Best Free Family Sites To Visit In Melbourne Near Me

4worldlovers:
Discover moments of wonder and adventure. Enjoy joyful moments with friends, treasured moments with family, or a moment, just for you.


Wonder at the magic of the creatures from the Wizarding World alongside the remarkable animals from London’s Natural History Museum collection.


Celebrating 75 years of India’s independence, Sutr Santati showcases 75 hand-woven textiles created by contemporary Indian designers.


Melbourne Museum comes alive these school holidays with a fun-filled program for families.


Donate to our Annual Appeal and help us deliver groundbreaking research, accessible education programs and vital conservation initiatives.


Melbourne Museum respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Country on which we stand, and we pay our respects to First Peoples across Victoria and Australia.


Enjoy a world of museum experiences at home, school or anywhere - family moments, cultural moments, learning moments and playful moments, all online!


Have you met the Dino Gang? They’re the museum’s fun-loving dinosaur friends who have the BEST activities and colouring pages to share with you!


Our expert staff take you on an exclusive tour behind the scenes of our museums, to “unbox” some of their favourite objects.


Meet the Djirri Djirri Wurundjeri Women's Dance Group, who are reconnecting to their cultural heritage and bringing the younger generations with them.


Join the mailing list and get the latest from our Museums direct to your inbox.


Significant Mi'kmaq regalia crosses oceans and time to return home after 150 years in Melbourne

A unique regalia from Canada has finally returned home, in a major international repatriation from Museums Victoria’s collection.

A glimpse into the past, to enlighten the future of biodiversity on Earth

What can we learn from the first scientific descriptions of animals and the Earth’s biodiversity, written hundreds of years ago?

This small rock holds the story of Antarctic exploration before the Heroic Age

Discover the rock that unlocked one of the biggest mysteries of Antarctica and the incredible story of Carsten Borchgrevink, the explorer determined to get there first.

Once lost from history, the electric vehicle's time has come again.

Museums Victoria Research Institute leads ground-breaking research voyage in the Indian Ocean Territories.

What do a doll, religious text, gun, and surprised-looking cat have in common?

Join us in creating a positive, meaningful impact on the world around us.

As a Museum Member, you'll enjoy free general entry to Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks and the Immigration Museum, discounts on special exhibitions, parking, shops and cafes, exclusive events, tours and viewings!

Plus, members enjoy free museum entry to see Horridus the Triceratops all year-round.

Keep little hands and minds busy at home with our range of unique and educational toys, activities and books.

Build a solar system, excavate for dinosaurs, learn about the human body, or discover the secrets of the natural world in your own backyard. And for the big kids, we’ve got everything from puzzles to locally made homewares to brighten up your day!

4worldlovers:
Originally located in Yorkshire, England, and built in 1755 by the parents of Captain James Cook, Cooks’ Cottage was brought to Melbourne by Sir Russell Grimwade in 1934.

Navigator and explorer Captain James Cook never lived in the cottage – he’d been away from home for almost 10 years when his father built it – but this connection to the Cook family was enough to prompt Grimwade to transport the cottage to the other side of the world. Astonishingly, each brick was individually numbered, packed into barrels and then shipped to Australia, along with cuttings of the original ivy coverings.

4worldlovers: See some of the world's most incredible animals, including adorable penguins and thousands of tropical fish. Book online to secure your spot!

Go BIG and save money with the Melbourne Big Ticket - Melbourne's LEGOLAND Discovery Centre PLUS Visit SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium. Save when combining!

Get unlimited fun to 10 top attractions including SEA LIFE Melbourne, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and Otway Fly Treetop Adventures with Merlin Annual Pass.

Melbourne’s only underwater dining experience is back! Open to guests of all ages, the Private Dining packages include a self-guided tour of the aquarium, a three-course dinner and a two-hour beverage package.

Please note we are upgrading our 2.2 million litre Oceanarium until December 2023. During this time some of the incredible marine creatures including the larger sharks and rays will not be visible to our guests. While the Oceanarium undergoes renovations, we are thrilled to be unveiling Submerged, a spectacular new immersive experience, Submerged will be an interactive digital experience, taking guests on a journey through living light inspired by the bioluminescent underwater world.


Journey behind the scenes and meet our most mysterious creatures in this exclusive all-new experience. Take the first steps in becoming a SEA LIFE jellyfish scientist and make amazing discoveries and feed these weird and wonderful animals.

4worldlovers: The City of Melbourne respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land we govern, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin and pays respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.

4worldlovers: The Shrine is Victoria's national memorial honouring the service and sacrifice of Australians in war and peacekeeping


Explore Melbourne’s iconic landmark to discover the real-life stories of Australians in wartime, find peaceful reflection and view breathtaking vistas of the memorial gardens and Melbourne. Open daily 10am–5pm (last entry 4.30pm). Free admission.

Join us to honour service and sacrifice every Sunday at 4:45pm. Each Service includes bugle calls, a wreath-laying at the Eternal Flame and Shrine Guard in historic uniform.


This exhibition tells the stories of entertainers that have performed for troops abroad and the special military unit created to recruit, prepare and protect them in war zones.


This special exhibition reveals personal stories of LGBTQ+ service people and the journey from denial and exclusion to recognition and inclusion in the Australian Defence Force.


First Peoples have combined modern military and traditional skills to serve in the ADF from the Boer War to the present day. Explore their stories in a revisiting of this Shrine exhibition.

This exhibition at the Shrine and various venues in Victoria presents stories of migrants from war-torn countries and recent veterans of overseas service.


Housed under the Shrine, explore over 800 objects, photographs, uniforms and works of art that illustrate the experiences of Australians at war and in peacekeeping operations from the 1850s to today.

The Shrine's program of permanent and special exhibitions tell the stories of Australian service and sacrifice at the frontline and on the home front.

View a calendar of upcoming remembrance services or watch the recordings of past services live streams.

This year marks the centenary of the international design competition to build the Shrine. Learn more about the Shrine’s history and view a gallery of historical photos.