One of 100 great things to do in Melbourne for under $10
the White Hat guide

The Arts

Melbourne has plenty of free and cheap access to the arts. Just wandering the streets and parklands or entering major buildings will bring you face to face with much public art.

However, late 2002 saw some of the most exciting developments in the arts in Melbourne for many years. Two world class galleries - The Ian Potter Gallery of Australian art and ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) recently opened in an exciting architectural environment - Federation Square. This has automatically jumped to the top position of must-visit art venues in Melbourne - and they are free.

Entry is free to the National Gallery and the Ian Potter Museum of Art at Melbourne University as well as a host of other galleries around the city and suburbs. You will also find free admission and widely varying exhibitions at the State Library, Post Master Gallery, and the two galleries at the State Theatre. These offer exhibitions ranging from the fascinating  through the quirky and downright bizarre.

Melbourne University has a series of free concerts of classical music, and the Melbourne City Council usually sponsors a number of free concerts and exhibitions throughout the year. In the summer months, watch out for the free concerts, opera and ballet at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. And anyone interested in music should visit the Percy Grainger Museum - one of the great larrikins of classical music, and one of Australia's best composers.

You can also enjoy some free and cheap theatre at certain times of the year.

Workshops, lectures talks and debates of varying standard occur at most times of the year. Those sponsored by the universities and the ABC are usually of good quality.

And of course you can just wander the streets and soak up the architecture.

If you are venturing into country Victoria, have a look at our information on Galleries in Country Victoria.

If your budget runs to more than $10 you may wish to check out our listing of other Melbourne Events.