Nocturnal

Overview

This Melbourne after-hours pop-up isn't at a pub, an underground club, or even some repurposed warehouse space. Nope, the Nocturnal event series is happening at a venue you've probably only ever seen in the light of day: Melbourne Museum.

The first Friday of each month will see the museum's exhibition spaces transformed into an after-dark playground, as Nocturnal swaps the school-uniformed tour groups for crowds of music-loving partygoers.

Expect a space primed for Friday night revelry, complete with pop-up bars slinging cocktails, roving entertainers and spot talks from some of the museum's curators. Plus, there will be plenty of killer tunes, with a main stage set up in front of the Forest Gallery.

This month, Nocturnal is inspired by Harlem and the current Mel&NYC festival happening across Melbourne. On Friday, August 3, the pop-up will feature live performances from New York's Rakiem Walker Project (who are heading to Aus for the very first time), Melbourne's DRMNGNOW and colourful dance duet Glitter and Snatch. Wander through the gallery, and you'll encounter more, too, including The Cook Island Drummers in the Te Vainui O Pasifikia gallery.

You can also join in a dance-off in the Plaza, refuel at the Gumbo Kitchen, then explore large-scale projections of images by Camilo Vergera, a famed Harlem photographer.