Melbourne Museum is situated in Melbourne’s Carlton Gardens on the fringe of the CBD. The museum is the Southern Hemisphere’s largest and is owned by Museum Victoria, which also owns the Immigration Museum and Scienceworks.
Established in 1854, Melbourne Museum originally occupied the city block between La Trobe, Swanston, Little Lonsdale and Russell Streets; in 2000, the new site was opened. The current building features seven main galleries – as well as a children’s’ gallery and temporary exhibit gallery – sprawled over three levels. Other facilities include the Sidney Myer Amphitheatre, The Age theatre, The Discovery Centre, a cafe and a souvenir shop.
The aim of the museum is to explore “life in Victoria”, from the natural environment of the region to its culture and history. Among the permanent exhibits are the Science and Life Gallery (featuring dinosaur bones and displays of marine life, bugs and prehistoric animals) the Mind and Body Gallery (an exploration of the human body) and the Melbourne Gallery (which covers Melbourne’s history from the early 19th century).
Some of the museum’s most popular highlights include a complete blue whale skeleton, a living rainforest, Phar Lap and the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre – a place where indigenous and non-indigenous people can learn about Victoria’s Koorie people through artworks, artefacts and performances.
Just a short stroll – and an even shorter tram ride – from Melbourne Museum sits Clarion Suites Gateway. Clarion Suites Gateway is one of the city’s finest hotels and the perfect accommodation from which to experience the very best of Melbourne culture.
