Best History Museum in Docklands

"Melbourne Museum is perfect if you want to show the kids the many different aspects of life in Victoria: from tall trees to old dinosaur bones, to Aboriginal artefacts to Melbourne’s most favourite racehorse Phar Lap. If you are visiting with a toddler, the Children’s Gallery will be perfect for you (opens 4 Dec 2016), a hands-on exploration facility for the under-5’s for an immersive educational experience. https://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum"

"The children’s gallery at Melbourne Museum has so many experiences, both inside and out. In other parts of the museum, you can crawl along the dinosaur walk, see the various rocks and stones, explore the rainforest gallery or just stare at the tiny (and not so tiny) insects. Be sure to check their website to see what's on for Melbourne kids this week."

"From the natural environment to culture and history, Melbourne Museum explores life in Victoria. The museum includes a special gallery just for children...."

"Melbourne’s iconic monument was built as a memorial to honour all those who served during World War I and all Australians who have since served in military conflict and peacekeeping operations. Open daily, visitors can wander through reflective exhibition spaces including Galleries of Remembrance, The Victoria Cross and Gallery of Medals and see over 800 objects including photos, uniforms and historical artefacts."

"The Shrine of Remembrance (commonly referred to as The Shrine) is a war memorial built in honour of the men that fought in World War I. It now functions as a memorial for all Australians who have been sent to war. The Shrine was built during the great depression and construction relied heavily on public contributions."

"Lookout north-westerly down the Ceremonial Avenue back toward the CBD as the light fades and the sun drops to the west and the twilight colours briefly fill the sky. Can you see someone staring back at you?. It’s the face of William Barak on the ‘Portrait Building’."

"Another one of the educational things to do for families in Melbourne is a visit to the Immigration Museum. The Immigration Museum is in the Old Customs House, which was the former administrative centre for Melbourne’s immigration and customs. Over two floors, the museum documents the history of immigration in Australia, the various policies in place over time and the multiple reasons certain people have immigrated to Australia."

"Through emotive exhibitions, Melbourne’s Immigration Museum investigates Victoria’s multicultural identity. Located within Victoria’s Old Customs House, the museum explores the eventful and at time harrowing immigrant stories through exhibits such as Leaving Home, Journeys of a Lifetime and Getting In. The museum also features a Discovery Centre where you can trace your genealogical history and a Tribute Garden."

"Immigration Museum A fascinating exploration into how Australia has been shaped by migrants, this museums tells the story of people who have travelled across the world and ended up in the cosmopolitan city of Melbourne. It’s an engaging and refreshing set of exhibitions that give you insights about Australia’s multicultural backgrounds."

"Endeavoring to preserve and promote ‘the artistic and cultural heritage of ancient and modern Greece’, the Hellenic Museum holds a vast collection of artifacts. See Cypriot pottery, cast ancient Greek statues, and check out Bill Henson’s photographic installation ONEIROI.Starting in 2014, for 10 years the Hellenic Museum will also house a priceless collection of antiquities from the Benaki Museum, Athens, showcasing 8,000 years of Greek civilisation to Melbourne."

"Going back even further in time, several millennia in fact, there’s the Hellenic Museum, which is house in the original Royal Mint building. Many of the pieces in the permanent exhibition are from ancient times – marble statues and byzantine paintings, for examples. A partnership with Greece’s Benaki Museum means there are a number of impressive antiquities here."

"Known as either the Museum of Chinese Australian History, or just simply the Chinese Museum, the institution has the goal or preserving and presenting the impact of Chinese immigration on the country and the city. There are exhibitions dedicated to particularly influential times, such as the Gold Rush when thousands of Chinese people came to Victoria. But there’s also the world’s biggest processional Dai Loong Dragon and lots of other interesting memorabilia such as clothes and photographs."

"The Melbourne Chinese museum has just been through a major redevelopment. It covers the stories of the Chinese community that has been part of Melbourne for over 150 years. A new interactive exhibition called Bridge of Memories tells the personal stories of Chinese migrants, who began arriving in Melbourne from the 1850s."

"Discover a specialist collection of books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, postcards and art works focussing on the history of Melbourne Australia and Victoria. It is in 239 A'Beckett Street"

"Melbourne is famous for its trams so it seems appropriate that they’re celebrated at the Melbourne Tram Museum. It’s set within the former Hawthorn Tram Depot. There are 21 fully-restored trams, including one of the first electric ones."

"Perhaps the most notable council building is Melbourne Town Hall. This heritage listed building was the prototype for numerous suburban town halls. While the building’s architectural significance is clear with its impressive Tasmanian freestone façade (built in 1867), the Prince Alfred Tower (added in 1869) and temple-like portico (1887), it’s also notable for its role in many historical moments."

"One of the more lifeless buildings of Melbourne on the outside, the old Melbourne Gaol has quite a ghastly history to back it up. Sitting right on Russel street (another very famous Melbourne street) is an incredibly eerie, 3 story high former prison. While it’s no longer a prison (it was officially closed in 1924), it’s now a museum filled with relics of the past and the history of some of Australia’s most notorious criminals."

"For 87 years, Victoria’s Old Melbourne Gaol housed minor offenders and notorious criminals including gangster Squizzy Taylor. Among those executed were bushranger Ned Kelly and Jack the Ripper suspect Frederick Bailey Deeming. Today, the prison operates as a museum where visitors can see death masks, Kelly gang weapons and memorabilia from prisoners and staff."

"Cook’s Cottage is open daily for visitors between 9am – 5pm at a price of $6.50. The visit offers the chance to see the antique furnishing and style of the famous voyager’s family home for a little slice of charming history within the city. The visit shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours, and so visiting several of the city’s gardens can be done easily within a morning or longer if you’re wrapped up in a particular exhibition."

"This tiny soft serve parlour is easily swirling up the most photogenic desserts in town. Their original sea salt flavour arrives in an adorable shade of pastel blue, which you can adorn with caramel popcorn, popping candy, toasted marshmallows, and best of all, a big cloud of fairy floss. They’ve even got colourful, decorated walls for you to take pics up against."

"Restaurants Vegan Fitzroy. This take-away spot makes plant-based desserts: we're talking soft serve, gelato and cakes, plus maca fudge bars, matcha almond tarts and bounty bites. On the drinks menu, you'll find spiced mylks, cold pressed juices, smoothies and thick shakes (all vegan, of course)."