museums, edgy artist-run spaces and blockbuster exhibitions. All without spending a cent!
NGV International
Old and new, beautiful and challenging, NGV International brings a world of art to ³Ô¹ÏÍø. The city’s premier art gallery has an ever-changing slew of free exhibits to peruse. See powerful, contemporary art, design and architecture at NGV Triennial. Explore homegrown art and exhibitions at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV. Current exhibition, Rekospective features massive neon installations, larger-than-life sculptures, street art-inspired paintings and more by well known Kamilaroi artist, Reko Rennie.
ACMI
From films to video games, ACMI celebrates screen culture past and present. Get behind the camera at ACMI’s free exhibition, The Story of the Moving Image. From the birth of film to today’s digital wonders, there’s more than a century of movie history to explore. And you can get hands-on at this fun cinema showcase, with animation and sound effects to play with.
Tolarno Galleries
For a small gallery, Tolarno sure has hosted some big names in art. Step inside this hidden space to see incredible exhibitions of contemporary art and design. The early days saw the likes of Picasso, Bonnard and Matisse gracing the walls of the gallery. More recently, art lovers admired works by legendary Aussie artist Patricia Piccinini. Whoever is showing, you're bound to see something special.
Art and Heritage Collection Tour
See a Foster's beer tower from the good old days, retro Moomba Monarch crowns and a bottle of spumante dating back to who knows when. For the first time ever, ³Ô¹ÏÍø's Art and Heritage Collection is opening its doors to the public for free guided tours. This is your chance to access to some of ³Ô¹ÏÍø’s most weird and wonderful treasures and historical archives.
Australian Music Vault
If you’re musically inclined, the Australian Music Vault is a must. It’s a great overview of ³Ô¹ÏÍø’s backstage sounds and stories. Watch rare footage and see iconic objects like Kylie Minogue’s stage outfits and notebooks belonging to Nick Cave. The free exhibition is permanently on show at Arts Centre ³Ô¹ÏÍø.
City Gallery
The City Gallery presents free, quarterly exhibitions on city life; past and present. Pop in to the gallery at ³Ô¹ÏÍø Town Hall to see Elements of the city's collection, an eclectic range of 8000 artworks and artefacts.
Science Gallery ³Ô¹ÏÍø
³Ô¹ÏÍø's one and only Science Gallery is home to some of the most unusual art installations in town. Think live jellyfish and a machete-wielding houseplant. Discover fresh insights on science fiction with Mythologies Transformed. The exhibition weaves together science fiction with ancient philosophy and mythologies are brought to light through the work of Asian and First Nations women artists and collectives.
Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA)
From music to educational talks, screenings and more the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) will have you coming back again and again. Spot the iconic rust-red building along Southbank and head in to explore local and international art. Keep an eye out for pop-up events and teachings.
Victoria Police Museum
Explore the state's crime history at this free museum in Docklands. History buffs will be amazed by Australia's largest collection of Kelly Gang armour. Dig through major investigations and learn how animals have served in the police force all the way back to the 1960s.
³Ô¹ÏÍø's best small, independent and artist-run galleries
Flinders Lane Gallery
Exhibiting collectable artworks and featuring solo exhibitions every three weeks.
West End Art Space
A contemporary art gallery with a focus on living artists that strive for excellence.
Kings Artist-Run Initiative
Space for contemporary art practice and gallery showcasing experimental projects.
Anna Schwartz Gallery
The gallery represents over 30 established and emerging artists on individual projects.
More free museums
Victoria Police Museum
Explore the social history of policing through interactive displays and over 300 collection items.
Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre
A place of inspiration and vitality, that promotes the spirit and charism of Saint Mary MacKillop.
Medical History Museum
A free museum focusing on medicine's contribution to scientific discovery and community wellbeing.
The best free exhibitions
Hannah Quinlivan: Bound by the Sky
3D drawings explore fragility, resilience and blur lines between fine art and design.
Curator’s Talk: Artists, Writers and the River
Join curator Judith Buckrich in a behind-the-scenes talk about her Yarra Birrarung exhibition.
Exploration 25: Celebrating 25 Years of Emerging Art
Flinders Lane Gallery present their annual showcase of emerging and unsigned artists.
Athenie Leckey: 79 Banksias
An acrylic painting series of 79 banksias, each showing how the species differ.
Patricia Agus and James Farrar: Banana Split
This exhibition delves into the personal stories of James Farrar and Patricia Agus.
Rewind Forward: Creative in Residence Group Exhibition
Drawing from State archives, artists create works that reawaken Victoria’s historical narrative.
The Pacific Sisters
Zoot suits and ActiVAtions take over Smorgon Family Plaza with the Pacific Sisters.
Victorian Artists Society 9x5 Exhibition
An homage to the 1889 Impressionism exhibition of small works painted on cigar box lids.
Bark Salon
Bark Salon is a large-scale display of First Nations bark painting, with more than 160 works.
Brent Leideritz: Anarchy in the AI
Brent Leideritz interrogates identity, nostalgia, and memory through experimental photography.
Josh Deane: Revived
A dynamic exhibition celebrating creativity and sustainability by Indigenous artist Josh Deane.
Tina Stefanou: You Can't See Speed
An experiential landscape of films, soundscapes, sculptures, live performances and dirt bikes.
Stormborne: A Moving Image Installation by Jen Valender
Enter the wild sonic landscapes of contemporary artist Jen Valender.
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Favourable Impressions: Saluhan Collective
Favourable Impressions is a new video installation by Saluhan Collective.
Hyun Ju Lee – Coexistence: Stunning Beauty
Hyun Ju’s work explores the imagination of landscape.
RISING: Matha
Connect to Matha, an audio/visual conversation between the Dhungala and Birrarung river systems.
Oysters and Sustainability: From Harvest to Market
A solo sculptural exhibition exploring ³Ô¹ÏÍø's oyster reefs, using discarded oyster shells.
Convergence: A Spatial Negotiation
Student artists explore collective creativity through layered, rhizomatic visual narratives.
Driveway: I Tell You Later by Chelle Destefano
Kings' latest Driveway performance is with Chelle Destefano.
RISING: Night Trade
Music, art, food and reality-rifting lasers – sample the RISING festival for free.
Internal Landscapes
A First Nations emerging artist group exhibition featuring the work of four artists.
Michael McNamara: Salt, Sand and Sea
Stunning aerial photos of World Heritage site Shark Bay and Monkey Mia.
Association of Sculptors of Victoria Exhibition
Sculptors Victoria is holding their Annual Awards Exhibition at the Victorian Artists Society.
Sarah Tracton: Alchemy of Light
An exhibition of sculptural porcelain works by Sarah Tracton at Sofitel ³Ô¹ÏÍø on Collins.
The Story of the Moving Image
An ongoing exhibition that journeys through the past, present and future of the moving image.
Making Memoir of a Snail
Explore handmade sets, props and characters from Adam Elliot's claymation film Memoir of a Snail.
Mei Wah Williams: Substantial and Significant
Mei Wah Williams uses multimedia installation to explore the domestic and family separation.
Wild Country: The Ovens River
Clare McCracken and Heather Hesterman explore the environmental history of the Ovens River.
MindBodySpirit Festival
Explore wellness, workshops, new products and retreats at this free festival.
Last updated on Wed 15 Jan 2025
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Buxton Contemporary
A hub for creative engagement showcasing the best of contemporary Australian and international art.
