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What’s On in Melbourne: Your Ultimate Guide for November & Beyond
Everything to see and do this month in Melbourne (and beyond).
November in Melbourne has assembled an unusually good collection of distractions: science-fiction-inflected portraits at the NGV, rare coffees from international roasters at Queen Victoria Market and a Scottish dinner involving Irn-Bru cocktails. And that’s before anyone mentions the theatre, film festivals or shopping.
At NGV Australia, Melbourne artist Atong Atem’s newly opened Passage brings family archives, African studio photography and science fiction into vivid conversation. Margaret Preston’s major retrospective continues nearby, while the Melbourne Queer Film Festival returns from 13 to 22 November with ten days of LGBTQIA+ cinema. Puccini’s La Bohème opens at the Regent Theatre on 7 November, followed by My Fair Lady at Arts Centre Melbourne from the 14th.
Elsewhere, Melbourne’s appetite for a limited-time affair is being thoroughly indulged. Coffee Weekend brings more than 40 specialty roasters to Queen Victoria Market on 7 and 8 November, while Brunswick’s Last Run Sale gathers archival fashion and samples from nine local labels, including Verner and Arthur Apparel, from 13 to 15 November. Over at Reed House, Ali Stoner is cooking from her new book Scran for one night only on 19 November, with Scottish whisky and Irn-Bru cocktails involved. Fed Square’s free African Music and Cultural Festival follows from 20 to 22 November, complete with live performances, market stalls and the return of the Jollof Rice Wars.
For those who plan their weekends around lunch, The Little Food Market takes over the Royal Exhibition Building from 27 to 29 November, bringing more than 200 artisan food and drink producers under one magnificent roof. December has its own cultural heavyweight approaching: the free NGV Triennial opens on 13 December, with more than 80 projects spanning contemporary art, fashion and design.
From one-night dinners and independent fashion finds to major exhibitions and festivals, here’s our edit of the best things to do in Melbourne in November 2026 and beyond. The diary is yours to rearrange.
In This Guide
Editor’s Picks
Christmas Shopping Just Got a $12,000 Plot Twist
Christmas shopping has a habit of becoming an all-day affair in Melbourne. One present leads to another, somebody suggests lunch, and suddenly it’s four o’clock and you’ve bought a little something for yourself. This year, Emporium Melbourne is giving shoppers another reason to lose track of the afternoon, with twelve $1,000 gift cards up for grabs as part of A Very Melbourne Christmas. Sign up to the Emporium E-Edit between 9 November and 13 December for your chance to win. That should take care of a few names on the list.
There are plenty of ways to spend it, too. GANNI, Aje and Scanlan Theodore for the fashion-inclined, Mejuri and Georg Jensen for things that come in small, very promising boxes, and a long lunch at Tetsujin or Haidilao when the shopping bags become too heavy to carry. On selected dates, the Melbourne University Choral Society and Australian Girls Choir will be singing carols in the atrium. You might arrive with a shopping list and leave with twelve more ideas, a full stomach and the distinct possibility of a thousand dollars to spend. Not a bad day’s work.
Where: Emporium Melbourne, CBD
When: 9 November–25 December 2026; competition closes 13 December
Cost: Free to enter
Best For: Christmas shopping, festive entertainment, giveaways
Need To Know: Sign up to the Emporium E-Edit for your chance to win one of twelve $1,000 gift cards. Winners drawn 15 December. Terms and conditions apply.
Last Run Sale
Brunswick’s three-day Last Run Sale gathers nine independent labels under one roof, including Verner, Baserange, Sabi the Label and Arthur Apparel. The racks are filled with archival designs, samples and final-chance pieces, making this a rare opportunity to find the clothes you missed the first time around. Gruel Club is handling the treats and refreshments, because past-season Verner and a snack make an extremely elite Saturday outing.
Sitchu Tip: Go on Friday morning. The best pieces at a sample sale reward those who arrive with a plan and very little hesitation.
Where: 5 Florence Street, Brunswick
When:
- Friday 13 November 2026, 10am to 6pm
- Saturday 14 November 2026, 11am to 5pm
- Sunday 15 November 2026, 11am to 3pm
Cost: Free entry, items individually priced
Best For: Vintage lovers, Weekend plans, Locals
Monday Trad Sessions at The Fifth Province
There’s a corner of St Kilda where Monday evenings sound suspiciously like a Friday night in Galway. At The Fifth Province, traditional Irish musicians gather every Monday from 6pm for an informal session of fiddles, folk tunes and whatever else the evening inspires. Bring an instrument and join the musicians, or claim a spot with a $10 pint of Guinness and a spice bag from the kitchen. Selected wines are also $10, and there’s no cover charge. An Irish pub with live music, decent company and absolutely no regard for the working week’s reputation.
Where: The Fifth Province, St Kilda
When: Every Monday in November 2026, from 6pm
Cost: Free entry; Guinness pints and selected wines $10
Best For: Live music, Free events, Budget-friendly, Cultural experiences, Locals
Need To Know: Bookings recommended. Musicians are welcome to bring an instrument and join the session.
Festivals & Major Events
Melbourne Coffee Weekend
Melbourne’s coffee obsession is going international. On 7 and 8 November, Melbourne Coffee Weekend takes over Queen Victoria Market, assembling more than 40 specialty roasters from Australia and abroad for two days devoted to the art of filter coffee. There are more than 100 varieties to discover, alongside brewing workshops, competitions and plenty of opportunities to talk beans with the people who know them best. Your ticket includes nine coffee tastings and a limited-edition ceramic cup to take home. The caffeine intake is entirely your responsibility.
When: Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November, 8am–4pm
Where: Queen Victoria Market, C & D Sheds, Melbourne
Price: $45 plus booking fee
Best For: Coffee devotees, curious drinkers and anyone looking to expand their morning repertoire
Need to Know: Book a morning (8am–12pm) or afternoon (12pm–4pm) session. Children under 12 enter free with a paying adult. Tickets here.
Melbourne Queer Film Festival
Ten days, four cinemas and 53 sessions make a strong argument for abandoning your usual streaming plans. Melbourne Queer Film Festival returns for its 36th edition with Into the Light, celebrating LGBTQIA+ filmmaking through international premieres, documentaries, cult classics and Australian shorts. Opening night belongs to Kick, a documentary following trans nonbinary runner Nikki Hiltz, while Time Warp revisits the enduring cultural legacy of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Look out, too, for the world premiere of Tender Boy and anniversary screenings of queer cinema favourites. With filmmaker events and opening and closing parties, there’s plenty happening beyond the screen.
When: Friday 13 to Sunday 22 November
Where: The Capitol, ACMI, Cinema Nova and Chinatown Cinema
Price: General screenings $28; concessions $24; multi-film passes available
Best For: Film lovers, LGBTQIA+ storytelling and discovering cinema beyond the mainstream
Need to Know: Opening and closing night events are separately ticketed at $75 full price. Screenings are in-cinema only this year. Explore the programme.
Colours of Asia: Garden of Wonders
Glowing lanterns, incredible street food and balmy evenings beside the Yarra. Colours of Asia: Garden of Wonders is transforming Alexandra Gardens across two November weekends, bringing together the flavours, artistry and traditions of Asia in one beautiful riverside setting. From the creators of Melbourne’s Asia Street Food Festival, the free celebration pairs imaginative street-food menus and artisan markets with live music, dance and cultural storytelling. Arrive hungry, explore the lantern gardens after sunset and make an evening of it.
Best for: Food adventures, family outings and beautiful spring evenings
When: 13th to 15th and 20th to 22nd November 2026
Where: Alexandra Gardens, Melbourne
Price: Free entry; food and drinks additional
The Little Food Market
The Royal Exhibition Building becomes an enormous edible shopping destination when The Little Food Market returns for three days of tasting, grazing and stocking the pantry. More than 200 Australian and New Zealand producers are coming together, with everything from small-batch salumi and artisan cheeses to boutique wines, handcrafted spirits, excellent condiments and handmade chocolates. Live cooking demonstrations and culinary conversations take over the Winnings Food Experience Stage, while the Feasting precinct handles lunch. Come with an appetite and a roomy tote. The Christmas present shopping may take care of itself.
When: Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November; Friday 12pm–8pm, Saturday 10am–7pm, Sunday 10am–5pm
Where: Royal Exhibition Building, 9 Nicholson Street, Carlton
Price: From $15 online, plus booking fee; children 12 and under free
Best For: Food lovers, Christmas gift shopping and discovering independent Australian producers
Need to Know: Entry tickets include a returnable tasting cup, with upgraded packages featuring an Alice Oehr-designed wine glass. Tickets cost more at the door. Book here.
Eat & Drink
Ali Stoner’s Scottish Dinner at Reed House
An Irn-Bru cocktail is an unusual way to begin a four-course dinner. Unless, of course, Glasgow-born cook and former MasterChef Australia contestant Ali Stoner is involved. For one night, she’s joining the kitchen at Reed House to celebrate Scran, her new cookbook devoted to Scottish food beyond the usual haggis jokes. The $100 menu draws on the recipes of her homeland, accompanied by special Scotch whisky pours and cocktails featuring Scotland’s famously fluorescent soft drink. A rare opportunity to discover what modern Scottish cooking actually tastes like, without leaving Lonsdale Street.
Where: Reed House, CBD
When: Thursday 19 November 2026
Cost: $100pp for four courses; drinks additional
Best For: Foodies, Unique experiences, Cultural experiences
Need To Know: One night only. Bookings essential.
Basque Txoko at Nobody’s Baby, South Yarra
The Basque pop-up Melbourne wasn’t quite ready to give back is staying put. After selling out its original three-month run, Michelin-starred chef Aitor Jeronimo Orive’s Basque Txoko will now take over Nobody’s Baby in South Yarra through the end of 2026.
The extension comes with fresh reasons to book: gildas and cod croquetas, a 28-day dry-aged Wagyu chop carved at the table, burnt Basque cheesecake and a Basque-inspired martini with a pintxo riding shotgun. Tuesdays now belong to the Hamburguesa Basque Txoko, a smash burger made with aged Vintage beef and Wagyu, Basque chilli mayo and pickles, with 20% off selected wines. Frankly, Tuesday has been underperforming for years.
Where: Nobody’s Baby, South Yarra
When: Now until end of 2026
- Tuesday to Thursday, 4pm to 11pm
- Friday and Saturday, 4pm to midnight
Cost: Tuesday burgers from $24
Best For: Date night, Foodies, Wine lovers, Group catch-ups
Need To Know: Closed Sunday and Monday. Bookings recommended.
Art, Culture & Performance
Margaret Preston at NGV Australia
Banksias, bold colour and a woman who changed the way Australia looked at art. Margaret Preston takes centre stage at NGV Australia in a major retrospective tracing the modernist pioneer’s extraordinary career. From her striking woodblock prints and native floral still lifes to the influence of Japanese art, it’s a fascinating portrait of an artist ahead of her time. The exhibition also examines Preston’s use of Indigenous iconography, placing her work in conversation with contemporary First Nations artists. One for the gallery diary.
Where: NGV Australia, Federation Square
When: Now until Sunday 31 January 2027, daily, 10am to 5pm (confirm hours)
Cost: Adults $35
Best For: Art lovers, Cultural experiences, Visitors, Weekend plans
Need To Know: Ticketed exhibition. Entry to NGV Australia’s permanent collection is free.
Passage: The Art of Atong Atem
Colour-drenched portraits, elaborate costumes and powerful stories of identity take centre stage in Passage: The Art of Atong Atem. The Melbourne-based South Sudanese artist’s first major Australian solo exhibition brings together more than 65 works spanning a decade of photography, with Atem transforming herself through textiles, body paint and symbolic objects. Drawing on Dinka Bor culture, family archives, African studio photography and science fiction, her extraordinary self-portraits explore ancestry, belonging and the stories we inherit. An essential addition to your spring gallery diary, and admission is free.
Where: NGV Australia, Federation Square
When: Now until Monday 14 June 2027, daily, 10am to 5pm
Cost: Free
Best For: Art lovers, Cultural experiences, Free events, Locals
Need To Know: Entry is walk-in.
Barbie: The Exhibition Makes Its Australian Debut
The original Barbie arrived in 1959 wearing a black-and-white striped swimsuit. Three years later, she had a Dreamhouse. Melbourne Museum is preparing to examine the extraordinary design history behind one of the world’s most recognisable dolls, bringing London’s Design Museum exhibition to Australia for the first time. More than 250 dolls and objects trace Barbie’s changing fashions, architecture, furniture and cultural influence. There’s a rare first-edition Barbie, the original 1962 Dreamhouse and a dedicated section examining Ken. A considerable amount of pink is likely, but the design history is the real attraction.
When: Saturday 28 November 2026 to Sunday 16 May 2027
Where: Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson Street, Carlton
Price: $30 adults, $25 concession, $20 children
Best For: Fashion, design, nostalgia and families
Need to Know: Exhibition tickets include Melbourne Museum entry. Advance bookings are available. Book tickets.
Markets & Shopping
Stock Up on Vintage Fashion at Queen Victoria Market
Y2K fashion has officially outlived the decade it came from, and Melbourne’s vintage traders have plenty to say about it. Stock Up Vintage Market takes over Queen Victoria Market for a Sunday devoted to 1990s clothing, early-2000s streetwear, sneakers and collectible pieces. Independent sellers and specialist traders handle the fashion, while DJs spinning vinyl provide the soundtrack. An ideal hunting ground for anyone whose favourite wardrobe pieces have already had one previous owner.
When: Sunday 15 November, 9am–4pm
Where: Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne
Price: Free entry
Best For: Vintage fashion, streetwear and secondhand shopping
Need to Know: Browse the stalls throughout the day; individual purchases are priced by traders.
Find the Oddest Christmas Gifts at Ugly Cutie Market
Christmas shopping gets a little stranger at Ugly Cutie Market. Its festive edition, Merry Ugly, assembles more than 130 independent artists and makers with a shared appreciation for the odd, the adorable and everything in between. There are Hamish Bassett’s delightfully wonky Tiny Pots, illustrated prints, handmade jewellery, collectible art toys and objects you didn’t know existed until you suddenly needed one. Pin trading, interactive installations and a free photo booth join the festivities, with gift wrapping on hand for those organised enough to tick off their Christmas lists in November.
When: Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November, 10am–5pm
Where: Crown Conference Centre, Crown Promenade, Southbank
Price: $12 adults, $8 concession; free for children under 12
Best For: Independent art, quirky gifts and Christmas shopping
Need to Know: Tickets are available through the event listing.
Eat Your Way Through Prahran Market’s Burrata Festival
What happens when more than 20 Prahran Market traders are given free rein with a ball of burrata? Prawn spaghettini, porchetta sandwiches, pizzas and, improbably, doughnuts. Burrata Festival returns from 13 to 15 November, pairing That’s Amore Cheese with market traders for three days of Italian food and festivities. Friday’s ticketed opening party features roaming cannoli and live Italian music, while the weekend brings a free Burrata Trail, tastings, mozzarella-making demonstrations and exclusive dishes. Stretchy cheese has rarely had so much attention.
When: Friday 13 to Sunday 15 November; Friday 6pm–9pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am–3pm
Where: Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, South Yarra
Price: Free entry Saturday and Sunday; Friday opening-night tickets $15–$30, depending on release
Best For: Cheese devotees, Italian food and weekend market adventures
Need to Know: The hands-on mozzarella masterclasses are separately ticketed and currently sold out. Food purchases cost extra.
Collingwood Ceramics Market at Chotto Motto
Ceramics and dumplings are a pairing we can very much get behind, and this Collingwood market makes a strong case for clearing your Sunday. Hosted at cult Japanese diner Chotto Motto, the Collingwood Ceramics Market brings together a line-up of local makers for a browse-and-buy afternoon with far more personality than your standard stall setup, from Yolk Eye Ceramics to Naru Kubota.
Each edition lands on the third Sunday of every month, from 12pm to 6pm, with Chotto Motto’s retro surrounds making the whole thing feel especially charming.
Where: 287 Wellington Street, Collingwood
When: Sunday 15th November
Cost: Free to view
Best For: Design lovers, pottery collectors, handmade homewares, market wanderers, and Sunday browsers
Need To Know: Runs monthly on the third Sunday
Outdoor & Active
Explore Sam Cox’s Extraordinary Wattle Glen Garden
Landscape designer Sam Cox has spent 25 years turning a bare paddock in Wattle Glen into a bush garden that appears to have grown there entirely of its own accord. The reality involves meticulous rockwork, native grasses, sculpted earth and a rather remarkable eye for Australian landscapes. For one weekend, Cox and partner Lisa Hatfield are opening their 1.5-acre property to visitors, revealing a casuarina forest, basalt-lined pond, winding watercourse and handcrafted mudbrick home. Cox, who apprenticed under influential designer Gordon Ford, will also lead talks and Q&A sessions throughout the weekend.
When: Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November, 10am–4.30pm
Where: 12 Lorimer Road, Wattle Glen
Price: $10 adults, $6 students; free for under-18s
Best For: Garden lovers, design enthusiasts and a spring day out
Need to Know: Cox’s talks take place at 11am and 2pm on both days. Tickets are available online or at the gate. Find out more.
Join the Saturday Morning Run Club at The Tan
Melbourne’s running community has another good reason to get out of bed on Saturday. Run the Tan hosts a free weekly club around the city’s much-loved Botanic Gardens circuit, welcoming everyone from seasoned runners to those happier at a conversational pace. Qualified running coaches are on hand to help with technique, and there’s time for coffee and new acquaintances afterwards. No racing bibs, no registration and no requirement to be especially speedy. Just turn up in your trainers.
When: Every Saturday in November, 8am–10am
Where: Meet at the Pillars of Wisdom, The Tan Track, Melbourne
Price: Free
Best For: Runners, beginners and meeting new people
Need to Know: Walking and jogging are equally welcome, and booking isn’t required.
Take a ClimateWatch Walk Through the Botanic Gardens
The Royal Botanic Gardens are beautiful in November, but there’s more happening among the greenery than spring flowers. On 19 November, a free ClimateWatch Walk invites visitors to become citizen scientists, identifying plants and wildlife and recording how their seasonal behaviour is changing. Guided by ClimateWatch advocates, the 90-minute outing explores biodiversity and the effects of climate change, with observations contributing to ongoing Australian research. A morning outside with something useful to show for it.
When: Thursday 19 November, 10.45am
Where: Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne; meet at the Visitor Centre
Price: Free
Best For: Nature lovers, curious minds and outdoor learning
Need to Know: Bookings are essential. Download the ClimateWatch app before attending.
Free Things to Do
![Emergenc[y]
Science Gallery Melbourne](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA3NjgiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9Ijc2OCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
Discover Fungal Fashion and Coral Soundscapes at Science Gallery
Clothes made from fungi, a vertical city farm and soundscapes drawn from coral ecosystems aren’t your standard gallery companions. At Science Gallery Melbourne, EMERGENCE[Y] brings artists, researchers and scientists together to investigate how life adapts to environmental, social and technological change. The exhibition moves between regenerative materials, First Nations knowledge of the Birrarung and speculative futures. It’s an intelligent, occasionally unsettling look at what comes next, with plenty to see before the exhibition closes in early December.
When: Until Saturday 5 December, Wednesday–Saturday, 11am–5pm
Where: Science Gallery Melbourne, 114 Grattan Street, Parkville
Price: Free
Best For: Art, science, sustainability and curious teenagers
Need to Know: Walk-ins welcome; no booking required.
Celebrate African Food, Music and Culture at Fed Square
Sunday’s Jollof Rice Wars might be the tastiest rivalry in Melbourne this month. The African Music and Cultural Festival returns to Fed Square for its 13th year, celebrating the food, fashion, art and musical traditions of more than 40 African nations. Eat your way from Ethiopian injera to West African barbecue, catch Kenyan-Australian musician Elsy Wameyo on Saturday, and take part in drumming and dance workshops. African-Australian short films, spoken word, market stalls and family activities fill out the three-day programme.
When: Friday 20 to Sunday 22 November; Friday and Saturday 10am–10pm, Sunday 10am–8pm
Where: Fed Square, Melbourne
Price: Free entry; food and shopping extra
Best For: Live music, global flavours and family outings
Need to Know: The festival extends across the Main Square and Birrarung Marr Walk. No general admission booking required.
Coming Soon
Treasures of Tutankhamun
A golden burial mask, a 3,000-year-old mystery and one of archaeology’s most extraordinary discoveries. This December, Ancient Egypt comes to Melbourne with the Australian debut of Treasures of Tutankhamun, opening at MCEC in South Wharf.
Revisit the moment Howard Carter discovered the young pharaoh’s tomb in 1922, with remarkable replicas of his golden treasures, royal jewellery and inner coffin, meticulously crafted by Egyptian artisans. A six-metre-high, 360-degree projection experience brings the ancient kingdom to life, alongside newly colourised photographs from the original excavation. There’s even an optional walking VR adventure that takes you inside Tutankhamun’s palace and follows his passage into the afterlife. History, with a side of spectacle that defies your average museum visit.
When: From 9 December 2026
Where: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Wharf
Cost: Ticket prices TBA
Best For: History buffs, culture lovers, families and immersive experiences
Tickets: On sale 5 November, with 24-hour early access for waitlist subscribers. Join the waitlist here.
A Giant Pink Tree, Life-Sized Chess and a Room Full of Penguins: NGV Triennial Returns
A seven-and-a-half-metre pink tree, a playable chess set with human-sized pieces and an entire room of floating penguins. Melbourne’s biggest free art exhibition is back, and it’s going big. Taking over all four levels of NGV International, the fourth NGV Triennial brings together nearly 100 artists and collectives from 35 countries. Highlights include Pamela Rosenkranz’s enormous Old Tree, Louise Paramor’s 32-piece sculptural chess set and Benedikte Bjerre’s The birds, an interactive installation of helium-filled foil penguins exploring the climate crisis. Add Wolfgang Tillmans’ immersive photography, a glowing First Nations artwork across the Waterwall and more than 80 extraordinary projects. The best part? It’s entirely free.
Best for: Art lovers, design enthusiasts and curious minds of all ages
When: Sunday 13th December 2026 to Sunday 11th April 2027
Where: NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Price: Free
What’s On This Month in Melbourne: FAQs
November begins with a serious caffeine commitment. Melbourne Coffee Weekend brings more than 40 roasters to Queen Victoria Market on 7 and 8 November, followed by the Melbourne Queer Film Festival from 13 to 22 November. The African Music and Cultural Festival fills Fed Square with performances, food and markets from 20 to 22 November, while The Little Food Market takes over the Royal Exhibition Building from 27 to 29 November. For a change of scenery, designer Sam Cox opens his Wattle Glen garden on 14 and 15 November.
Melbourne Coffee Weekend starts proceedings at Queen Victoria Market on 7 and 8 November, with nine tastings included in the ticket and more than 40 roasters attending. Prahran Market’s Burrata Festival follows from 13 to 15 November, serving cheese in everything from pasta to doughnuts. On 19 November, cook Ali Stoner hosts a four-course dinner at Reed House inspired by her cookbook Scran. Finish the month at The Little Food Market, where more than 200 food and drink producers gather at the Royal Exhibition Building from 27 to 29 November.
At NGV Australia, Atong Atem’s free exhibition Passage combines richly staged photography with family history, Dinka Bor culture and science fiction, while a ticketed Margaret Preston retrospective examines a defining Australian modernist. Science Gallery Melbourne’s free EMERGENCE[Y] explores the future through fungal fashion, climate research and interactive installations until 5 December. From 28 November, Barbie: The Exhibition brings more than 250 dolls and design objects to Melbourne Museum, including a rare 1959 first edition. There’s also time to plan for the free NGV Triennial, opening on 13 December.
Opera and musical theatre take centre stage this November: Puccini’s La Bohème opens at the Regent Theatre on 7 November, with My Fair Lady arriving at Arts Centre Melbourne on the 14th. For something informal, The Fifth Province in St Kilda hosts free Irish traditional music sessions every Monday from 6pm. Fed Square’s African Music and Cultural Festival runs from 20 to 22 November with live performances and dance workshops. Film fans can head to the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, screening across four cinemas from 13 to 22 November.
Colours of Asia: Garden of Wonders fills Alexandra Gardens with lanterns, street food and performances across 13–15 and 20–22 November, with free entry. Fed Square’s African Music and Cultural Festival also welcomes families from 20 to 22 November, with music, workshops and market stalls. Young art and science fans can explore the free EMERGENCE[Y] exhibition at Science Gallery Melbourne. From 28 November, Barbie: The Exhibition at Melbourne Museum traces Barbie’s design history, while Ugly Cutie Market offers handmade gifts, interactive installations and a free photo booth that same weekend.
Start at NGV Australia, where Atong Atem’s Passage is free to visit, or head to Science Gallery Melbourne for EMERGENCE[Y], an exhibition spanning fungal materials and environmental science. Outdoors, Run the Tan hosts a free club every Saturday, and the Royal Botanic Gardens’ ClimateWatch Walk on 19 November is free with advance booking. For live entertainment, Fed Square’s African Music and Cultural Festival runs from 20 to 22 November without an entry fee. Colours of Asia: Garden of Wonders brings free riverside festivities to Alexandra Gardens across two weekends.
Colours of Asia: Garden of Wonders brings free riverside festivities to Alexandra Gardens across two weekends.
What major events are coming soon to Melbourne?
Barbie: The Exhibition opens at Melbourne Museum on 28 November, with more than 250 dolls and design objects charting the toy’s history. December then brings two major cultural openings. Treasures of Tutankhamun arrives at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 9 December, featuring replicas of ancient Egyptian treasures and an immersive projection experience. On 13 December, the free NGV Triennial takes over NGV International with more than 80 contemporary art and design projects, including a giant pink tree, life-sized chess pieces and a room filled with floating penguins.
Looking for more fun things to do in Melbourne this spring? We have plenty to keep you entertained. From Melbourne’s best new restaurants and bars to friendly pubs, cafes and late-night cocktail haunts, here’s all you need for an epic weekend in the city and surrounds.
