Melbourne Immigration Museum Entry Ticket

• Located inside the historic Old Customs House in Melbourne CBD
• Interactive exhibitions exploring migration, identity, and belonging
• Personal stories from diverse communities across generations
• Family friendly galleries with hands on experiences
• Rotating exhibitions alongside permanent collections

Melbourne Immigration Museum is a place where journeys, hopes, and identities come together. Set within the grand Old Customs House, the museum explores how migration has shaped the city and the nation, not through statistics, but through lived experiences.

As you move through its galleries, stories unfold through photographs, oral histories, interactive installations, and personal objects. Each space invites reflection on why people move, what they leave behind, and how new communities are formed.

From early settlers and gold rush arrivals to post war migrants and contemporary refugees, the museum offers a deeply human perspective on Australia’s evolving cultural identity.

The best time to visit Melbourne Immigration Museum is during weekday mornings or early afternoons when galleries are quieter and more immersive. This allows time to engage fully with interactive displays and personal stories.

The museum is ideal year round, especially during cooler months or rainy days. School holidays can be busier, making early visits more comfortable for families.

• The museum is housed in a former customs building dating back to the 1800s
• Some exhibitions feature real migration documents and personal belongings
• You can listen to first hand audio stories from migrants themselves
• The museum regularly updates exhibits to reflect modern migration stories
• It is part of Museums Victoria

Half Day Ideal Visit (Recommended)

Morning:
Start with the permanent exhibitions exploring early migration and customs history. Take time to read personal accounts and view historical artifacts.

Midday:
Explore interactive galleries focused on identity, belonging, and contemporary migration. Listen to audio stories and participate in digital displays.

Afternoon:
Visit temporary exhibitions and reflect in quieter gallery spaces. End your visit with a walk around the surrounding CBD heritage buildings.

Family Friendly Option

Focus on interactive exhibits and storytelling zones. Allow breaks between galleries and engage children with hands on activities designed for younger visitors.

• The grand exterior and columns of the Old Customs House
• Historic staircases and architectural details inside the museum
• Interactive digital installations with cultural visuals
• Gallery spaces featuring migration maps and timelines
• Street views outside connecting the museum to Melbourne CBD

• Allow at least two to three hours for a meaningful visit
• Use headphones at audio stations for full immersion
• Read the personal stories slowly for deeper understanding
• Check for temporary exhibitions before your visit
• Combine your visit with nearby museums and city walks

Melbourne Immigration Museum is housed in the Old Customs House, a landmark building completed in the mid nineteenth century to manage goods and people arriving during the gold rush era. For decades, it served as a gateway for trade and migration into Victoria.

As Australia’s immigration story grew more complex, the building was reimagined as a cultural institution dedicated to telling the stories behind migration. The museum opened to the public in the late twentieth century with a focus on personal narratives rather than official records.

Today, the museum continues to evolve, documenting historical and contemporary migration experiences while encouraging conversations about identity, belonging, and multicultural Australia.