Five Unmissable Exhibitions in Melbourne This Spring

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The days are getting longer and the sun is shining ever warmer. Isn't this time of year just the best? You leave work and it's not pitch black, you don't have to pack a scarf and a coat, things are just nice. 

Spring and exhibitions just go together. And thankfully, being in Melbourne, we are truly blessed with a cornucopia of fun exhibitions to experience as we say goodbye to winter and start the exciting prelude to summer. Here's our pick of the absolutely unmissable exhibitions to check out this truly stunning time of year.

DARK MATTERS AT SCIENCE GALLERY MELBOURNE

Ever catch yourself staring into the night sky and feeling overwhelmed by the sheer wonder of it all? Are you enamoured by all things space, science, and the unknown? Are you just after a good old-fashioned fun time with mates? If you've said yes to any of the aforementioned, then We'd suggest hitting the group chat pronto and letting everyone know you've found the perfect exhibition to check out.

Dark Matters is an exciting partnership between Melbourne University's Science Gallery and the world's top particle physics lab CERN. That's right, the minds behind the Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest and highest-energy particle collider. 

Co-curated with Monica Bello, Head of Arts at CERN and running until Saturday, December 2, the exhibition will host a range of art and science projects with the collective aim of probing the mysterious force that quite literally surrounds us: dark matter. 

NOCTURNAL: MELBOURNE MUSEUM AFTER DARK

Speaking of dark, Melbourne Museum's after-dark showing, Nocturnal, is not to be missed. If the chance to see a triceratops skeleton up close and personal in a fun, slightly spooky, after-dark and adults-only setting doesn't entice you, then we're not sure what will. 

The fun doesn't end there. Expect live music, pop-up food stalls, cocktails, trivia, enlightening talks by experts and after-dark tours of some of the most fascinating exhibits Melbourne Museum has to offer. It's a great chance to not only catch up with friends with a drink, but also uncover some of life's deep mysteries — two pterodactyls, one stone. Lovely. 

MIRROR: NEW VIEWS ON PHOTOGRAPHY AT THE STATE LIBRARY

Have you ever snapped a photo and taken a second to really think about what you've just done? You have captured time — isn't that cool? The fact that doesn't blow our minds on the daily is a testament to how far we've come as a species.

Humans have been developing the art of the photograph for almost two centuries now, and The State Library's latest exhibition, MIRROR: New views on photography, is a true celebration of what a remarkable achievement the art of photography is. 140 photographs from the  State Collection star in the exhibition, alongside words, performances and sounds from emerging and established Victorian artists to tell fascinating stories of Victoria through a modern lens.

BACKWOODS GALLERY — MULTIPLE FREE EXHIBITIONS THROUGHOUT SPRING

Backwoods Gallery, hidden amongst the cool and shadows of Collingwood's Paradise Alley, is hands down one of the hottest spots in Melbourne. Their Friday night openings are a collection of some of the most eclectic personalities in the Melbourne art scene — and that's just the crowd. The exhibitions are an ever-changing mosaic of classic and contemporary, local and international, experimental and eclectic — and always exciting. 

A Friday night spent at a Backwoods opening is a Friday night you'll wish didn't end. Be warned, once you go to your first, you'll end up obsessively checking the Backwoods website or Instagram for updates on their next opening. And though the opening nights — held every three or so weeks — are undoubtedly fun, the gallery itself is open to visit at any time between Thursday to Sunday, 12–6pm, if you're after a more relaxing affair.

PIERRE BONNARD AND REMBRANDT: TRUE TO LIFE AT THE NGV

It would be an insult to leave the National Gallery of Victoria's spectacular double whammy off this list. The genius minds of Pierre Bonnard and Rembrandt grace the hallowed halls of the NGV this spring, in the form of two truly gorgeous exhibitions.

Bonnard is widely regarded as one of the greatest painters of the 20th century. Adored for his use of colour in conveying a deep sense of emotion, the eccentric Frenchman was one of the leading figures in the transition from impressionism to modernism. Catch Bonnard from a unique lens as his works are presented within immersive scenography by Paris-based designer India Mahdavi, creating a truly enveloping experience that will surely dazzle new and seasoned fans of Bannard.

Last but certainly not least, Rembrandt: True to Life, follows the Dutch genius's early life in Leiden through to his final years in Amsterdam. The exhibition will be made up of 100 etchings from the NGV collection, as well as loans from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, and the Teylers Museum in Haarlem. 

You'll want to hurry to catch this one, as it packs up on Sunday, September 10 — and given it's the most comprehensive exhibition of Rembrandt to be held in Australia in a quarter century, it's certainly not one you'll want to miss.

Catch Dark Matters at Science Gallery Melbourne until Saturday, December 2,

Image: Science Gallery Melbourne