A Journey of Migration, Identity and Joy at Melbourne’s Immigration Museum
In the heart of Melbourne, nestled along the banks of the majestic Birrarung River, lies a cultural gem that invites you to explore real human stories and journeys.
Welcome to the Immigration Museum Melbourne, where history comes alive, and the spirit of migration, identity, and community thrives. Then step into a world of Joy, with a vibrant and emotive exhibition that celebrates the power of happiness.
As you enter the historic Old Customs House, now transformed into the Immigration Museum, you are enveloped in a world of diversity and heritage. The museum’s collections, exhibitions, and events offer a window into the past, present, and future of Australia’s multicultural landscape.
Why Did People Migrate to Australia? Unravelling Stories of Hope and Opportunity
For generations, Australia has been a beacon of hope for individuals seeking a new beginning, a fresh start, and better opportunities. Melbourne Immigration Museum’s Voices Across Time exhibition delves deep into why people chose to migrate to this vast and vibrant land. From tales of hardship and resilience to dreams of a brighter future, each story paints a vivid picture of the human experience.
At the core, the Immigration Museum’s mission is the celebration of diversity and the forging of connections between communities. Through dialogue and various other means, the museum creates spaces for social interaction, empathy, and meaningful debate.
Explore the Complexities of Identity
Unravel the intricate web of influences that shape our perceptions of self and others in Australia, from cultural heritage to family ties.
With engaging personal stories, captivating objects, and interactive multimedia experiences, this exhibition challenges visitors to rethink assumptions and celebrate the diverse mosaic of identities within our community.
Discover, reflect, and connect as you navigate through this immersive showcase of individual and collective identity, open daily from 10am to 5pm.
Today we walked from Southern Cross Station to the Immigration Museum in Flinders Street. This was free for Pension Card Holders. Again, a building I had never been in and had only ever just admired the architecture of the building itself.
It was a “joy” to see the Joy Exhibition! The hallway entrance was festooned with colourful dangling pieces which were bright and welcoming and the floor looked like a mirror lake. The different rooms all displayed vibrant bright colours and did make one smile. One colourful feature centrepiece offered an app to make the depicted bugs and butterflies actually move and evolve when you pointed your phone onto them, but it seemed a bit complicated for me to do that so I didn’t bother.
And then the old Video Room set up as a video shop! This was amazing, just exactly the way a video shop used to look like. It was a lot of fun and did put a smile on my face. Was fun looking at some of the old videos we used to borrow and watch! Very nostalgic for something that wasn’t really all that long ago.
Another exhibition was called “Identity”. This was most intriguing and was perhaps quite simple in its display but very thought-provoking. I can see different topics might stir up different emotions. Expressing Ourselves, What We Say and How We Say It, What We Are Called, are just a few of the topics showcased. What We Are Called challenged me to think about my own name, and why I prefer my shortened version to my full name.I will ponder this for a while, it really has me going into deeper thinking. A very interesting morning.
– Terrie
Discover What Joy Means to You
The Immigration Museum comes alive with a captivating exhibition titled Joy. Featuring seven innovative installations by local artists Joy showcases the beauty and significance of happiness.
From everyday moments of connection to a celebration of identity and belonging, each installation offers a unique perspective on joy.
Join in the interactive experiences, such as a joy generator, a life-sized soft-toy rabbit, and my personal favourite – a nostalgic replica 1990s video store!
In this exhibition, you’re invited to be part of the joyous journey through creativity, colour, and storytelling. Visitors can even share their own joyful experiences on the interactive ‘Share Your Joy’ wall.
Joy will be exhibited until 29 August 2025, and is included with museum entry.
Guided tours of the Joy Exhibition run on weekends and cost seniors just $10.
My expectations were uncertain when our Seniors-in-Melbourne odyssey found us entering the Immigration Museum at 400 Flinders Street.
Born in Australia, parents born in Australia, grandparents born in Australia.. the nearest ancestral contact I have to immigration is my great-grandparents arriving in Melbourne in 1849. However, immigration and identity have entwined lives in all generations and this Museum encouraged me to look, with new eyes, at what helped today’s shared humanity to be as rich and diverse as it is enthralling.
Personal stories, sad and happy, turmoil and settling, hunger and plenty, differences in beliefs, languages and families, presented in a vibrant tapestry of spellbinding images and interactive experiences helped me understand, in a good way, the variation in characters and personalities I’ve encountered in my 75 years.
The experience to me got deeper, and more thought provoking, by looking away from others and pondering personal identity. Questions like, where do I fit in? And what groups or communities do I connect with? And why?
Presented as a celebration of the universal human spirit, the Immigration Museum also hosts special events, from time to time, that live up to that aim.
The Museum is housed in the historical Customs House, one of Melbourne’s grand buildings, built in the 1870’s and worth a visit just to take in the opulent décor of that era. The Long Room is large and as you enter you can imagine the traders and importers, before the days of income tax, presenting their wares to officials to be assessed as to what tariffs must be paid into the Government coffers.
– Chris
Accessibility at Melbourne’s Immigration Museum
The museum has two accessible entrances with automatic doors for easy entry. Visitors can enter via the gate on Market Street or the ramp leading to the Festivals Courtyard.
Accessible lifts are located in the main foyer, and accessible toilets are available on the ground and first levels of the museum.
Wheelchairs and a mobility scooter are available free of charge at the museum’s ticket desk on a first-come basis. Visitors who require mobility assistance can also book a wheelchair or scooter in advance by calling the museum.
Deaf Access: The museum provides access for visitors who are deaf or have a hearing impairment through the National Relay Service. This service allows seniors with hearing difficulties to communicate effectively during their visit.
Blind/Low Vision Access: Service animals are welcome in the museum, and tactile indicators are present in the lifts and exhibitions for visitors with low vision. Additionally, the museum offers low-sensory sessions for visitors who experience sensory sensitivity.
Autism Friendly Museum: The Immigration Museum is an Autism Friendly Museum, providing resources such as maps of high and low sensory spaces and social scripts. This feature can benefit visitors who may have autism or sensory sensitivities.
Information: Visitors who have specific access requirements or need more information about accessibility at the Immigration Museum can contact the bookings office for assistance.
Public Transport
The museum is conveniently located near Flinders Street Station, making it easily accessible by train. The Melbourne City Tourist Shuttle bus, which is wheelchair accessible, also stops near the museum on William Street.
Tidbits for Visiting Immigration Museum Melbourne
- Open daily from 10 am to 5 pm
- Entry fee is $10 for seniors/concession and free for pensioners;
- Joy exhibition runs until 29 August 2025, and is included with museum entry;
- Check out the guided tours of the Joy Exhibition on weekends;
- Accessible entrances, lift access and toilets;
- Free wheelchair and mobility scooter hire is available – book in advance;
- Resources for deaf and blind/low vision are available;
- Autism-friendly with low-sensory spaces and social scripts available;
- More detailed accessible advice can be found on their website here;
- Flinders Street Station is 550 metres walking distance;
- The Melbourne City Tourist Shuttle bus, which is wheelchair accessible, also stops near the museum on William Street.
Immigration Museum Melbourne
400-424 Flinders Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Ph: 13 11 02
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Cheers, Amy, Chris and Terrie.
