Rain-safe: free museums, galleries and libraries in Melbourne

If you raise children in Melbourne, you build a mental list of places that are warm, dry and free, and this is the list. The city has real depth here. The National Gallery of Victoria and ACMI, the museum of the moving image, sit near each other in the centre, and both have free areas that children enjoy. The State Library Victoria is a grand building with a reading room that makes children quiet without being asked, and the Shrine of Remembrance, Old Treasury Building and Koorie Heritage Trust offer history and stories. Further out, the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery gives a calm option, and the RAAF Museum at Point Cook is a draw for plane-minded children. Tom's Dinosaur Garden at Crystal World in Devon Meadows is a quirky outing. Puffing Billy's Menzies Creek Museum suits train lovers. Melbourne's local libraries are an underrated resource, with story time, craft sessions and warm seats. Check the listing before you go, because what is free varies, and special exhibitions may need a ticket. A short visit works better than a long one: pick one room, one question, and plan a treat for afterwards. Trams link much of this circuit, so a wet day can become a gentle tour.

Our picks

  • National Gallery of Victoria National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne

    The National Gallery of Victoria has two venues: NGV International at 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, and The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square.

    ★ 4.7 (25,095)

  • RAAF Museum RAAF Museum

    The RAAF Museum at RAAF Base Point Cook, 480-490 Point Cook Road, Point Cook, covers more than 100 years of Air Force history, from the Australian Flying Corps to the…

    ★ 4.7 (1,105)

  • ACMI ACMI Melbourne

    ACMI is Australia's national museum of screen culture at Fed Square, on Flinders Street between Swanston and Russell Streets.

    ★ 4.7 (6,138)

  • State Library Victoria State Library Victoria Melbourne

    State Library Victoria is Victoria's state library on Swanston Street in the city.

    ★ 4.8 (5,024)

  • Box Hill Library Box Hill Library Box Hill

    Box Hill Library is a Whitehorse Manningham Libraries branch at 1040 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill 3128.

  • City Library City Library Melbourne CBD

    City Library is one of the City of Melbourne public libraries, at 253 Flinders Lane.

Before you go

Best for which ages

Babies and toddlers enjoy library story time and open galleries. Preschoolers love hands-on corners and big objects. Primary children enjoy aircraft, history and trains. Teenagers often respond to film, contemporary art and anything with a story they can pick for themselves.

What to bring

Take an umbrella for the walk between tram stop and front door, a bottle of water, and snacks to eat outside the galleries. Bring a small notebook or sketching pad, and a change of clothes for damp children. A pram or carrier helps in large buildings, and a bag for wet coats keeps things tidy.

Parking and facilities

City venues have limited, expensive parking, and trams and trains are often easier. Outer places such as the RAAF Museum have bigger car parks. Ask at the front desk where a packed snack can be eaten, since cafes inside the big buildings are easy to skip. Baby change and a lift are usual in the big buildings, and libraries are the easiest of all to enter.

Best time of year

These places work in all seasons and shine on wet days and in the hottest weeks of summer. Weekday mornings are quieter than weekends, and school holidays are busy. Check opening days and any exhibition closures in advance. Public holidays and wet weekends can bring queues at the big names, so smaller galleries and libraries are calmer.

Prams and accessibility

Large galleries and libraries usually have lifts and wide halls. Heritage buildings can have steps and narrow spaces, and some museums are on rural sites with gravel. Smaller regional museums are the ones to check on the listing, because steps and gravel are more likely there. Many galleries will hold a pram at the desk or offer a loan, so it is worth asking before you queue.

Free museums, galleries and science

Permanent collections with free entry. Special exhibitions can be ticketed; the listing says so.

Libraries, story time and rhyme time

Free sessions for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, usually in school term.

Questions parents ask

Which Melbourne museums and galleries are free for kids?
General entry to places like the NGV, ACMI's free areas and the State Library is free, but special exhibitions often cost extra. Check each listing before you go.
What is the best rainy day activity for toddlers in Melbourne?
Library story time and open gallery spaces are the easiest. They give room to move and warm seats for parents. Check the listing for session times.
Is the RAAF Museum good for kids?
It suits children who love planes and gives them a lot to look at. It is out at Point Cook, so allow travel time, and check the listing for what is open.
How do we cope with a gallery visit and a restless four-year-old?
Keep it short and let them choose the next room. Bring snacks, take breaks outside, and leave while they still want more.

Other kinds of free day in Melbourne

Rain-safe in other cities