There’s no point in beating around the bush—Melbourne loves its art, and we’re not the art capital of Australia for no reason. Art galleries are a welcome respite from an afternoon with no set plans, or even that 9-5 grind, with the added bonus of being able to immerse yourself in room after room of creativity.
Luckily for us, some of the art galleries in Melbourne rank as some of the best in the whole country, with a huge array of different mediums, time periods, and artists to explore. So, here’s our roundup of some of the best galleries that Melbourne has to offer, for those days when you’re starving for some culture.
Here's a definitive guide to the art galleries in Melbourne for 2023:
The LUME
SOUTH WHARF
You’ve almost certainly seen this crop up on social media somewhere - how could it not, seeing as it’s one of the most Instagrammable galleries in the world. The LUME is the Southern Hemisphere’s first permanent digital art gallery, combining sight, sound, smells and space into a wholly immersive experience. Blending classic art with new technology, The LUME transforms some of the most well-known works in the world (think Van Gogh, Monet and the like) into a completely new experience. With an area of 3,000 square metres, and four stories high, you’ll get lost in here for hours.
Honey Bones
BRUNSWICK
This by-artists-for-artists gallery opened up in February of 2020, so it’s a testament to their quality that they’re still up and running. Since opening, they’ve had the highest number of exhibitions out of any gallery in Australia, so needless to say, they keep things moving. Honey Bones is a collective of creatives, artists, designers, illustrators, and photographers, bringing out some of the most imaginative work in the state, so we reckon it’s worth a visit (or two).
Museum of Australian Photography
WHEELERS HILL
With incredible views of the Dandenong Ranges as well as a building designed by internationally-renowned architect Harry Seidler, the building itself is as much of a work of art as the pieces it houses. With over 3,700 Australian photographs and counting, MAPH strives to allow the community access to its impressive collection through its exhibitions and remember, all the photos you’ll see there are homegrown.
NGV Ian Potter Centre
CBD
As the world’s first gallery exclusively dedicated to showcasing Australian art, this place is kinda a big deal. Housing nearly 25,000 works of art from all corners of Australia, the Ian Potter Centre has a strong emphasis on the works of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, through a suite of galleries that are primarily dedicated to important historical and contemporary works.
The Dax Centre
PARKVILLE
With a focus on de-stigmatising and raising awareness of mental health issues, The Dax Centre is a safe environment for all. Working with artists with lived experiences of mental health issues, the gallery supports and champions them into developing their art practices as well as exhibiting their works.
Centre for Contemporary Photography
FITZROY
Showcasing only the most innovative photographers since 1986, this non-profit gallery is considered Fitzroy's premier exhibition space. In an unassuming white building lies a world of constant wonder; upon entering, the CCP space is much larger than its modest exterior suggests. With regularly updated shows, you can spend hours perusing photo-based art from emerging to established artists from all eras and genres.
Gertrude Contemporary
PRESTON & COLLINGWOOD
More of an educational institution for the visually enthused, Gertrude Contemporary has played an important role in inspiring the evolution of contemporary art, both at home and overseas. Offering exhibition, studio and cultural exchange programs, visitors can expect acclaimed artists across three gallery spaces. Opened in 1983, the gallery is home to a program that supports 16 artists for a two-year period, giving them time to develop and hone their craft. Gertrude Contemporary focuses on art as a collaborative collection of curators, writers, cultural partners and patrons. They also have a satellite gallery space in Collingwood called Gertrude Glasshouse, which is more for solo exhibitions. If you're looking for an education in contemporary art, make this your next stop.
National Gallery Of Victoria
SOUTHBANK
This one is basically a given to any list of the best art galleries in Melbourne. If you live here and haven’t been to the NGV yet, don’t let anyone know lest they forfeit your Victorian residency and send you packing. NGV boasts some of Australia’s best exhibitions, as well as an always-impressive permanent collection of over 75,000 works, so you know a day at the NGV is a day well spent.
Anna Schwartz Gallery
CBD
The Anna Schwartz Gallery has been owned and operated by founder Anna Schwartz since 1986, so it’s had a fair bit of time to work up a reputation for its representation of over thirty artists, both established and emerging. 2023 has seen works from the likes of Kathy Temin and Susan Cohn, but the gallery is in a constant state of flux, meaning you can see new artwork nearly every month.
ACCA
SOUTHBANK
ACCA has been around since 1983 and in 2002, it got a fancy new home right in the heart of the Melbourne Arts Precinct. The building, designed by Wood Marsh, is pretty amazing in and of itself and helped solidify ACCA's position as a top spot for contemporary art. ACCA is all about bringing together local, regional, national, and international artists, as well as curators, audiences, and collaborators. Their ethos is supporting artists in creating experimental work that challenges the way we think, and connects with diverse communities
AMAGOA Aboriginal Modern Art Gallery of Australia
ORMOND
The Aboriginal Modern Art Gallery of Australia (AMAGOA) has been around since 2001, and its mission is to showcase the incredible talent of contemporary Aboriginal artists. AMAGOA is known for curating one of Melbourne's most diverse and awe-inspiring collections of Central and Western Desert Art. They’re able to source beautiful, high-quality artworks of specifically requested Aboriginal artists from across Australia, following the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia's Code of Conduct.
Linden New Art
ST KILDA
Linden New Art is a unique not-for-profit contemporary art gallery in the heart of St Kilda. They celebrate the creation and exhibitions of mid-career artists in a welcoming space where artists, enthusiasts and the community come together. Housed in a gorgeous Victorian mansion, Linden’s grand heritage building makes it an inspiring place to see, explore and discuss contemporary art. Linden’s annual exhibition program features work from artists across Australia and overseas, with exhibitions changing every eight weeks.
Heide Museum of Modern Art
BULLEEN
Heide Museum of Modern Art is a unique combination of art, architecture, social history and landscape. Once belonging to avid art enthusiasts, Sunday and John Reed, the Heide Museum of Modern Art is a house-turned-gallery, with a gorgeous sculpture garden adjoining it. Place right alongside the Yarra River, Heide has a collection of over 3600 works of art, and houses a variety of mediums, from sculpture to painting, ceramics to installations. Once the gathering place for the Heide Circle (which included Sidney Nolan, John Perceval, Albert Tucker and Joy Hester), this sixteen-acre art gallery is definitely one of the best in Melbourne.
Tolarno Galleries
CBD
Established in 1967, Tolarno Galleries has been at the cutting edge of contemporary Australian art for over 50 years. With a reputation for showing fresh, often young artists, Tolarno Galleries has shown some of Australia’s – and the world’s—best-known artists, including Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, Warhol and Koons. They pride themselves on their dynamic exhibition program, which includes mediums such as video, film, photography and installation, to painting, sculpture, digital media and design. Artists featured in 2023 include Amos Gebhardt and Hannah Gartside, so this is definitely a space worth looking at.
RMIT Gallery
CBD
RMIT Gallery is the university's premier exhibition space. The public exhibition program delivers distinctive visual art, new media, sonic art, design, popular culture, technology, and art fusions across five museum-standard galleries. The RMIT exhibitions promote deeper interactions between RMIT and a global public audience, and rightly so - you can definitely catch some pretty innovative works.
Image credit: Annika Kafcaloudis