In sad news for Melbourne’s culture scene, the Lume – the world’s largest digital art gallery and the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere – is officially closing its doors in 2026.
Created by local Grande Experiences and located in the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), the Lume has played host to a breathtaking array of groundbreaking exhibitions since it first opened in 2021, including Connection (which won the Impact Award at the 2024 Time Out Melbourne Arts & Culture Awards) and Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius (which featured original pages of the Codex Atlanticus that are so priceless they can only be shown for three months at a time).
It was also just announced that the inaugural exhibition, Van Gogh, will return for an encore season from December 26. This dreamy, kaleidoscopic collection of the painter’s most famous works attracted a whopping 1.8 million visitors between Australia and New Zealand during its original stint, making it the region’s most visited ticketed cultural event.
The announcement of the Lume’s impending closure came via a letter sent to staff, informing them of the complex and difficult decision not to renew the lease at MCEC. Reasons cited include the challenging economic landscape in Melbourne, ongoing costs to reinvest in updated technologies and changes to the suitability of the venue.
This is despite the fact that the immersive art experience has continued to experience success and high visitor attendance since launching in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic. At this stage, it is unclear whether a different concept will replace the Lume when the lease officially ends in January 2026.
Until then, there’s still plenty of time to bask in the wonder of the Lume’s four-storey high projections, dazzling installations and world-class offerings. So let this be your sign to check it out before it leaves Melbourne forever. Bookings will cease from May 2025.
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