Things to do in Melbourne today

Need a new fun family photo? We’ve got you. One of the world’s biggest immersive experiences is landing in Melbourne – serving up a fun, surreal backdrop for your Instagram grid glow-up. Bubble Planet: An Immersive Experience is opening in April at Fever Exhibition and Experience Centre, offering Melbournians a transporting, ultra-Instagrammable day out. Already experienced by more than two million visitors around the world, with sell-out runs in Milan, Los Angeles, London and Brussels, and a recent stint in Sydney, Bubble Planet is a fantastical world of optical illusions, cutting-edge virtual reality experiences, giant bubbles, and next-level immersive projections. Visitors to the Melbourne site can expect to embark on a dreamlike journey through 11 otherworldly rooms, home to giant bubble domes, LED underwater-style wonderlands, selfie hubs and VR dreamscapes. Sessions at this bizarre immersive world run for between 60-90 minutes, and the experience is suitable for people of all ages – with kids under four welcomed in for free. Keen? Bubble Planet Melbourne launches on April 1. You can learn more and snap up tickets over here.Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. Want fun now? These are the best things to do in Melbourne this weekend.These are the best things to do in Melbourne this week.And these are the must-do activities to add to your Melbourne bucket list.

Fluffy marshmallows, chewy raspberry lollies, crunchy roasted peanuts and snowy flakes of desiccated coconut all smothered in rich couverture chocolate. Yep, we’re talking about rocky road.  This May, things are set to get sweet when the Rocky Road Festival returns for the entire month, transforming the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie, Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie and Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie into dessert havens Beyond the classic flavour combo, there's an inventive offering of 31 limited-edition flavours. Think Dubai Dream, Very Berry Tiramisu, Peanut Butter Pretzel, Cherry Pistachio Baklava and Matcha Strawberry Latte. There are also vegan, gluten-friendly and no added sugar options, so nobody misses out. And it doesn’t stop there. You can also treat yourself to scoops of freshly churned ice cream, velvety hot chocolates and old-school milkshakes. You can even roll up your sleeves to create your own custom block or book into a hosted tasting session ($28 per person) held on select dates.  Each of the stores also boast a mega pick'n'mix counter to create take-home packs of your favourite blocks. Hate making delicious decisions? Opt for the Ultimate Rocky Road Festival Box featuring all 31 festival flavours.  Entry is free, with plenty of tastings and a showroom stacked with hundreds of handmade chocolate treats. For those who can’t make the trip, don’t worry – Rocky Road Festival delights can be delivered to your door. Get all the details here.  Stay in the loop:...

There’s something special about sitting your kids down to watch the same show that you and and your parents did, decades ago. Believe it or not, Play School has been captivating little eyes since 1966 and ACMI is giving you the chance to come and explore the set brought to life, for free.  You can explore the Play School: Come and Play! exhibition at ACMI in Federation Square now until July 12. The perfect outing for two- to five-year-olds, little ones have the chance to check out the Rocket Clock, meet Big Ted, Jemima and Humpty Dumpty, sing songs and learn.  Kids can play presenter, camera operator or director – whatever tickles their fancy. The exhibition also includes Auslan translations throughout, with sensory-friendly, Auslan and audio-described sessions available. Plus, a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes and even hear from hosts like Leah Vandenberg and childhood experts in the Play School Talks series throughout April, June and September. Ready to come inside? Tickets to Play School: Come and Play! are free but make sure you book your spot here. Catch the exhibition at ACMI from 10am to 5pm until July 12.

Remember when we collectively discovered just how obsessed men were with the Roman Empire? Consider this your warning: a major, Melbourne-exclusive exhibition is officially bringing Ancient Rome to Melbourne Museum in April 2026.  Rome: Empire, Power, People is a large-scale exhibition developed by Museums Victoria in collaboration with Italian partners, drawing on extraordinary loans from the Museo Nazionale Romano and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze. More than 150 original objects dating from the 1st to 3rd centuries CE will be on display from April 1 to October 25, 2026 – all shown in Australia for the very first time. You can expect original statues, mosaics, frescoes, jewellery and everyday artefacts that trace Rome’s story from the fallout of Julius Caesar’s assassination through the rise of the Empire and its eventual collapse. The exhibition will foreground the lived experience of being an ancient Roman – think experiencing the theatrics of the gladiator arena, the hustle and bustle of marketplaces, domestic life inside Roman homes, and the luxury and politics that shaped the Eternal City. Immersive scenography and multimedia elements will also be used to transport Melburnians through imperial splendour and ordinary life, revealing how Roman ideas of power, governance and spectacle continue to shape the modern world. Beyond the gallery, the Roman theme is taking over the whole museum. Expect Italian-inspired food and drink offerings, exclusive...

From Cleopatra and Mark Antony's empire-toppling romance to Romeo and Juliet's family-defying affair, love has often been an act of rebellion. Rebel Heart: Love Letters and Other Declarations takes matters of the heart seriously in this sweeping, immersive new exhibition at the State Library, drawing on its extraordinary archives to trace how people have dared to love across centuries of Australian history. The exhibition runs for almost a year and brings together handwritten letters, private diaries, rare manuscripts and deeply personal objects to weave a tapestry of passion, heartbreak and devotion. You’ll encounter Victorian-era same-sex couples living together against the odds, a mid-century interracial marriage that challenged the White Australia policy, and the prison romance between bushrangers Captain Moonlight and James Nesbitt. Fragile keepsakes are also featured in the show, including a haunting 1853 mourning brooch woven from lovers’ hair, alongside letters that read like a late-night confessional. What makes Rebel Heart especially distinctive is how it bridges the past with the present. Historical stories are amplified by newly commissioned music from Australian artists Angie McMahon, Mindy Meng Wang, Mo’Ju and Amos Roach, each responding to real love stories held in the library’s collection.  The exhibition also explores how rebellion and romance play out today – from DMs and fandoms to fan fiction and even AI relationships. It’s set to be a smart,...

Ever wanted to soar above a rainforest canopy or wander beneath the frozen surface of the polar seas? Melbourne Museum invites you to do just that with Our Wondrous Planet, a breathtaking, immersive exhibition celebrating the interconnected magic of life on Earth. Spanning reef, rainforest, ice and soil, this multisensory experience drops visitors into the planet’s most vital ecosystems. Room-sized projections, interactive moments and storytelling bring the natural world to life. More than 800 remarkable animals from across the globe take centre stage, appearing in environments that pulse, swirl and shimmer. Witness the beginnings of a coral reef, come face-to-face with rainforest icons, glide through icy waters and explore hidden root networks and organisms working quietly beneath our feet. The exhibition is anchored by distinct spaces: Our Family, showcasing animals from the much-loved Wild gallery and exploring the human place in the tree of life; Our Roots, a reflective First Peoples-led space centred on care, reciprocity and connection to Country; and Our Moment, an interactive zone encouraging visitors to work together on the planet’s biggest challenges. What sets Our Wondrous Planet apart is its blend of First Peoples and scientific knowledge, showing how everything on Earth is connected and how small human actions can make a difference. Family-friendly, visually spectacular and thought-provoking, this exhibition entertains while leaving plenty to reflect on. Our...

From Raphael’s 'Madonna and Child' to Louise Bourgeois’ 'Maman', the maternal bond has long been one of art’s most enduring subjects. And now, a new exhibition at the NGV, Mother: Stories from the NGV Collection, puts motherhood firmly in the frame, bringing together more than 200 historical and contemporary works to examine how the experience of being, becoming and relating to motherhood has been imagined across cultures, generations and media. Running from March 27 to July 12, 2026, at the NGV's Ian Potter Centre, Mother will span painting, sculpture, photography, weaving, decorative arts and moving image, moving beyond sentimental tropes to grapple with the realities and contradictions of motherhood – warts and all. Themes range from societal expectations and invisible labour to mythology, religion and the deep connections between motherhood, nature and Country for First Nations communities. A standout from the exhibit is Ruth O’Leary’s 'Flinders Street, 2017', created after the birth of her first child, in which a public photobooth becomes a makeshift studio: a poignant meditation on care and the blurred boundaries between public and private life. Other highlights include two new acquisitions by David Hockney, a moving image work by Hayley Millar Baker and a towering sculpture from 1893 by Betram Mackennal. The exhibition features works by an expansive roster of artists, including Louise Bourgeois, Tracey Emin, Camille Henrot, David Hockney, Tracey Moffatt, Iluwanti...

Traversing time and space, Wurrdha Marra is an ongoing exhibition celebrating the diversity of First Nations art and design. Since late 2023, the ground floor and foyer of the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia has become home to a dynamic and ever-changing exhibition space that displays masterpieces and never-before-shown works from the NGV’s First Nations collection. Translating to ‘many mobs’ in the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung language, Wurrdha Marra showcases pieces from emerging and established artists from across Australia, including Tony Abert, Treahna Hamn, Kent Morris, Marlene Gilson, Rover Thomas, Christian Thompson, Gary Lee, Nicole Monks, Gali Yalkarriwuy, Dhambit Mungunggurr, Nonggirrnga Marawili and more.  Highlights of the free exhibition include a large-scale installation of fish traps produced by Burrara women from Maningrida – the objects have been crafted over weeks using vines from the bush. Also on display is a new collection of contemporary resin boomerangs by Keemon Williams, a First Nations queer artist hailing from Meanjin/Brisbane. Another unseen work is titled History Repeats by Girramay/Yidinji/Kuku Yalanji contemporary artist Tony Albert, who has used mass-produced objects – from tea towels to ashtrays – to reframe Indigenous histories.  More recently, the exhibition has been updated to include the largest-ever display of the NGV's expansive collection of bark paintings. Bark Salon subverts the traditional European salons of the 18th and 19th...

For the First Peoples of so-called Australia, the term ‘Country’ describes much more than simply a place or nation. Instead, it describes a deep connection to land, animals and plants, ancestors, language, culture and the wisdom of the land itself. Relationships to Country are individual and dinstinct, but always grounded in mutual respect. A new installation within Melbourne Museum called Biik Milboo Dhumba – Country is Always Talking encourages visitors to consider what it means to listen to Country. As you enter the tranquil space of the museum’s living Forest Gallery, you’ll encounter portraits of Elders and community members of the Eastern Kulin Nations. Use your phone to listen to their stories, detailing their unique and personal relationships to Country. Wander among the tall trees as you learn about cultural practices including scarring trees, seed collecting and cultural burning. A towering new sculpture by artist Robert Young provides the perfect place to stop and reflect on your journey. In the words of senior Elder N’Arweet Dr Carolyn Briggs: “‘We have to sit with Country and understand how it talks to us. The landscape informs us if we learn to see and hear it.” This installation is now open and access is included with museum entry. You can find out more at the Melbourne Museum website. Want more? Check out the best art and exhibitions happening in Melbourne this month.