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Overview
Docklands boasts a strong cultural side, thanks not only to its history as an important dock but also to recent urban renewal projects that have championed creativity in all its forms. The area is home to internationally renowned public art as well as a number of contemporary design landmarks. What's more, it's just a short stroll to several of Melbourne's cultural icons, including the NGV, the Arts Centre and the South Melbourne Market.
Here are the ten best spots to get your cultural fix in the area.
PARK CINEMA
How better to take advantage of those balmy Melbourne evenings than with a spot of open-air cinema? This summer 2018, Docklands' Buluk Park plays host to a series of free, family-friendly film screenings, featuring time-honoured selections from the noughties through to today. The movie usually starts rolling at dusk, around 8.30pm, but you can take your picnic rug over early, grab some eats from one of the nearby vendors and settle in for a pre-movie feast. Catch it on Fridays in 2018 from January 26 to March 2.
EVENTS AT KNOWLEDGE MARKET
Acting as a hub for sharing ideas about urban living, The Exchange at Victoria Harbour's Knowledge Market is a collaborative effort between Lendlease and RMIT's School of Architecture and Design and School of Media and Communication. With a curated program of workshops, discussions, exhibitions and events, it's a place where the community can be inspired as they engage with themes like social diversity, zero-carbon futures, digitally enabled infrastructures and urban memory and imagination. Venture in to get those mental cogs whirring.
LIBRARY AT THE DOCK
Welcome to the library for the new age. Worlds apart from historic counterparts like the State Library of Victoria, the Library at The Dock is a contemporary gem, featuring a swag of modern offerings and claiming the title of Australia's first six-star Green Star-rated public building. Crafted from engineered timber and reclaimed hardwood, it's become an icon of sustainable architecture. Inside, you'll find both traditional and digital book catalogues, performance and gallery spaces, creative editing suites and even a recording studio. It also plays host to a lineup of events and activities, from free tai chi and table tennis sessions through to workshops and regular 'laughter club' meetings.
JAZZ SHOWS AT THE LIBRARY
Need a few live tunes to help jazz up the end of your work week? The Library at The Dock's Jazz Brew Cafe series should be music to your ears. On the second Friday of each month, the space plays host to a different local musician for an intimate performance, usually kicking off at around 4pm. Taking the stage over the coming months will be the smooth sounds of Tamara Murphy, Monique Dimattina and Cristian Barbieri. Best of all? It's free.
DOCKLANDS ART TRAIL
There's little doubt that Docklands is alive with creative endeavours. It's currently home to an impressive 36 public artworks across its parks, promenades and architecture. And discovering them is a cinch, thanks to Development Victoria's downloadable guide and walking tour. This free resource is jam-packed with information about each of the Docklands works and their creators. The walk will take you about a couple of hours if you plan on digging in deep. Prepare to be inspired by the likes of Duncan Stemier's orbiting Blowhole, Mikala Dwyer's huge mirrored IOU and Guan Wei's Feng Shui mural. Some pieces, like the neon-lit Slipstream, are best appreciated during a nighttime visit.
VICTORIA POLICE MUSEUM
From convicts and bushrangers to the underworld figures of more recent times, Melbourne's got quite the criminal history. And some of the most intriguing tales of the city's crime and policing are awaiting your discovery at the Victoria Police Museum. Uncover sordid stories, see evidence from real crimes and gain a newfound appreciation for the men and women keeping our city safe. The museum is home to a diverse collection including original Kelly Gang artefacts, an array of police photographs and over 1000 prisoner records from throughout history. It's open to the public from 10am–4pm weekdays.
NGV
As the country's oldest and most visited gallery, the National Gallery of Victoria is a necessary addition to your cultural hit list, with a world-renowned program of exhibitions and events that are as diverse as they come. It's set across two central sites — the NGV International on St Kilda Road and NGV Australia in the heart of Federation Square. Kicking off December 2017 is the ambitious NGV Triennial, a huge free exhibition pulling together art and design from more than 100 creatives across 32 countries. For part of the year, the NGV will also host a Friday Night live music series, complete with eats, drinks and after-dark gallery access.
SOUTH MELBOURNE MARKET
Having recently notched up 150 years and still going strong, the South Melbourne Market is one of the city's grand dames and well worth a visit. Ever abuzz, it's a beloved destination for eating, drinking and shopping, trading Wednesdays, Fridays and across each weekend. Visit for a bit of retail therapy and to load up on fresh local produce, being sure to make a pit stop at Padre Coffee for a caffeine hit. It's also home to the SO:ME pop-up hub, featuring wares from a rotation of the city's best young talent, an on-site cooking school and a Thursday night market series every January and February.
BULUK PARK AT NIGHT FOR THE LIGHT HOUSE
Victoria Harbour's Light House installation illuminates a 15-storey facade with moving lights, as dictated by the weather forecast. Running on the hour from dusk until midnight, the installation reads information from the Bureau of Meteorology in real-time, then displays different moving light patterns to depict various weather events for five minutes. For the rest of each hour, abstract light movements are used to reflect the way the weather feels, as sensed by a weather station on the building's roof. It's even more spectacular during one of the curated light shows for Christmas, New Year's Eve and Chinese New Year. Artist Bruce Ramus was inspired to create it based on just how much Melburnians talk about the weather.
GASWORKS ARTS PARK
You'll find no shortage of ways to get your cultural kicks at Gasworks in nearby Albert Park — a dynamic arts hub set across four hectares, on the site of a former gas plant. Incorporating grassy stretches of parkland, two theatres, a trio of gallery spaces and an on-site cafe, it always has something great to sink your teeth into. Catch a performance, exhibition or outdoor film; pick up new skills and inspiration at a workshop; or spend the morning cruising the farmers' market, which happens on the third Saturday of each month.
Surround yourself with everything Docklands has to offer at the new 883 Collins Street development. Top restaurants, cafes, bars and activities are just a stone's throw away.