Things to do in Melbourne today

While sakura season might be over in Japan, you can still get your cherry blossom fix right here in Victoria. Simply make the one-hour trip from Melbourne to CherryHill Orchards, where hundreds of cherry trees burst into bloom for the annual Blossom Festival. Better yet, it coincides with the school holidays, making it an excellent excuse for a family day out. Wander beneath the trees with their ethereal white and pink flowers (there are more than 13 varieties of cherry trees here); snap the perfect spring fling pic for the 'gram; and settle in for a scenic picnic. Speaking of which, you can pre-purchase a retro picnic pack when booking your tickets, or BYO your own spread and find a spot beneath the trees to drink in those views. The on-site café also serves sweet and savoury treats – we can’t go past CherryHill’s famous cherry ice cream and cherry Spritzers. On weekends and public holidays, vendors and market stallholders add to the festive atmosphere, while the farm shop serves up more cherry-themed goodies. Kids can burn off some energy with games, activities and photo opportunities at the kids hub. Children are free on weekdays (but not on weekends) and your four-legged friends are welcome, too. Just remember, cherry blossom season is fleeting, so book your tickets ASAP via the website. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. Looking for more things to do? Check out our round-up of the...

Screen-free interactive gameplay is back – and it’s taking over the LEGO Store Melbourne Central for the school holidays. Through every exciting iteration, LEGO® bricks and Pokémon™ have nestled their way into the hearts of every generation. If your kids have ever dreamt of hopping into The Town Map to enter the world of LEGO bricks and Pokémon, we’ve got good news. Now, they can. For a limited time, the LEGO Store Melbourne Central flagship is using SMART Play™ technology to bring the world of Pokémon to life – and the experience is free. From Saturday, September 19, get immersed in the ultimate family-friendly fun (ideal for kids and your inner kid-ult) by simply heading in-store to the LEGO® Pokémon™ SMART Play™ Zone and joining a free demonstration held by a LEGO Brick Specialist 12pm to 5pm daily. From channeling your inner trainer to winning some sweet Pokémon GO rewards, which includes A LEGO® Pokémon sticker, plus a Pokémon GO passport stamp!* The new range will be primed and ready for trialling through the interactive set-up. It’s the perfect opportunity to give the entire range a red-hot go. Get a feel of the LEGO Pokémon SMART Play(™) sets that include SMART tags that encourage world-building without a screen, assisting kids in creating and escaping into their own adventures for a while. Then, there’s the innovative SMART Brick, which adapts to children’s playing styles with turns, twists, taps and colour-identifying games. The best part? The LEGO Store...

The perfect backdrop for your next Instagram pic awaits – and it's going to be blooming gorgeous. The Tesselaar Tulip Festival returns to the Dandenong Ranges from September 12 to October 11. Celebrating its 71st year, this much-loved festival transforms five acres of farmland into a kaleidoscope of more than one million bulbs in full bloom. And in 2026, the Yarra Valley Floral Day Pass makes it easy to turn your flower-filled outing into a full-day adventure. Available on select midweek dates, the pass includes access to both the Tesselaar Tulip Festival and CherryHill Orchards' Blossom Festival, just a ten-minute drive away. For $50 per adult, you'll get entry to both venues, plus score a complimentary tractor ride through the tulip fields and a refreshing cherry Spritz. While the tulips are undoubtedly the stars of the show, there's plenty more to enjoy. There are themed weekends: Turkish (September 12-13), Dutch (September 19-20) and Irish (October 10-11); two children’s weeks featuring characters from The Octonauts and Peppa Pig; All That Jazz (September 25-27); and Rock the Fields (October 3-4). There are also food and market stalls, tractor rides and plenty of photo opportunities in those fields of tulips. Our tip? Make sure to check out Australia's largest wooden clog at the Clog Shop. The Tesselaar Tulip Festival runs daily from September 12 until October 11, 10am to 5pm. For more information on tickets, head here.   Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time...

You’ve probably heard about the Rs of living more sustainably: refuse, reduce, recycle, repair and reuse. Now it’s time to reset. Fed Square’s free sustainability-focused RESET Festival returns to Melbourne this spring, running across September into the school holidays. The program is designed to make greener living a whole lot more fun – think live music, workshops, swaps, outdoor cinema, family activities and plenty of creative ways to live better every day. Get to the Planting Party on September 5, featuring live music, food, a plant market, workshops and hands-on activities at the Skyline Car Park and Test Garden. It’s also marks the end of a month-long effort to plant thousands of native plants across different Victorian sites. On September 12, the Zero Waste Festival brings repair and mending sessions, clothes, book and fabric swaps, sustainable cooking and creative activities for kids. It culminates in the first ReWear Runway, showcasing garments transformed through repairing, reclaiming and repurposing. Then there’s Book Doof on September 13 – essentially a daytime rave for readers. Bring a book, grab a free tea or coffee and settle in to read, journal or sketch while a DJ spins vinyl from the Atrium balcony.  The school holidays bring even more sustainable fun, including the Big Toy Swap on September 23 and upcycling workshops. Kids can also enjoy free outdoor screenings of classics including Flipper (September 30), Free Willy (October 1) and Fly Away Home...

Hello, possums! Would you like to see one of Dame Edna Everage's costumes? How about those iconic gold hot pants that Kylie Minogue wore in ‘Spinning Around’? Perhaps the maracas that Peter Allen shook in his 1977 performance of ‘I Go To Rio’ or Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst’s beloved drum kit? You’re in luck because 50 extraordinary pieces of Australian performing arts history are back in the spotlight at Encore! 50 Objects. 50 Years. One Collection. This exhibition at the Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA) runs from September 16 to May 9, 2027. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Australian Performing Arts Collection, it showcases the people, performances and productions that have shaped Australia’s cultural history. It is the country’s largest specialist collection of its kind, preserving more than 850,000 objects spanning circus, dance, music, opera and theatre. You’ll also find Helen Reddy’s Grammy Award for ‘I Am Woman’; a personal visual journal compiled by Nick Cave in 1987; the original neon-red L’Amour sign created by Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin for Opera Australia’s La Bohème; costumes worn by Olivia Newton-John and Hugh Jackman; signed pointe shoes worn by the first Indigenous person to join the Australian Ballet, Ella Havelka; Archie Roach’s custom-made performance vest; and Dame Nellie Melba’s jewel-encrusted silk cloak – and that's just to name a few. From the tulle gown worn by legendary performer Dame Joan Sutherland to cheeky...

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...

Actress Elizabeth Taylor’s stunning diamond and ruby necklace. Dazzling tiaras worn by singer Rihanna. Princess Margaret’s rose-shaped diamond brooch. Treasured pieces owned by Australia's first international opera singer (and beloved Melburnian) Dame Nellie Melba. Yes, we’re talking obviously Cartier. Founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, this French brand is synonymous with high-end luxury – and now, you can see it in all its glittering glory up close and personal.  The NGV’s blockbuster Winter Masterpieces exhibition, Cartier, will give you a chance to see some of the world’s most famous jewels on display. Exclusive to Melbourne and running from June 12 to October 4, the exhibition brings together nearly 400 jewels, gemstones, watches and decorative objects, many of which have never travelled to Australia before. Created by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum in partnership with the NGV and Cartier, the exhibition explores the evolution of the legendary French maison. Check out more than 20 spectacular tiaras, the iconic ‘Tutti Frutti’ collection with colourful rubies, emeralds and sapphires, as well as timeless timepieces and contemporary creations featuring Australian opals from Lightning Ridge. It promises to be a glittering journey through nearly two centuries of artistry, innovation and timeless style. Interested? Find out more here. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your...

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,...

Love video games? You’re invited to step inside one at ACMI, where acclaimed Chinese artist Feng Mengbo transforms modern Chinese history into a surreal, interactive adventure. Presented by ACMI and the City of Melbourne’s Now or Never festival, Feng Mengbo: Long March Restart reimagines China’s rapid 20th century modernisation through this retro video game. Inspired by the Long March of 1934-36 (the military retreat of the Chinese Red Army that helped establish Mao Zedong’s rise to power), the artwork takes history into unexpected territory. Visitors can guide a Red Army soldier across two giant screens, navigating a pixelated world filled with supernatural creatures, pop culture characters and historical references. The soldier is armed with an unlikely weapon: Coca Cola cans. The visuals draw on iconic 1980s games including Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter II, while the different levels weave together historical landmarks, Cold War science fiction and retro video game imagery. Feng, who grew up during China’s Cultural Revolution and the later period of economic reform, is a pioneering figure in Chinese digital and interactive art. Feng Mengbo: Long March Restart reflects his fascination with how technology and popular culture can reshape the way we understand history. 'Feng Mengbo: Long March Restart' is on now until January 31, 2027, in the foyer near the ACMI Shop. Entry is free; no bookings are required. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne...

As Jane Austen wrote in Northanger Abbey, “The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.” So bookworms and bibliophiles, this one's for you. World of the Book, Australia’s largest and longest-running rare book exhibition, returns to State Library Victoria with more than 300 extraordinary works spanning from around 2000 BCE to the present day. This year's exhibition shines a spotlight on some of literature's most influential women writers. We're talking rare and remarkable editions by Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, Octavia E. Butler, Virginia Woolf and the Brontë sisters, including a newly acquired first edition of Jane Austen's Emma (1816) in its original Regency-era binding. You'll also be able to admire special versions of Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion, alongside rare editions of Agatha Christie's best-loved mysteries featuring her legendary detectives, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. Head to the beautiful domed La Trobe Reading Room to check out everything from intricate miniature books to Australian punk music fanzines, early comic books and centuries-old treasures. One must-see is The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886) – Melbourne's first publishing blockbuster, which famously outsold Sherlock Holmes. “The Fund’s first ever purchase, A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf, will be displayed in a space intentionally designed to celebrate extraordinary women writers,” said State...