ACMI Melbourne (2026): Visitor Guide to the Moving Image Museum

ACMI Melbourne — Australia's national museum of film and digital culture. Free Story of the Moving Image exhibit, blockbusters, ACMI Cinemas, Mel Lab, and family tips.

ACMI Melbourne — the Australian Centre for the Moving Image — is Australia’s national museum of film, television, video games, and digital culture, sitting inside Federation Square in Melbourne’s CBD. ACMI is one of those Melbourne attractions that punches above its weight: the permanent Story of the Moving Image exhibition is free, interactive, and globally significant; the temporary blockbusters (Studio Ghibli, Wes Anderson) regularly sell out weeks in advance; and ACMI Cinemas screen curated programmes that no other Australian venue does. This 2026 visitor guide covers everything you need to plan an ACMI visit: tickets, what’s on, the free permanent gallery, blockbusters, ACMI Cinemas, the Mel Lab makerspace, and how to combine with nearby attractions.

ACMI Melbourne quick facts

• Address: Federation Square, Flinders Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.
• Hours: Daily 10 am to 5 pm.
• Closed: Christmas Day, Good Friday.
• Permanent admission: Free (Story of the Moving Image).
• Ticketed exhibitions: A$25–A$30 typically.
• ACMI Cinemas tickets: A$12–A$22 per session.
• Founded: 1946 (originally the State Film Centre); rebadged as ACMI in 2002 and relocated to Federation Square.
• Wheelchair accessible: entire facility.

The Story of the Moving Image (free permanent exhibition)

The Story of the Moving Image is ACMI’s flagship permanent exhibition — an interactive journey through moving-image history, from the earliest magic lanterns through television, cinema, video games, internet, and immersive digital culture. It’s free, hands-on, and one of the most ambitious museum exhibits in Australia.

• Hands-on stations — try out historical optical illusions, animation tools, sound effects.
• Cinema collection — historic film equipment, original costumes, props, and posters.
• Video game gallery — playable historic games from Pong to recent Australian indie titles.
• VR and immersive experiences — rotating immersive media installations.
• Australian moving image history — Mad Max props, Picnic at Hanging Rock costumes, 1980s television sets.
• The Lens — personalised digital companion that tracks what you’ve engaged with.
• Allow 2 to 3 hours for a thorough visit.

ACMI ticketed blockbuster exhibitions

ACMI hosts major ticketed temporary blockbuster exhibitions throughout the year. Past blockbusters have included:

• Disney: The Magic of Animation — more than 500 artworks, including paintings, sketches and concept art (May 2021 to January 2022).
• Studio Ghibli — Hayao Miyazaki’s animation studio retrospective, including My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away.
• Wes Anderson: The Archives — costumes and props from The Grand Budapest Hotel and other Anderson films.
• Game Worlds — major touring video game exhibition.
• Tim Burton — sketches, models, and original artwork.
• The Goblin Mode of Cinema — internet-culture and meme-themed exhibition.

Tickets for blockbusters are typically A$25–A$30 adult, with concession and family discounts. Check availability and book popular shows ahead online via the ACMI website. Members get advance access.

ACMI Cinemas

ACMI Cinemas (two boutique theatres inside the museum) screen curated film programmes you won’t find at a multiplex:

• Director retrospectives — entire-career screenings of Stanley Kubrick, Hayao Miyazaki, Wes Anderson, Agnès Varda.
• Restored classics — 4K restorations of historic films.
• International film festivals — French Film Festival, Italian Film Festival, Israeli Film Festival, etc.
• Australian premieres — Sundance, Cannes, Venice festival films before wider release.
• Evening screenings — each film’s session times are on ACMI’s What’s On page.
• School holiday family films — themed screenings for kids.
• Tickets — A$12–A$22 per session.
• Members — A$10–A$16 per session.

Mel Lab makerspace

Mel Lab on the lower level is ACMI’s free drop-in digital creation space. Free Saturday and Sunday drop-in sessions; weekday workshops (some paid). Best for kids 8+ and digital-curious adults.

ACMI for families with kids

• Free entry to the permanent exhibition for all ages.
• Hands-on stations in the Story of the Moving Image are well-suited to ages 6+.
• Playable retro video games — Pong, Space Invaders, Super Mario.
• Mel Lab for digital making (best for ages 8+).
• School holiday programming — extra workshops, kids’ film screenings, free face painting.
• Family blockbuster shows — Studio Ghibli exhibitions are blockbuster-priced but family-popular.
• Strollers welcome; lifts and accessible bathrooms throughout.
• ACMI shop has excellent kids’ merchandise and toys.

How to get to ACMI Melbourne

• Train — Flinders Street Station is across the road.
• Tram — most of Melbourne’s trams will get you to Federation Square. Inside the Free Tram Zone — free.
• Walk — Federation Square sits opposite Flinders Street Station; how long it takes depends on where in the CBD you start.
• Drive — paid parking at Federation Square; nearby Russell Street and Flinders Street car parks.
• Bike — bike racks at Federation Square.

What to combine with an ACMI visit

• NGV Australia — directly next door at Federation Square. Free permanent admission.
• Koorie Heritage Trust — also at Federation Square, free Indigenous gallery.
• Hosier Lane — across Flinders Street, a short walk.
• Princes Bridge and Yarra River walk — just south of the museum.
• State Library of Victoria — a short tram ride or walk north up Swanston Street.
• Lunch nearby — Cumulus Inc. on Flinders Lane, MoVida at 1 Hosier Lane, or Tipo 00 at 361 Little Bourke Street.
• Coffee on Degraves Street — close by in the CBD laneways.
• NGV International — on St Kilda Road, across Princes Bridge.

ACMI gaming and digital culture

ACMI is unusual among national art and culture museums in taking video games and digital culture seriously. The Story of the Moving Image has a substantial video game gallery, with playable videogames for visitors to try. Major ticketed exhibitions like Game Worlds bring playable installations of contemporary AAA games. ACMI is also a key venue for the Australian Game Developers Association’s annual conferences and indie game showcases.

ACMI shop

• Best film-and-design bookstore in Melbourne.
• Director-themed merchandise (Studio Ghibli, Wes Anderson, etc.) during major exhibitions.
• Australian-design film posters and prints.
• Kids’ toys, retro arcade keyrings, and stationery.
• Open during museum hours; some online ordering available.

ACMI dining

• ACMI Cafe — coffee, light meals, and pastries inside the museum.
• Federation Square restaurants — multiple options on the square itself.
• Laneways and the CBD — Cumulus Inc. on Flinders Lane, MoVida on Hosier Lane, and Tipo 00 on Little Bourke Street.
• Degraves Street and Centre Place — laneway cafes a short walk away.

ACMI tickets and memberships

• Permanent gallery — free, no ticket required, walk in any time.
• Blockbuster exhibitions — A$25–A$30 adult, A$15–A$20 child, family pass available.
• ACMI Cinemas tickets — A$12–A$22 per session.
• Membership — A$30 per year, or A$50 with the exhibitions add-on, which covers each paid exhibition during your membership year. Includes member previews and 10% off at the ACMI Shop.
• Families — there’s no family membership, but paid exhibitions and cinema screenings sell discounted family and children’s tickets.
• Online booking — recommended for blockbusters; walk-up tickets sometimes available.

Best time to visit ACMI

• Weekday mornings — quietest. Tuesday or Wednesday 10–11 am.
• Weekday afternoons — moderate crowds.
• Weekends — busy, especially family-targeted blockbusters.
• School holidays — extra family programming, but busier.
• Friday and Saturday evenings — ACMI Cinemas have late screenings; the museum is otherwise quiet.
• NGV Triennial period (when running) — Federation Square area is unusually busy.

The Story of the Moving Image: gallery-by-gallery walk-through

• Origins of the moving image — magic lanterns, zoetropes, early animation. Hands-on stations let visitors try optical illusions.
• Birth of cinema — Lumière brothers, Edison’s kinetoscope, early Australian filmmakers.
• Hollywood and the studio era — original costumes from Casablanca and other classics.
• Australian moving image history — Mad Max props, Picnic at Hanging Rock costumes, 1980s Australian TV sets.
• Television history — interactive recreations of classic Australian TV programmes.
• Computer animation and visual effects — Pixar, Dreamworks, Australian VFX studios.
• Video games — playable historic and contemporary games. Pong to Cuphead.
• VR and immersive media — rotating immersive installations.
• Internet and digital culture — meme history, viral videos, TikTok.
• The Lens — personalised digital companion for the visit.

Past blockbuster ACMI exhibitions

• Disney: The Magic of Animation — over 500 paintings, sketches and pieces of concept art, shown from 2021 to 2022.
• Studio Ghibli: The Art of — Hayao Miyazaki retrospective.
• Wes Anderson: The Archives — costumes and props from The Grand Budapest Hotel.
• Game Worlds — major touring video game exhibition.
• Tim Burton — sketches, models, original artwork.
• The Goblin Mode of Cinema — internet-culture and meme exhibition.
• Heath Ledger: A Life in Pictures — celebration of the late Australian actor.
• Pulp Fiction: A Cinematic Journey — Tarantino retrospective.
• Buster Keaton: Silent Cinema Pioneer — silent-film master.

ACMI Cinemas programming

• Director retrospectives — Stanley Kubrick, Hayao Miyazaki, Wes Anderson, Agnès Varda, Akira Kurosawa.
• Restored classics — 4K restorations of historic films.
• International film festivals — French Film Festival, Italian Film Festival, Israeli Film Festival, Greek Film Festival.
• Australian premieres — Sundance, Cannes, Venice festival films before wider release.
• Evening screenings — check each session’s start time when you book.
• School holiday family films — themed screenings for kids.
• Special-event screenings — original-format silent films with live piano accompaniment.
• Tickets — A$12–A$22 per session. Members A$10–A$16.
• Multi-pass — bulk-discount cinema passes available.
• Recurring weekly series — ACMI Cinema Club for film nerds.

Mel Lab makerspace deep dive

• Free drop-in sessions Saturday and Sunday.
• Weekday workshops — some paid, some free; topics change with ACMI’s programme.
• Best for ages 8+ — younger kids may need parental help.
• Drop-in sessions — bring an idea or just experiment.
• Project showcases — best Mel Lab projects featured on the ACMI YouTube channel.
• Free Wi-Fi and power outlets.

ACMI gaming exhibits

• Permanent gaming gallery in The Story of the Moving Image — playable videogames.
• Major touring shows — Game Worlds and other ticketed exhibitions.
• Australian indie games — Australian developers showcased prominently.
• Retro gaming nights — periodic special events with classic console gameplay.
• VR experiences — rotating, often included in ticketed exhibitions.
• eSports events — ACMI hosts occasional tournaments.
• Gaming for special needs — accessible gaming sessions.

ACMI for school groups and educators

• Free education programs aligned with Victorian curriculum.
• Curated Story of the Moving Image educator-led tours.
• School holiday programming with hands-on workshops.
• Mel Lab classes for school groups.
• Virtual tours and online learning resources for remote education.
• Teacher resources free via ACMI website.

ACMI photography and filming

• Personal photography allowed in Story of the Moving Image (no flash).
• Special ticketed exhibitions vary; check signage.
• Tripods and selfie sticks not permitted in galleries.
• Commercial photography requires a permit.
• Filming requires advance application.
• Wedding and engagement shoots are allowed but require booking.

ACMI Membership benefits

• Full membership — A$30/year, or A$50 with the exhibitions add-on, which covers each paid exhibition for the year. Members previews included.
• Family — not offered as a membership; buy discounted family or children’s tickets for paid exhibitions and screenings instead.
• Concession — A$25/year. Health Care Card and Pensioner Concession Card holders can get free membership in person.
• Pays for itself after 2–3 blockbuster visits.
• Cinema discounts — A$10–A$16 ACMI Cinemas tickets vs A$12–A$22 standard.
• 10% off at the ACMI Shop.
• Reciprocal benefits at NGV and Melbourne Museum.
• Member-only events — preview nights, curator talks.

ACMI for international visitors

• Story of the Moving Image is fully bilingual signage (English/Mandarin).
• Audio guides in multiple languages (English, Mandarin, Japanese, French, Spanish).
• Most blockbuster exhibitions have English signage with translation cards available.
• ACMI shop sells globally export-friendly merchandise.
• Cinema films include subtitled foreign-language options.
• Wheelchair accessible throughout.

ACMI Wednesday late nights and special events

• Melbourne Cinémathèque screenings run at ACMI on Wednesdays from 7 pm; museum opening hours are separate, so check them before you go.
• Curator talks during late nights.
• Live music in the foyer some nights.
• Member-only late nights more frequent than public.
• Date-night atmosphere during these events.

Combining ACMI with other Federation Square attractions

• Half-day Federation Square — NGV Australia (90 min) + ACMI (90 min) + Koorie Heritage Trust (30 min). All free.
• Full cultural day — start at NGV International on St Kilda Road, cross Princes Bridge to NGV Australia at Federation Square, finish at ACMI.
• Lunch — NGV Cafe in the Atrium outside the NGV Australia entrance, or Hardware Lane.
• Sunset — Princes Bridge over the Yarra, right beside Federation Square.
• Dinner — MoVida (1 Hosier Lane) or Cumulus Inc. (Flinders Lane).
• Evening — ACMI Cinemas late screening or rooftop bar at Curtin House.

ACMI by traveller type

• First-time visitors — allow a couple of hours to walk through Story of the Moving Image, more if you stop to play. Free.
• Film fans — combine permanent gallery with an ACMI Cinema session and a blockbuster.
• Families with kids — Story of the Moving Image hands-on stations, Mel Lab Saturday session, family screening at ACMI Cinemas.
• Couples — date night via late screening at ACMI Cinemas.
• Educators — book a curator-led tour for groups.
• Gamers — gaming gallery + any current Game Worlds-style blockbuster.
• International visitors — audio guide + ACMI shop for export-friendly souvenirs.

ACMI cafe and dining

• ACMI Cafe — coffee, light meals, pastries inside the museum.
• Federation Square restaurants — multiple options around the square.
• Nearby laneway dining — Cumulus Inc. is on Flinders Lane; MoVida is at 1 Hosier Lane and Tipo 00 at 361 Little Bourke Street.
• Degraves Street and Centre Place — laneway cafes close to Flinders Street Station.
• NGV Cafe — in the Atrium just outside the NGV Australia entrance, next door.

ACMI accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible throughout, including all galleries and cinemas.
• Free wheelchair loans at the entrance.
• Auslan tours bookable in advance.
• Audio described tours for vision-impaired visitors.
• Sensory-friendly mornings on selected weekends.
• Companion card pricing for ticketed exhibitions.
• Service animals welcome.
• Audio loop for cinema sessions.
• Calm room available for visitors with sensory needs.
• Subtitles on most cinema films when available.

Frequently asked questions about ACMI Melbourne

Final word: ACMI, Australia’s National Museum of Screen Culture

ACMI is one of those Melbourne attractions that punches above its weight — Australia’s national museum of the moving image, with a free permanent exhibition that holds up to international comparison. Time a Melbourne trip around an ACMI blockbuster and the city’s cultural scene gets a serious headline event. For broader cultural context, see our Melbourne arts and culture pillar.

Related Melbourne guides

• Melbourne Arts and Culture Guide
• NGV Melbourne
• Melbourne Museum
• Hosier Lane
• Melbourne Street Art Tour