Things to do in Melbourne in January

Hold onto your eyeballs – Scienceworks is hosting the latest edition of its captivating Dome Under Film Festival (DUFF) this summer. For the sixth consecutive year, the festival will showcase new release full-dome films from around the world. The program spans three days, from January 30 until February 1. Wondering what on earth a 'full-dome film' is? It’s a film that’s been specifically made to be screened on a Planetarium’s huge domed ceiling. The dome stretches an impressive 16 metres with a state-of-the-art surround sound system, creating a VR-like experience. Now you know!  The 2026 edition of DUFF will feature nine curated sessions across three days, with each film being screened once only. For instance, the Astronomy session will feature three films on astrophysics and understanding our universe, while the Astronomy for Families session will include mountain, sea and river constellations in the Colombian skies. From mind-bending space science to pure childhood delight, the program travels far and wide. Astronomy fans can dive into Unseen Earth, exploring how space technology is transforming our understanding of our planet, or look ahead with One Step Beyond, charting humanity’s path to Mars. Younger visitors aren’t forgotten, with a screening of Hermy’s Secret Full-Moon Hideout perfect for the kids. Tickets are $20 per session for adults, $17 for concession, $12 for children, $15 for member adults and $10 for member children. Find out more and get tickets here. ...

Werribee Open Range Zoo is bringing back its Sunset Safari for an eighth season in 2026, inviting visitors to embark on an immersive safari adventure at dusk when the animals tend to be at their most active.  Every Saturday until February 21, visitors can hop on a bus at the zoo and watch as the summer sun sets and illuminates the open range. You'll get to witness majestic animals like zebras, ostriches, giraffes, rhinos and lions as they roam the savannah, and learn from zoo guides about efforts to protect them from endangerment and extinction. And for the first time ever, you'll be able to explore the waterhole and incredible elephant trail (which only opened last year) after hours when everyone else goes home. In addition to the after-hours safari tour, you can also explore the walking trails (among meerkats, monkeys and wild dogs) at dusk and catch live performances of drums, song and dance. Food and beverage options include an African-inspired barbecue, à la carte dining and cocktails at the Elephant Terrace (these are all sold separately). The Sunset Safari experience runs from 5.30pm to 9pm on Saturday nights, and costs $62 for adults and $32 for children. Head to the Zoos Victoria website to purchase your tickets.  Looking for more fun in the city? Here's our round-up of what's on in Melbourne this weekend.

If you’re looking for a magical night out in the city, the neon-lit Maho Magic Bar is back after sold-out shows and rave reviews from their 2023 season in Chinatown, and this time it’s found a new home at Melbourne’s new entertainment hub, Spiegel Haus. Inspired by Japan’s rich history with magic, this immersive 60-minute experience comes from Broad Encounters (the team behind A Midnight Visit) and brings a line-up of magician superstars direct from Japan, performing a mix of brand-new tricks and audience favourites.  From November 25, step into the whimsical cocktail bar and be whisked away to Tokyo where expert magicians perform up-close magic alongside delicious cocktails. There's no stage for the performers here as the intimate show will take place right at your table, where you'll assist the magicians in their bamboozling sleight-of-hand magic. Japan’s best magicians will surprise and delight visitors, incorporating debonair storytelling, mind-blowing illusions and kawaii charm. While you enjoy the show, you can order from a menu of bespoke cocktails mixed by a Japanese master mixologist. Or if you're after a more traditional libation, try authentic Japanese sake, whisky, shochu and rare spirits like umeshu.  If you're prepared to be dazzled, this experience will surely do the trick. Maho Magic Bar is performing multiple shows a day between Tuesdays and Sundays with adult shows (recommended for ages 12+) in the evening and family-friendly matinees. Book a ticket, a...

It's officially that time of year again when the Moonlight Cinema returns to Melbourne for the summer. There's just something special about snuggling into a bean bag and catching a film under the stars in the Royal Botanic Gardens – with an ice cream or a wine in hand, of course.  Australia's favourite outdoor cinema has dropped its summer screening schedule, with tons of  blockbusters, nostalgic favourites and comedies on the program. January highlights include new releases like 'Wicked: For Good', 'The Housemaid' and 'Anaconda' alongside beloved classics as voted by the public in the People’s Program – think 'The Parent Trap' and 'Shrek'. Those looking to splurge can opt for Singapore Airlines' Gold Grass that comes with prime viewing, express entry and food and drinks delivered to your seat. Anothere cool option is the Connoisseur Lounge ticket that includes a bean bed plus a yum Connoisseur ice cream. And did you know the Moonlight Cinema is pooch friendly? For the first time ever you'll also be able to order a doggie bag meal from the food menu thanks to Lyka. Doggy date night, anyone? Screenings kick off at sundown, so bring your picnic rug, your snacks and your friends. Tickets are now available via the website. Want more fun in the sun? Here are the best things to do in Melbourne this December.

Whack on something striking and dust off your dancing shoes as the much-loved NGV Friday Nights returns to dazzle Melburnians this summer. Every Friday night, the NGV will open its doors after hours to show off the gallery's coolest new kid: Westwood | Kawakubo, an epic exhibition tracing five decades of radical self expression through the eyes of two of fashion's most trailblazing designers: Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo, the visionary behind Comme des Garçons.  Westwood | Kawakubo is a showcase of more than 140 boundary-breaking designs. Many are drawn from the NGV’s own holdings – an extraordinary cache of 300-plus Kawakubo pieces and more than 100 by Westwood – making this one of the most important showcases of their work anywhere in the world.  The exhibition is arranged thematically, moving from punk’s anarchic spirit in the 1970s to the avant-garde silhouettes of today. Expect explorations of their shared obsessions with historical dress, radical cutting techniques and subversions of gender norms, alongside rare runway footage, archival photography and film. Grab a bubbly from the Moët and Chandon Champagne Bar, sink a signature summery cocktail at the Four Pillars Bar, or taste a Yarra Valley wine from the Yering Station Wine Bar. There will also be share-style snacks floating around, and a pop-up Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Cart, because, obviously. Eclectic live music and epic performances will also be popping off in the gallery, with renowned Aussie DJs like...

Say the words Saturday Night Fever and pretty much everyone conjures up John Travolta sashaying in a blazing white flared suit on a rainbow flashing dancefloor, gesticulating to the Bee Gees’ high-pitched vocals. No wonder. It’s an iconic moment, set to a stellar soundtrack that remains one of the best-selling of all time, bested only by Whitney Houston and co on The Bodyguard.  The Bee Gees deliver the mighty ‘Stayin’ Alive’, ‘How Deep Is Your Love’, ‘More Than a Woman’, ‘You Should Be Dancing’, ‘Jive Talking’ – in a scene cut from the final film, but present on the album – and title track ‘Night Fever’. They’re joined by the likes of Yvonne Elliman’s ‘If I Can’t Have You’, penned by the Bee Gees, and Kool and the Gang’s ‘Open Sesame’ on a smash-hit that’s all thriller, no filler.   Fewer folks will recall, however, the bleaker elements of John Badham’s classic 1977 movie. With a screenplay by Norman Wexler, adapted from a feature by music journalist Nik Cohn, it’s set in a New York City on its knees financially, experiencing a poverty-pinched crime spike. A story of working class unrest, as the have-nots dare to dream, it shares many plot points with West Side Story.  Featuring racially and misogynistically motivated violence, gang fights, suicide, abortion and assault in the original cut, later reissued in a toned-down to parental guidance version, Saturday Night Fever is not all disco spills and chill. So what are you getting yourself into here with Saturday Night...

Summer and sunflowers are basically synonymous, so if you're keen to get your hands on a bunch of bright yellow blooms before the season ends, we've got the scoop. Surf Coast Sunflowers is located on Victoria's Surf Coast, just a stone's throw from Geelong – it's about a 90-minute drive from Melbourne, but we recommend combining it with a beach stop for the ultimate summer day trip. The sunflower field opens on January 9 for approximately two weeks (depending on bloom time), and it's the perfect opportunity to pick your own flowers or take some Insta-worthy snaps. Admission prices are $10 for adults and $5 for kids (or $25 for a family of four). Once in the field, you can nab sunflowers for $3 per stem or $25 for ten – you just need to bring something to cut the stems (secateurs should do the trick), wear closed-toe shoes and it's helpful to bring a bucket to carry your prized blooms in.  Surf Coast Sunflowers is open daily from 10am-5pm, with additional twilight sessions from 5-8pm on Friday and Saturday nights. To find out more and book your spot, head to Instagram. Happy sunflower season! Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. Can't make the trip? Find some of Melbourne's best florists here.

Melbourne, start your engines. F1: The Exhibition has zoomed into town, marking its first-ever appearance in the Asia-Pacific region. After sell-out runs in Madrid, London and Amsterdam, the globally acclaimed show has made a pit stop at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, transforming it into an adrenaline-fuelled hub for motorsport fans. Part museum, part immersive experience, the exhibition will trace Formula 1’s past, present and future through six expansive galleries, with a seventh new section devoted to Australia’s own racing legends. Expect everything from championship-winning cars and rare memorabilia to video interviews and archive footage that captures the sport’s greatest rivalries and most spectacular victories. Visitors begin their journey in 'Once Upon a Time in Formula 1', charting seven-plus decades of drama before stepping inside 'Design Lab', a behind-the-scenes look at the factories of Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren. 'Drivers and Duels' pays tribute to legends like Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, while 'Revolution by Design' explores how engineering innovation and human daring have continually pushed the limits. The exhibition’s emotional heart, 'Survival', displays the remains of Romain Grosjean’s scorched Haas car from his 2020 Bahrain crash, a stark reminder of the sport's danger. Visitors then arrive at 'The Pit Wall', a cinematic wrap-up that relives Formula 1’s most unforgettable moments. Melbourne’s edition adds...

Midsumma Festival, one of Melbourne’s most loved LGBTQIA+ celebrations, returns in 2026 with an electric three-week-long party from January 18 to February 8. Expect more than 250 events spanning art, theatre, music, comedy, film and fun, showcasing dazzling local and international queer talent. With vibrant festival hubs across Melbourne and greater Victoria, it’s an inclusive celebration of creativity and community. Some of the highlights of the 2026 program include the international hit play Afterglow at Chapel Off Chapel; Australian Open at Theatre Works; the smash-hit cabaret He's Every Woman; Drag Storytime for Adults with Narelda Jacobs and Karina Natt at the State Library Victoria; and plenty heaps more. But it all kicks off when the free Midsumma Carnival opens the festival on Sunday, January 18, at Alexandra Gardens. This free celebration showcases LGBTQIA+ talent across multiple stages, alongside community and business stalls, pop-up bars and food zones. Expect a packed day of performances, plus the much-loved Dog Show and Lip Sync Limelight. As the sun sets, the carnival transforms into a high-energy dance party with DJs and drag queens. The signature Midsumma Pride March will take place on Sunday, February 1, and will see thousands of marchers and onlookers gather in St Kilda in support of LGBTIQA+ communities. The parade will kick off at 10.30am and run through Fitzroy Street and Catani Gardens, with some cool after-parties, of course.  Closing out the...

Due to popular demand, Melbourne Theatre Company's rip-roaring musical adaptation of My Brilliant Career is returning for a limited five-week run in 2026.  This incredible production takes one of the best-known early Australian novels, the 1901 book of the same name by Miles Franklin, and twists it into a musical for a new generation. Six star Kala Gare is reprising her role as Sybylla Melvyn, with much of the original ensemble of actor-musicians also coming back. Set in 1890s drought-stricken rural Australia, the novel follows Sybylla Melvyn’s dreams of an illustrious life as a writer, as she’s stifled by Edwardian mores. At the time Franklin published the book (under a male pseudonym that was quickly seen through), she was just 21 years old. My Brilliant Career will kick off Melbourne Theatre Company's 2026 season. My Brilliant Career is showing at Southbank Theatre from January 23 to February 28, 2026. For more information and to book tickets, head to the website. *** Time Out Melbourne reviewed My Brilliant Career when it played at Southbank Theatre in November 2024. Read on for that five-star review:   Pardon a moment’s naval-gazing here, but beyond the sparkly Instagram pics from glittering opening nights, the freelance writing gig can be tough. Despite powering through with optimism and encouraging others to follow their passions, I almost gave it all up this week. Or at least I thought about it. But I won’t. I can’t.  This life chose me. Writing’s inextricably...