Open House Melbourne

Open House Melbourne – held in July every year – is much more than the chance to stickybeak at some of Melbourne's most fascinating buildings (although that's a pretty huge drawcard, to be honest). It's also an opportunity to reflect on the role that design has played in the evolution of our city, to glimpse what Melbourne may become in the future, and to consider the significance of our heritage and what we can do to protect it.

This year's line-up includes a total of 200 buildings, including 73 new sites to explore for 2019. Highlights of the program include the recently renovated Capitol Theatre, which has been closed to the public for five years; the brand-new Ian Potter Southbank Centre, which is the new home of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music; Melbourne Quarter's new skypark; Clifton Hill's new 122 Roseneath St development; plus the new Denton Corker Marshall studio located at Collins Place.

Thrill-seekers will be able to get a behind the scenes tour of Luna Park or head into the city's substations. If you're into the arts we suggest checking out Arts Centre Melbourne's performing arts collection, the Athenaeum and Southbank Theatre. Or if you're purely just interested in seeing some wild feats of architecture visit the Australian Islamic Centre, 41x and Bunjil Place (which also happens to be one of our favourite libraries). You can also take a tour of Werribee Mansion to learn about life as a 19th-century lord or lady of the manor.

At the Immigration Museum Open House Melbourne will be hosting Urban Tactility, an exhibition asking sighted people to walk in the shoes of those living with low vision or blindness. RMIT Design Hub will also be hosting Super Tight, an exhibition looking into the rising density of houses in Asian cities.

Also on the agenda are tours of the currently-in-construction Westgate Tunnel, residential construction tours which will be led by up-and-coming architects, suburban walking tours by Jane's Walks, plus hospo tours of some of Melbourne's coolest dining institutions.

Our tip? The most popular buildings are always the old heritage sites (for good reason: they're incredible) but equally as eye-opening are the newer buildings. Some venues also require you to book in advance, so register early if you've got your heart set on a particular address.

2019's full line-up will be unveiled in the coming months so keep your eyes peeled.