11 fun things to do in Melbourne

Sydney Morning Herald

04-07-2025

Experience the Cuphead zoetrope at ACMI
ACMI's permanent The Story of the Moving Image exhibition contains little-known delights that will excite the animation enthusiasts and gamers among us. Such as a zoetrope, the pre-film animation device that produces the illusion of motion by displaying a sequence of drawings or photographs.
One such device has been designed by Studio MDHR, specially for ACMI, to produce the illusion of 90 characters from the Cuphead video game magically coming to life.
Inspired by surrealist cartoons of the 1930s, the 2017 video game – one of the most successful run-and-gun video games in recent memory – is playfully evoked through this contemporary incarnation of the popular 19th-century invention.
Walk along the Solar System Trail
One of the lesser-known attractions of St Kilda is the Solar System Trail, a walking trail that's a scaled replica of our solar system. The 1,392,000-kilometre diameter of the sun is rendered into 139 centimetres, so each millimetre you walk represents 1000 kilometres and Port Phillip Bay's crescent shape means the sun can be viewed from every one of the nine model locations.
Start with the 'sun' in Marina Reserve, walk the short distance to the first five planets – Earth is only 150 metres from the sun – and end in Port Melbourne with dwarf planet Pluto, 5.9 kilometres from where you initially started. In essence, you've travelled 5.9 billion kilometres.
Belt your heart out at Kono Coin Karaoke
Diverge from Melbourne's archetypal private karaoke rooms and open mic nights and exercise your lungs at Melbourne's first coin-operated karaoke destination, Kono Coin Karaoke.
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Disco-lit booths that come equipped with two microphones each, fun props and a range of songs in English, Korean, Chinese and Japanese are spread across two floors, with the option to sing on a public stage if that's your preference. You pay by song – $2 for one or $20 for 12.
Experience letterbox-sized art at Mailbox Art Space
Avail yourself of the wonders of Melbourne's smallest artist-run space, nestled in the art deco-tiled foyer of the refurbished Pawson House on Flinders Lane.
Nineteen restored glass-fronted letterboxes play host to an ever-changing display of paintings, sculptures, jewellery and illustrations that respond to a particular theme at any given time.
The current exhibition is Indonesian-born, Melbourne-based visual artist Badra Aji's No More Dreaming Tonight, which navigates the charged terrain of race, sex and power through a fragmented yet intimate narrative.
Visit the National Communication Museum
Housed in a 1939 telephone exchange building, the new National Communication Museum in Hawthorn showcases integral technologies from the past alongside cutting-edge technologies that will connect us into the future.
Step into the retro Cyber Cafe for an immersive experience narrated by Rita Arrigo, one of the pioneers behind Australia's first internet cafe, Netcafe, which opened in St Kilda in 1995.
Meander into the Conversations Gallery and find yourself interacting with Samoan dance using hand-tracking technology, tapping out Morse code in a Guitar Hero -style game or getting close to iconic innovations such as the first computer mouse.
See a wall of oscilloscopes come to life as you watch a vintage horror film made in the Telecom Research Labs, or pick up a rotary phone, dial the number and watch your call work its way through a real, functional Strowger step-by-step telephone exchange. The museum has two floors for other interactive exhibits.
Become part of the art at ArtVo
How you feel about ArtVo will hinge on how you feel about traditional art galleries and museums, where one isn't allowed to touch and interact with the artworks and where photographing oneself with an exhibit is generally considered gauche.
At self-guided 'trick art gallery' ArtVo – which stretches across several different zones – visitors can do all these things and more, becoming part of the artwork themselves through optical illusion.
Fantasy is the gallery's current theme, and there are larger-than-life hand-painted murals depicting oceans, polar ice caps, outer space and lush forests cascading to the floor. It's ideal for children.
Immerse yourself in zines at Sticky Institute
The wonderful world of zines and DIY ethics and the enduring spirit of punk is on full display at the Sticky Institute.
Part open-resource working space and part non-profit retail space, Sticky Institute – run by a dedicated team of volunteers – offers a space for zinemakers to create, showcase and sell their work and provides access to essential tools such as typewriters, long-armed staplers and photocopiers.
If you're new to the world of zines but interested in learning more, Sticky Institute runs workshops every fortnight and two annual zine fairs: the 17-year-old Festival of the Photocopier Zine Fair in February and the Hallozeen Zine Fair, a Halloween-themed event in October.
Explore the Johnston Collection
The Johnston Collection is a hidden gem, so hidden no one knows the exact address of the 1860s townhouse that contains it.
All exhibitions, lectures and events must be pre-booked and 10 minutes before your session starts, you'll meet a staff member from the Pullman Melbourne on the Park who will transport you to the townhouse.
Once you're there, discover more than 1500 items predominantly of English 18th-century origin – ranging from ceramics, furniture and glass to horology, metalwork, paintings and textiles – with a selection of items from Europe, India, China and Japan. Tours are limited to eight people, so ready yourself for an intimate experience.
Meander through the Art and Heritage Collection
Embark on a free guided tour of the City of Melbourne's Art and Heritage Collection, located in the Melbourne Town Hall, and sift through 13,000 exhibits ranging from ornate embroideries and a vintage bottle of Spumante to a ceramic Chiko Roll and 1980s photographs of people watching the Moomba parade.
These works respond to and challenge traditional narratives, bring to life emblems of Melbourne cultural life, and provide a glimpse into this city's rich social history.