The best free things to do in Melbourne

Did you know that one of the best things to do in Melbourne is also free? Yep, here at Queen Vic Market, you’ll be able to peruse the sheds and spy all the great fruit, veg, meat, dairy and smallgoods. If you’re lucky, there might be a few stalls handing out free samples (stick around the cheese section and you will be rewarded!).

ACMI is much more than meets the eye. Sure, it's home to Australia's largest moving image collection and the fascinating and fun The Story of the Moving Image permanent exhibition, but there are usually always a few other free exhibitions available to peruse. There are also cinemas, student labs and educational spaces and a media preservation lab. 

Step into the Dome Reading Room, the most extravagant room in the State Library of Victoria, and you can hear mental cogs turning: people are studying, examining old books and expanding their knowledge on anything from rare birds to architectural history. Don't miss a stop at the impressive Ian Potter Queen's Hall, which was reopened in 2019 after being closed off to the public for nearly 15 years. Daily free tours will show you the library’s hidden reaches.

It’s not often that you see crowds hanging out at a bookshop at 9pm on a Saturday night, but that’s Readings for you – proof that there’s still a place for great independent bookshops (which don’t frown on people reading a little before they buy, mind you). This landmark bookstore isn’t just famous in Melbourne, either. Readings Carlton won international acclaim in 2016 when it was awarded the ‘Bookstore of the Year’ award at the London Book Fair International Excellence Awards.

When Melburnians want to take a break from complaining about the weather, they start whinging about Melbourne's "meeting place", Federation Square. Love it or hate it, there's always something happening – and many of the events are free. It's always changing, but you can expect things along the lines of tai chi classes, morning meditation, children's libraries and the occasional free movie on the big screen. Check the website for upcoming free events.

An extensive book collection with more 200,000 tomes, subscriptions to the daily newspapers, about 400 magazines, a massive DVD and CD collection and eLibrary... that's all pretty standard for a library. However, there's a lot more than reading going on at the Library at the Dock – there's a gallery, cutting-edge pro-editing suites, a recording studio, practice rooms for musos, a ventilated green terrace for table tennis, yoga, tai chi and movie screenings. 

Head to the scenic Fitzroy Gardens in East Melbourne and take in the natural landscape and historic sights. You can find a model Tudor Village in the middle of the gardens, created by London pensioner Edgar Wilson back in the 1940s. This miniature village is a replica of a typical Kentish village built during England's Tudor period. It was unveiled in Fitzroy Gardens by the lord mayor in 1948.

The Australian Music Vault celebrates the legacy of Australian music. The exhibition space, which is located inside Arts Centre Melbourne, displays costumes, instruments, microphones, awards and rare records from Australia's most loved and legendary performers. It's super interactive with plenty of audiovisual elements, with a Soundbox at the centrepiece that immerses visitors in historic musical events. It's open daily from 10am to 5pm and sometimes later in the evening if there are performances happening at Arts Centre Melbourne. 

Melbourne is lucky enough to have its Royal Botanic Gardens smack bang in the middle of the city. Being so accessible, the gardens are ideal for a stroll, a picnic, or even a great place to eat your lunch on a workday. The expansive grounds means you’re rarely forced to face off with someone for a good spot of turf. We suggest parking yourself down for a calming meditation session or a photo op by the always gorgeous Ornamental Lake.

Let’s face it, Melbourne isn’t really known for its skyline. Besides the famous Arts Centre spire and the gargantuan Eureka Tower, we don’t really have defining buildings that shoot out into the stratosphere. Instead, you’ll find some of Melbourne’s best buildings hidden within the grid, on street corners or in grand, green gardens. Take a tour of our favourites, which include the historic Royal Exhibition Building, the GPO and one particularly pretty McDonald’s building (seriously!)

Twitchers, travellers, picnickers and bucket list-ers from across the city make the breathless march up this stony memorial that was named for a killing field. Actually attempting to count the 1,000 steps as you trudge up is near-impossible as blood, sweat and adrenalin do battle over your brain. (They reckon there are only 770, anyway). Easier, but more depressing, is counting how many times some hot young thing in lycra laps you on your 1.5-kilometre ascent. Not feeling too athletic? The area is surrounded by skyscraping gums and there’s no shortage of lush picnic spots.

Take in the sunset while you stroll down Jacka Boulevard to St Kilda’s breakwater for a peek at a healthy-sized colony of little penguins (also called fairy penguins). The black-and-white cuties are there all year round, but the best viewing is in summer after sunset. Just remember: don’t climb on the rocks (that’s where they lay eggs and rear young), don’t use flash on your camera and don’t feed or touch them.

Given the near-constant rotation of fabulous special exhibitions at the NGV, you’d be forgiven for neglecting the equally impressive (and free!) permanent collection. Next time you visit the St Kilda Road gallery make sure you spy the Rembrandt, Tiepolo and Picasso, which are all hanging around the gallery. Plus, the magnificent, boiled lolly-like stained-glass ceiling of the Great Hall and the entryway water wall will keep you entertained for a while. 

The best part of Melbourne’s CBD? It’s all easily traversed via the free tram zone. This zone stretches as far north as Queen Vic Market, east to Spring Street and Parliament House, south to Flinders Street and west to Docklands and Victoria Harbour. It’s ideal for sightseeing in the city as it stretches across to some of the coolest inner-suburban hangouts as well including cocktail bars like Madame Brussels, karaoke joints like Heroes and inner-city parks, too.

As one of Melbourne's thriving CBD hubs, Bourke Street Mall has a program of live music every day from 10am to 6pm. Normally buskers can be hit or miss in terms of musical quality, but a busking spot on Bourke Street Mall isn't available to just anyone. These buskers are professionals who work as musicians for a living, not just for a handful of extra bucks, and they have to audition to be able to perform in the coveted location. So you're bound to see some top-notch musical acts, while taking in the hustle and bustle of our fair city. 

You have to try pretty hard not to see street art in Melbourne. You’re probably already familiar with the works splattering Hosier Lane and Centre Place, but there’s way more to Melbourne’s street art scene than just those haunts. Laneways throughout the CBD regularly get a repaint, so to speak, not to mention all the street art out of the city. See our guide to spotting the best street art here.

Located in Fed Square, the Koorie Heritage Trust celebrates Indigenous art and culture of the south-eastern region of Australia with three gallery spaces. Works in the collection are a combination of acquired and commissioned works, gathered since the early 1980s. By putting on these exhibitions, the Trust aims to raise awareness and appreciation for Koorie culture. In doing so it hopes to bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Almost four kilometres of primo jogging real estate, the Tan is encircled by the beautiful surrounds of the Royal Botanic Gardens. Once a horse track, it’s now a running route. See if you can thrash the current record of a lap in ten minutes and eight seconds.

The Shrine of Remembrance was built between 1927 and 1934 as a place for Victorians to grieve, honour and preserve the memories of those that had lost their lives in WWI. Now it serves as a memorial to all Australians who served at war. It's more than just a static memorial, however, with exhibitions and talks that reflect on past Australian conflicts held regularly. Guided walking tours are also available. Admission to the Shrine is free though donations are welcome. 

With its imposing red-rust structure designed by Wood Marsh, ACCA is one of the most recognisable buildings in Melbourne. The geometrically-aligned edifice houses a number of (free!) exhibitions at any one time as well as serving as a hub for lectures, symposiums, performances, live music and educational programs. Head inside and explore.

With its close proximity to Acland Street, it's no wonder St Kilda has one of the most popular beaches in Melbourne. The shore is home to all kinds of sports, whether you're a beach cricket, volleyball or frisbee enthusiast, and the water is safe for swimming and watersports. If the weather is warm, take a dip in the shallows, and if it's colder, an invigorating walk along the ocean is the cure for what ails ya.

Brighton's famous bathing boxes – 82 to be exact – line the foreshore along Brighton Beach. Not only is this beach pretty to look at but it's also excellent for swimming. When the wind picks up, it's a pretty decent area for surfing, too. Thankfully if you can't drive or don't have a car, there's a train station nearby.

You don't have to have political aspirations to enjoy the tour at Parliament House. During this free tour, you can walk the same hallowed halls as our current and former state pollies, spy the incredibly ornate architecture and learn some of the building’s less illustrious moments. The tours run daily.