Things to do in Melbourne today

For most of us, Lego is a nostalgic hobby from bygone childhood years, but there are an exceptional few who took these tiny building blocks from a fun pastime to the next level. Lego artist Nathan Sawaya is one of these talented individuals who is showcasing his fascinating sculptures with a new exhibition that has to be seen to be believed.  The Art of the Brick Immersive Experience exhibition features more than 100 contemporary artworks, all crafted using more than one million Lego bricks to make large-scale, life-like creations.  After a sold-out season back in 2011, it's returning to our city as part of a huge world tour with brand new pieces, having already visited 100 cities across 24 countries. Sawaya is the only person in the world who has the double title of Lego Master Model Builder and Lego Certified Professional. Whoa.  Some of the works showcased in the exhibition include a giant version of Sawaya's most famous sculpture, 'Yellow', which stands at more than six feet tall, plus an installation with 250 kinetic Lego skulls, a piece called 'Infinity Rainbow' that features seven life-sized sculptures, the 30-foot long 'Big Swimmer', dazzling 360-degree digital projections and lots more. The Art of the Brick Immersive Experience opens on April 14 at the Melbourne Showgrounds. Tickets go on sale on March 21 at 7pm, and you can sign up for the waitlist here. Find out more about the exhibition at the website.  Looking for more things to do? Check out our guide to what's

Attention, sweet tooths: Yarra Valley Chocolaterie, Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie and the Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie are bringing back the annual Rocky Road Festival this May. It’s predicted that over a whopping 100,000 handmade blocks will be churned out across the 31 days, from a base recipe that’s every rocky road lover’s match made in heaven: fluffy housemade marshmallow and smoother-than-satin couverture chocolate. Sample something new, get your hands on made-to-order 1kg blocks or try a gourmet rocky road-infused creation at an interactive tasting session. How does a rocky road hot chocolate sound? The European chocolatiers plan to rock your palate with 31 distinct festival flavours, yet to be announced. Last year's flavours included Oriental Brittle, Caramel Mudcake, Turkish Toblerone, Strawberry Margarita, Honeycomb Macadamia, Tahitian Lime and Chilli, and much more. This year, the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie are also promising Rocky Road-inspired pastries, ice creams, sundaes, waffles and coffee.  Those with the unfortunate dual diagnosis of an intolerance and a sweet tooth are in luck. Vegan and gluten-free creations will be available for tasting across the three chocolateries so nobody needs to miss out. Could it get any sweeter?  Click through to the website here for more information. Those who can’t venture out to the Yarra Valley, Surf Coast and Mornington Peninsula this year can get their fill of the festival’s chocolates straight to their door thanks

With the ‘debate’ over a proposed religious discrimination bill before the federal parliament again, the arguments put forward by religious leaders once more appear less focused on enshrining the right to practice faith freely (fair) and more on the freedom to persecute LGBTQIA+ people and other groups also deemed ‘sinners’.  For those of the Pentecostal faith, including Hillsong-attending former Prime Minister Scott Morrison – singled out by audience members in the sassy call and response opening sequence of Homo Pentecostus (the latest from Considerable Sexual License creator Joel Bray) that’s a very long sinners list.  This list is mined for comedy gold in a hilarious sight gag corralled by equally charismatic co-star Peter Paltos. Wheeling out the sort of overhead projector that would be very familiar to anyone who went to high school in the ’80s or ’90s, he flicks out a comically long acetate sheet of tick boxes, proceeding to check off the various levels of mortal sins with a red sharpie. Perplexingly, if you enjoy yoga or Star Wars, you’re damned and should turn away from the downward dog Dark Side.  All the while, Paltos’ voice, narrating these increasingly ludicrous no-nos, begins to distort demonically. As does his hand, straying from absent-minded dick doodles towards violent scratches in which Bray, caught in the projector’s hellfire glare on the vertical blinds lining the rear of the stage, gesticulates as if possessed, then baptised in a very suggestive eruption

The Immigration Museum on Flinders Street is getting its first major exhibition in several years and it’s all about leaning into what makes us happy. The exhibition, called Joy, opens on Friday, March 1 and will run through until August 29, 2024. Joy features seven brand new commissioned installations from leading Victorian-based creatives, each expressing the artists’ own personal joy. You can expect an emotive adventure where colour and storytelling combine, and big happy moments that sit alongside more reflective ones. Experience the vibrant power of joy as you walk amongst room-sized interactive artworks, or contribute your own joy with the collaborative ‘share your joy’ wall. Venezuelan-born Australian artist Nadia Hernández has filled the Immigration Museum’s hallway with bold collage works, ‘future positive’ fashion designer Nixi Killick has created a ‘joy generator’ and queer artist Spencer Harrison has created a runway where you can strut your stuff. Jazz Money, a Wiradjuri poet and artist, has fused sculpture, audio and mural for a work reflecting the history of the museum site, while local artist Beci Orpin has taken over a room with a giant toy rabbit made to be hugged. Afghanistan-Australian visual artist and poet Elyas Alavi and Sher Ali have also created a large-scale mural illustrating a Persian myth.  Lastly, much-loved pop artist and designer Callum Preston has constructed a full-scale replica of a nineties video store, a joy he never thought he would miss u

How many details do you remember from your childhood? What about your adolescence? In Emma Mary Hall’s World Problems, Carly Sheppard plays a woman who seemingly remembers almost everything. Sheppard crawls forth from a large funnelled tube reminiscent of a black hole and begins to recount details of a childhood spent in suburban Adelaide, switching between the mundane and monumental. The vast majority of the sentences that make up what turns out to be an hour-long monologue begin with “I remember…”, with the exception of rare moments where she points out the gaps in her memory. Landmark historical events like September 11 and the fall of the Berlin Wall intertwine with day-to-day details like moments at school or the best fish and chip shop in the entire world. At first, we can trace the narrative to a specific time period – she remembers dial-up internet and her first Nokia, but not her first smartphone. Gradually though, hints of a dystopian future characterised by social disintegration and ecological disaster emerge. Where does memory stop and speculation begin? It’s difficult to tell.  Dann Barber’s greyed-out set and costumes mirror the warped timeline, as tight sci-fi-style garments are layered over with casual garb that could fit within many parts of the 20th or 21st centuries. An analogue TV and a timeless teddy bear (soon ripped apart to great effect) add to the thought-provoking jumble of it all. As the production continues, we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore,

If the names Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James get your attention, then listen up – because there's a new attraction coming to Melbourne that you're going to love.  The NBA Exhibition, the official fan experience endorsed by the famous basketball assocation, will bounce into our city on April 3. Showcasing the lifestyle, culture and rich history of the NBA over 20 themed sections, the exhibition includes heaps of interactive activities, virtual reality experiences, and even the chance to pose for a photo with a replica of the heralded Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, the prize awarded to the winner of each NBA final.  Test your b-ball skills, go for a slam dunk or see how you measure up to some of the NBA's biggest stars. Plus, snap a pic in the augmented reality photo booth with your fave player and marvel at the collection of more than 50 rare and autographed NBA memorabilia, like jerseys and sneakers worn by some of the legends of the game. There's also a gallery of original NBA-themed artwork by Australian and First Nations artists and a section in the exhibition dedicated to Aussie NBA players. This exhibition is essentially heaven for an NBA fan.  If this exhibition sounds like it's just as good as scoring a three-pointer then grab your tickets here. To find out more, check out the website.  Looking for more things to do in Melbourne? Check out this guide to what's on this week.

Working in a secret lab, scientists at Victoria's main four zoos have discovered a way to clone dinosaur DNA, found inside mosquitoes trapped in amber. They've filled in the missing sequences using frog DNA to create moving, roaring dinosaurs, which you can see until July throughout the zoos. What could possibly go wrong? OK, we might have got a little bit over-excited about the prospect of dinosaurs at the zoo. These dinosaurs are large-scale models of these ancient beasts, but they will be roaming around at Healesville, Werribee, Kyabram and Melbourne zoos once again. If you're lucky, you might see a keeper waking a sleeping dinosaur, or come face to face with a moving prehistoric creature. At Melbourne Zoo, keen explorers can explore the Dino Trail and embark on an adventure into The Lost Wild tunnels and unearth hidden fossils, while enjoying dino-themed treats or tackling a scavenger hunt. Or at Werribee Zoo, become a palaentologist and go on a dino dig to excavate fossils or navigate volcanoes and lava streams. There will be daily activities and plenty of dino facts to learn, with each of the four zoos offering slightly different experiences and activities.  All four dino experiences are running from now until July 14 and the cost is included in zoo admission. Opening hours vary slightly for each zoo. For more information, visit the Zoos Victoria website. So go on and make a visit, before they go extinct again.  Looking for more things to do? Here's a guide to what's o

Italian polymath, painter, inventor and astounding genius Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most celebrated artists and scientists of all time, yet seeing his works is typically out of reach for the average Aussie. Well, all that’s about to change thanks to the Lume Melbourne’s new immersive experience opening on March 16.  Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius will feature massive projections of some of the world’s most famous works of art, including the ‘Mona Lisa’ and ‘The Last Supper’. These four-storey high projections showcase da Vinci’s breathtaking Renaissance paintings in a way that’s much more accessible than a trip to the Louvre.  Alongside da Vinci’s visually stunning artworks, this exhibition will also focus on his excellence as an inventor with ideas far beyond his era. His pioneering work in architecture and engineering laid the foundation for the technology we enjoy today. That’s why alongside his art, the exhibition will also feature groundbreaking inventions from his notebooks recreated to scale by Italian artisans, including flying machine concepts that predate human flight by more than 400 years.  As if that wasn’t exciting enough, for the first time in history, original pages of da Vinci’s sketches and writings will touch down in Australia. The Codex Atlanticus is a 500-year-old collection of Leonardo’s innermost workings, previously displayed in the likes of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Louvre. Now, Melburnians and visitors alike will be able t

If you spend any time on Pinterest, Instagram or really just out and about in the past few years, you’ve probably noticed that the mid century modern aesthetic is having a big ol’ moment in Australia. From architecture and art to furniture and colour palettes, everything mid-century is once again en vogue. What better timing then, for the Art Gallery of Ballarat to host a multidisciplinary exhibition that will take you on a trip to the striking mid-century neighbourhoods of the Californian Coachella Desert. Lost in Palm Springs will bring together fourteen internationally recognised photographers and creatives from the United States and Australia to capture and reimagine the distinctive yet enchanting nature of the famous Californian resort city. As Ballarat enters its coldest season, Melburnians are invited to take the short train trip to get a taste of summer and a glimpse into the magical qualities of Palm Springs. You might even learn that this desert destination has more in common with Aussie suburbs than you think. The exhibition, which was developed by the Gold Coast’s Home of the Arts, explores the link between the post-war ‘great Australian dream’ of mass affordable housing, and the sprawling mid-century architectural imaginings seen in Palm Springs. Lost in Palm Springs will feature works from acclaimed creators, including Aussies Kate Ballis, Tom Blachford, Anna Carey, Sam Cranstoun, Paul Davies, Rosi Griffin, Vicki Stravrou, Robyn Sweaney and Gosia Wlodarczak. Alo

Spice Temple's popular mud crab feasts are back for the month of May! It's time to gather a crew, get your hands dirty and dig into the best of the catch. Australia's native crabs – mud crabs or 'muddies' as they're affectionately called – are now in season, and so Crown's home to regional Chinese fare Spice Temple is getting in on all the action with their luxurious $99 live mud crab feasts. Crabs are one of the most revered ingredients in Chinese cooking and the centrepiece of many a hero dish in Spice Temple's banquet-style menu. Executive chef Andy Evans ensures they're steamed to retain their sweet, tender texture. The crustaceans are sourced from Queensland, fresh out of the net, and kept alive right until hitting the pans on order. The food world knows that mud crabs are currently at their best, their flesh delicate and irresistibly succulent, but the Spice Temple team is taking things up a notch by bathing them in their flavour-packed array of authentic sauces.  Take your pick from five different dressings, including the red-hot Four Chillies, punchy and savoury Salted Olive and Black Bean, sharp and pungent Black Bean and Salted Chilli, rich and spicy XO Sauce or the classic Ginger and Shallot. Each dish carries a $99 price tag until the end of May – a great excuse to round up a group for a shared feast as all the city's winter fun revs up in the weeks ahead. Head to the website for more details.  Keen to hop aboard a sushi train? Check out our list of Melbourne's be