Nocturnal: Museum After Dark

ROME: Empire, Power, People

6 to 9pm | Touring Hall, Lower Ground Level | Exhibition 

Portrait of Augustus from the late reign of Augustus (27 BCE – 14CE) / Source: Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze

Featuring original statues, mosaics, frescoes, jewellery and everyday objects from the humblest to the most sumptuous, this Melbourne-exclusive exhibition is a vibrant exploration of Rome’s political, cultural and social life.

Our Wondrous Planet

6 to 9:30pm | Melbourne Story, Upper Level | Exhibition

Experience our planet's intricate and interconnected ecosystems, from rainforests to coral reefs to polar seas. Large scale projections and hands-on interactives bring these worlds to life. 

First Peoples

6 to 8pm | Bunjilaka, Ground Level | Exhibition

Source: Museums Victoria / Photo: Rodney Start

Through the voices and languages of the south-eastern First Peoples community, the First Peoples exhibition celebrates the cultures of First Peoples with its rich traditions of performance, storytelling, artwork, and knowledge sharing, set against the history of survival throughout the ongoing impacts of colonisation.

Melbourne Story

6 to 9:30pm | Melbourne Story, Upper Level | Exhibition

Melbourne Story is packed with icons of the city's past and present – tales of heroes and scoundrels, growth and decline, and the changing ways Melburnians live, work and play.

Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs

6 to 9:30pm | Science & Life Gallery, Ground Level | Exhibition

Hear about Horridus the triceratops while standing around the imposing 85% complete fossil. / Source: Museums Victoria

An immersive voyage into a lost world to explore the landscapes of the Cretaceous and get to know the creatures that thrived there.

Science & Life Gallery

6 to 9:30pm | Science & Life Gallery, Ground Level | Exhibition

Walk with the dinosaurs! / Source: Melbourne Museum / Photo: Tobias Titz

Walk past the skeletons of 17 prehistoric animals through Dinosaur Walk, discover the origin of life in Victoria told through fossils, models, animatronics and animations, and see a world of insects, spiders, snails and other invertebrates in Bugs Alive!

Crocodiles, Conquest, and Crowns (Oh My!): Women of History You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of with Elizabeth Bramley

6.30pm | Foyer, Ground Level | Expert Talk

The phrase ‘history has forgotten her name’ is often used for the women of history (particularly ancient history), but there are many women whose names history did not forget - history books just forget to mention them. Join Liz Bramley on a whistle-stop tour through history to meet some of the women that history likes to forget.

ROME: Empire, Power, People Spot Talks

6:30pm, 7:30pm, 8:30pm | Touring Hall, Lower Ground Level | Visitor Engagement Led Talk

Source: Museums Victoria / Photo: Eugene Hyland

Step into the grandeur of the Roman Empire and view more than 180 original objects that are being displayed in Melbourne for the first time. These hourly, ten-minute spot talks, held in the exhibition by a Rome exhibition guide, will offer intimate details about the exhibition and Roman life, with the opportunity to continue exploring it at your own pace afterwards.

Food & Fashion, Floors & Fine Arts: Italian Design in the Museum’s Migration Collections with Moya McFadzean

7pm | Foyer, Ground Level | Expert Talk

Dr Moya McFadzean / Source: Museums Victoria / Photo: Jon Augier

Ancient Romans (the wealthy ones!) were lovers of fashion, feasts and filling their homes with beautiful things. Those trends have continued over time with the tastes and trades brought to Australia by Italian migrants. Dr Moya McFadzean, Senior Curator, Migration & Cultural Diversity, will share some wonderful objects and stories from the Museum's migration collections.

Special Guest Expert Talk by Rohan Long

7:30pm | Foyer, Ground Level | Expert Talk 

Rohan Long / Photo: Gavan Mitchell

Rohan Long has been managing and curating biological museum collections at the University of Melbourne for over a decade, previously working as the collection manager of the Tiegs Zoology Museum. Starting as curator of the Harry Brookes Allen Museum in 2018, he has made the collections accessible online, expanded the scope of the museum’s involvement in undergraduate teaching, and has reconstructed the museum’s animal anatomy collection. Rohan has had papers published in Australian Mammalogy, Australian Zoologist and University of Melbourne Collections magazine, and has written chapters relating to the University's museums in Volumes 1 and 2 of Dhoombak Goobgoowana: A History of Indigenous Australia and the University of Melbourne.

Triceratops with Amelia Ingram

8pm | Triceratops, Ground Level | Tour

Nocturnal: Museum After Dark at Melbourne Museum. Photo by Tim Carrafa. Source - Museums Victoria.

Embark on an insider's journey through Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs and uncover the secrets behind one of the most complete triceratops fossils ever found.

Museum Masterminds Trivia with Alanta Colley

8pm | Foyer, Ground Level | Activity

Come along for Melbourne's nerdiest trivia that will challenge your logic circuits, stress-test your year 10 biology class chops, and reward those who read the descriptions on Melbourne Museum's exhibits. Hosted by science communicator, comedian and public health nerd Alanta Colley!

Music by Steely Ann

6pm | Café bar, Ground Level | Music

DJ Steely Ann / Source: Eugene Canty

Steely Ann has been spinning her supremely crafted sounds across Victoria since 2010, always delivering dynamic, high energy sets that transform bars, festivals, and dance floors. Her selections are a blend of synth-pop, funk and disco, soulful classic house and anything with serious groove to create a delectable musical journey. Steely has brought her expert touch to such events as Golden Plains Festival, Hobart’s Dark Mofo Festival, The Beechworth High Hops Festival and more. With her genre-spanning approach and immersive world building, Steely Ann continues to leave an impression long after the music fades.