"Come, you masters of war You that build the big guns…read moreYou that build the death planes You that build all the bombs" (Bob Dylan} The Shrine of Remembrance was founded in 1934 as the National War Memorial of Victoria to honor the service and sacrifice of Australians in war and peacekeeping. It was originally built to honor WW I veterans but now recognizes all Australian soldiers over the decades. The Shrine has several sections - a monument dedicated to WW II soldiers with an eternal flame, a Post-1945 Memorial remembering four conflicts since the end of the Second World War - Korea, Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam (locations of further conflicts have been added since then), a Women's Garden and memorial honoring the women who served Australia from the Boer War through to 1985, a tribute to Australia's war horses, and a statue at the entrance dedicated to the widows and children of war casualties. The interior of the massive building is dominated by a display of 4,000 service medals. Each one represents 100 Victorians who have served Australia in war or peacekeeping ans six who died in service to their country. There are many more statues and monuments spread throughout the interior and exterior grounds, so you can easily spend half a day here if you want to see everything. The building itself looks like it's six stories tall with a big rotunda and elevators that allow you to walk around an upper balcony for an amazing view of the area.

Plenty of things to see here at the shrine, with lots of history and information. Gift shop here…read morewas kind of lacking. The one problem o had was that their elevator did t go to the top level (or so I was told) so my older people in the group couldn't see the top level because they can't handle the stairs anymore. I'm all honesty I want to give them a 3 especially because of the elevator and gift shop but due to the nature of the place I can't give it lower than a 4.

Absolutely sign up for a guided tour to view this building. You start the tour at the museum next…read moredoor and then walk over to the Royal Exhibition Building. You get to walk in and take as many pics as you'd like. Then, you go down stairs into the basement. And then, on the way back you go up to the rooftop. The rooftop has great views of the city and surrounding areas. I took a ton of pics up there and we had a great time. After that, you'll walk back down to the 2nd floor and take more pics inside. I can't believe how much original stuff is still here. Great way to spend an hour.

Beautiful Heritage listed building that ins now over 140 years old. Great for photos. The…read moreMelbourne Museum is nearby, and there are many excellent cafes and restaurants just short walk away, Garry Image by Aspect Property Photography https://www.aspectpro.com.au/

I visited this museum on my first day in Melbourne in hopes of learning the history of the area…read more This place did not disappoint! For what seemed to be such a small museum actually turned into hours of me poring over every word on timelines and information they gave. Learning the history of the First People's and the colonization of Australia was incredible, but eerily familiar. The parallels between US history and Australian history were shocking and I felt so ignorant not having known all of that. I love the recognition of the First People's and the stories that are being told recognizing the terrible past. In talking to Australians, they admit they have a long way to go. As an American, it feels like Australia is in the future and we are way in the past still denying the truth. This museum was amazing! They also had an exhibit called "Joy" that I was unaware about until I was inside of the museum. I loved it! It was filled with whimsy and color and sound and then went into subjects and posed questions to stimulate introspection. I walked away feeling like I learned a little about myself too. I highly recommend this museum! It gave me an amazing foundation of history that helped me learn more as I explored and visited more museums!

I love exploring local museums so I stopped here to learn more about how Australia became a big hub…read morefor immigration. I learned alot and I loved how vibrant the exhibits were.

BRAVO To be honest I wasn't expecting much chop from this…read moreplace but I was very surprised and happy I went. It's fantastic to see the story of greek migraints to australia. there is a great doco that runs that tells the story and they have different exhibitions running so always something new to see. The building its self is amaze balls, it use to be the melbourne royal mint

Wonderful, small museum in downtown Melbourne. Inexpensive entry fee and plenty to take in and read…read moreand learn. We had only about an hour to spend and could have spent many more. Well laid out and the museum is housed in the old Royal Mint...glorious surrounds. Evelyn at chem is was friendly and knowledgeable. Well worth a visit.

Quality/Quantity - I really like the dinosaur exhibits! So…read morecool. And you do not have to be a kid to enjoy this. Very immersive exhibits! Yes, this museum is very kid friendly. Current special events & exhibitions. Titanic until 4/14/24. High Tea until 4/14/24. 2/8/24 Nocturnal - Museum after dark. 2/10/24 Lunar New Year Day. 2/14/24 Valentine Day event. There are so many more exhibits and events, see website. (Yelp has the wrong website). https://museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/ Atmosphere - Another beautiful museum. And in the Carlton Gardens. Even the bathrooms are modern and beautiful... 4 floors, see directory. IMAX theater. Market Cafe. Open 7 days a week from 9am to 5pm. Yelp hours differ slightly. Service - Good. Price - $15AUD per person. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2000.

Decently sized museum with lots of areas to explore a different variety of exhibitions…read more You can gets lots of historical information regarding the settlers of Australia, both new and old. There are also more modern exhibitions, including Lego. The place is great for both museum enthusiasts as well as for families with kids. The staff is friendly and can direct you if needed. The facilities are modern with plenty of restrooms and other accommodations. The crowds also seem to have been mostly well controlled. I'd say the dinosaur display is the one most definitely work checking out.

I was in Melbourne for just 2 days for work and had to spare some time in between my work events to…read morecheck out the amazing beaches. This was a place that one of my cab drivers recommended and it definitely did not disappoint. I came here on a cold and windy day, so it wasn't crowded. The view is absolutely beautiful. I couldn't walk all the way to the pier as the wind was too strong but nevertheless enjoyed what little time I spent here. I also heard from the cab driver that you can view penguins here which at first I didn't believe but after talking to a few locals it turned out to be true. Will definitely stop here again next time I visit Melbourne, hopefully the weather would be better next time around.

Maybe nothing special to local, but this place is so pleasant to be in and to look at…read more Have a picnic on grass area, soaking up with the sun while you enjoy food. Have a seat on the pier, feeling ocean breeze while you rest your eyes by looking out the sea and the city in the distance. Jump in the water to refresh your mind and body. Just don't plan anything for the day and come here and chill. It is so relaxing.

I joined some friends on a day tour that went all over Melbourne's surroundings and, while the…read moreDandenong Ranges Botanic Garden wasn't a main attraction, we did take about an hour to stop here. The grounds are expansive and walking through them, there's an experiential arc so much so that I felt I had gained understanding of the flora of Victoria.

Lovely quiet garden, many different routes to travel and it's very green and colourful with all the…read moreflowers and trees. Nice seating around the place and little viewing points. Only problem I had was that there were no rubbish bins? Which can be a bit chaotic because then people litter with all there rubbish. Overall, besides the bins, it was very beautiful

Federation Square is a great place to start the day exploring Melbourne…read more Start at the National Gallery of Victoria Australia. Also known as the NGVA, the gallery highlights Australian artists. Loved the Aboriginal art, especially the works by William Barak/Beruk. He was the last chief and elder of the Yarra Yarra tribe and an outspoken advocate for Aboriginal social justice. His artworks depict and preserve Wurundjeri stories, culture and customs. Also check out The Pioneer by Frederick McCubbin. The triptych tells the story of a family of early settlers in Australia. A selector. A farmer. Family. It is considered one of the masterpieces of Australian art. The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) is a very unique museum. It highlights everything digital. Films, television, digital art and even video games. Love the Story of the Moving Image with the interactive displays. First Nations artworks are also prominently featured throughout the galleries. So many places to explore or to take a seat. The Edge Theater is a 450 seat theatre with views of the Yarra River. Love sitting in the swivel seats. Museums are free. Great square to spend some time in Melbourne.

Federation Square is considered my many to be the civic and cultural heart of Melbourne, located…read moreat the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets. It is built on a massive deck over active railway lines and serves as a major hub for art galleries, museums, and public events. After hanging out here a couple times, I didn't think that the square itself was all that impressive. Rather, the cultural opportunities (NGV Australia or the Koorie Heritage Trust for example) around the square are well worth the time and effort. There's also lots of restaurants, the river, and other opportunities for enjoyment in the immediate area.