Free Things To Do right in Melbourne City
There are many free things to do in Melbourne central business district (CBD). You don’t have to travel far in a car. You just need to walk or hop on a tram in the Free Tram Zone to get to these places we are about to show you.
These free things are a mixture of gallery-hopping, hunting for best street arts, walking-tour, shuffling through the busy lane ways or sniffing out the museums. So there is something for everyone.
1. Free Walking Tour
This is an absolutely must do free thing in Melbourne. The free walking tour is organised and run by a group of young and enthusiastic Melbournians, who have a deep knowledge of Melbourne history.
To explore Melbourne, it is wise to start with this free tour and grasp a comprehensive knowledge of Melbourne from the gold rush era to modern time.
It runs twice a day (10:30am and 2:30pm) and everyday (rain or shine). The tour duration is between 2.5 to 3 hours depending on the size of the group and with a short break in between. For details check out their website here.
We have also written about this free walking tour and with lots of pictures to show you why it is an absolutely must. Check out our post here.
2. Free Things to do in State Library of Victoria
The free walking tour meets in front of the State Library of Victoria. If you are there early before the tour starts, pop into the State Library of Victoria. You will be pleasantly surprised that it is more than just a library and lots of free things to do.
The epicentre of the State Library is the La Trobe Reading Room with a octagonal layout.
Above the reading room is the world largest reinforced concrete dome, providing natural light to illuminate the whole room.
The Cowen Gallery Exhibition is a free permanent exhibition in the library. The exhibition is a display of Australia’s most significant collections of Victorian artworks.
The Ned Kelly’s famed armour is also exhibited in the library.
The library runs a free guided tour every Tuesday (except public holidays) from 10:30am till 11:00am. Check out the schedule here.
3. City Circle Tram
After the free walking tour and the touring the exhibits in the State Library, you probably want to rest your legs. There is no better way than to have a free ride on the City Circle Tram route 35.
You can get on this tram at Flinders Station stop.
The tram operates between 10am to 6pm from Sunday to Wednesday and between 10am to 9pm from Thursday to Saturday. The frequency is about every 12 minutes.
The city circle tram travels in both directions around Melbourne’s central business district. The whole loop takes about 48 minutes.
The City Circle Tram Route 35 passes through major tourist attractions in the central business district. We have a detail post here to show you want visit on this route.
4. Old Treasury Building
The fine neoclassical architecture of the Old Treasury building was constructed between 1858 and 1862 during the gold rush era to store the colony’s gold.
Today you can see the original gold vaults where gold bullion was stored.
There are three permanent exhibitions in the Old Treasury Museum. They are ‘Built on Gold’, ‘Victorian Archival Treasures’ and ‘Growing Up in the Old Treasury’.
The Old Treasury Building is also host to all Victorian Marriage Registry weddings. It offers wedding couples the choice of two ceremony rooms.
5. Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)
Located at Federation Square, ACMI is the showcase of Australian cinema and TV. It displays moving images of all forms – television, films, computer games and digital images.
ACMI has three levels – the Galleries Level, Level 1 and Cinema Level. Most of the exhibits at the Galleries Level are free.
The exhibits and activities at gallery level is enough free things to keep your children and yourself occupied for half a day.
On the first Sunday of every month, ACMI organise a Family Sunday. Family Sunday is for kids of all ages packed with activities in sync with moving images of the themed Sunday. It’s FREE of course.
For further information on ACMI, check out their website here.
6. Ian Porter Centre
Hidden in the basement of the Federation Square is the Ian Porter Centre.
Ian Porter Centre exclusively showcase Australian Aboriginal art and also Australian modern art.
It has three levels with a mix of permanent exhibitions (free) and temporary exhibitions (paid).
Here you can admire the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. View from a fresh perspective the work of contemporary art, photography, fashion and decorative arts.
For further information on Ian Porter Centre, check their website here.
7. National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria or NGV is the Australia largest and the most visited public art museum.
It has more than 70,000 work of art coming from Asia, Europe, America and Oceania
The NGV’s iconic water-wall facade is a favourite Instagram moment.
NGV has a collection of paintings which include work from Rembrandt, Tiepolo and Bonnard. Picasso’s Weeping Woman is also on display here.
NGV’s Asian art collection includes Chinese porcelain, Japanese pottery, Tibetan mandalas, sculptures of Hindu deities and many others.
The Great Hall Ceiling is the world’s largest stained glass ceiling designed by Australian artist Leonard French. Just lay on one of those large seating and enjoy viewing the stained glass ceiling.
For further information and NGV’s current events, check out their website here.
8. Shrine of Remembrance
The Shrine of Remembrance is a very prominent building in the Kings Domain. It is one of the largest war memorials in Australia.
It was built to commemorate the men and women of Victoria who were killed in line of duty during World War I, but now it is a memorial to all Australians who served in the war.
9. Australia Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA)
ACCA is a contemporary art gallery showcasing local and international artists.
The building itself is a contemporary work of art with its rusted exterior and sculptural design.
ACCA’s exhibition programs are constantly changing exhibiting both local and international artists.
Check their website for current events.
10. St Kilda Sunday Market
St Kilda Sunday Market at the Esplanade is probably one of the most popular Sunday market partly due to its vicinity to the city and also close to the popular St Kilda beach.
There are also food trucks to spice up the festive atmosphere.
The Sunday market is also walking distance to Acland Street Village and Luna Park, which the outing to the Sunday market a whole day event.
There is a not so known highlight in St Kilda, which is the little penguins. A tiny colony of little penguins have strangely chosen the breakwater near St Kilda pier as their home.
A group of volunteers work as guides to help protect these little penguins. So if you are there visiting, please follow the instructions of these volunteers.
You can learn more about the little penguins of St Kilda pier here.
11. Queen Victoria Market
Queen Victoria Market is the largest open-air market in Australia. There are two seperate buildings that made up QVM.
The Lower Market (bounded by Elizabeth, Victoria, Queen and Therry Streets) is the oldest part of the market. It is the home to retail meat, fish market, dairy produce hall, and also fruit and vegetables retail.
The Upper Market (bounded by Queen, Victoria, Peel and Franklin Streets) is the newer part of the market. Shed A and B house fruit retail and food truck. While Shed C to L, cover a combination of retail and snack shops.
Queen Street, which divide the two markets, is closed to traffic. It is now turned into Queen Street Plaza, where is a place to have a meal and enjoy free family entertainment.
During summer, between mid-November and end of February, is the Summer Night Market on every Wednesday evening. There will be hawker-style stalls, bars and entertainment.
In July and August, it is the winter version of the Summer Night Market on every Wednesday evening.
Away from the Queen Victoria Market, is a little known street art on Blender Lane, which is off Franklin Street. Here you will find some Melbourne’s best street art.
12. Fitzroy Gardens
Fitzroy Gardens is the biggest garden in East Melbourne, covering an areas of 26 hectares (64 acres). The garden was named after Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy, who was the Governor of New South Wales in 1845.
Your first stop at Fitzroy Gardens should be the Visitor Centre. At the centre, you can get guidance from the friendly staff on the best way to enjoy Fitzroy Gardens or grab a free map to self explore.
One of the main attractions at Fitzroy Gardens is the Cooks’ Cottage.
Cooks’ Cottage was constructed in 1755 in England and was Captain James Cook’s parents home.
It was dismantled brick by brick and then shipped to Australia. It was then re-assembled in Melbourne.
To spice up the cottage, volunteers dressed up in the 18th century costumes to welcome visiting tourists.
There is an entry fee to further explore the interior of the cottage.
The other highlight is the Conservatory, which is located on the southeastern corner of Fitzroy Gardens.
The design is of Spanish Mission-style architecture and there are five separate display of flora during different seasons of the year.
Not far from the Fitzroy Gardens Visitor Centre is the Model Tudor Village.
This a cluster of miniature village, which was presented to the people of Melbourne from the City of Lambeth, in South London.
This was in appreciation of the Victorians’ generosity to send food to Britain during World War II.
There is playground in Fitzroy Gardens, which is located towards Clarendon Street.
The playground is cleverly designed with an animal motive.
There you have it. These are the 12 best free things to do in Melbourne Central Business District.
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