Permanent Exhibitions: Immigration Museum

Victorians come from more than 200 countries, speak 260 languages and dialects and follow 135 religious faiths.

Two floors of exhibition galleries that house temporary and permanent exhibitions.

Several times a year in the Festival Courtyard we host joyous community festivals that are alive with food, music and culture.

The Immigration Discovery Centre is the perfect place to start your genealogical research, while the Tribute Garden is a beautiful sanctuary that honours immigrants from over 90 countries.

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Permanent Exhibitions

My working life: stories from the collection

A new installation at Immigration Museum highlights a range of stories, objects and images from our museum collections which explore the diversity of our working experiences across time, culture, sexuality and experiences.

Permanent Exhibitions

Joy

Joy brings the Immigration Museum to life with an emotive adventure where creativity, colour and storytelling join forces to take you on a transformative journey.

Forget the Stereotypes

Through film and graphic treatments, visitors will be taken into the lives of four former international students and their lived experiences of home, work, study and leisure as they reflect on their aspirations, challenges, achievements and sorrows.

Voices across time

First Peoples' culture and connections stretch back into Deep Time and their sovereignty is unceded.

People from around the world left their homes and arrived here, impacting the Country and lives of First Peoples. They also brought their memories and cultures, and they continue to contribute to an evolving diverse society.

Immigrant Stories and Timeline

This gallery explores why people have migrated to Victoria where they settled and how they started a new life here. The stories change annually and represent a diverse array of time periods motivations and cultural backgrounds. Some feature Museum Victoria collections others have been developed through partnerships with families and communities.

Leaving Home

People have migrated to Australia for many reasons. Some flee from the ravages of war, hunger, religious persecution or political repressions. Others have been lured by a sense of adventure, by the prospect of a new beginning, of owning land, of making a fortune, or to be reunited with love ones.

Identity: yours, mine, ours

What does it mean to belong and not belong in Australia?

The exhibition explores how our cultural heritage, languages, beliefs, and family connections influence our self-perceptions and our perceptions of other people - perceptions that can lead to discovery, confusion, prejudice and understanding.

Getting In

More than 9 million people have migrated to Australia since 1788. Countless others have tried and failed.

Since the 1800s, various immigration policies have dictated who gets in. This exhibition shows how and why our immigration policies have changed. We focus on four periods: the gold rush days of the 1840s to 1900, Federation to the end of the Second World War, then post-war to the early seventies, and finally 1973 to the present day. You'll see photographs, historical objects, and personal stories that show the effects of these policies on cultural diversity in Victoria.

Discovery Centre

A place to relax, talk to helpful staff, and research family and migration history.

The Immigration Discovery Centre, set in the beautifully restored 19th century vaults of Customs House, is the perfect place for learning about family history, exploring Australia's migration history, sharing personal stories, researching contemporary issues, and understanding our culturally diverse community.

Snuggle in our comfy lounges with a book from our unique reference library, explore our collections online and vast web resources, or enjoy the screen lounge showcasing stories of cultural celebrations.

Staff in the centre can help answer questions to assist you in your family history and general research projects, we cater to all ages and levels of interest. And if you're not able to visit us in person, you can ask us a question online.

Customs Gallery

The story of Customs House, where officials controlled what-and who-could enter Victoria.

The Immigration Museum occupies the Old Customs House, one of Melbourne's most important 19th-century public buildings. For over a century the Customs House was the focal point for Victoria's trade and shipping.

Customs officers collected import duties, inspected ships for smuggled goods, controlled immigration to Victoria, and prevented the importation of items such as illegal drugs, endangered and contaminated animal products, and banned books and films.

Forget the Stereotypes

Presents the moving experiences of contemporary international students in Melbourne through an evocative filmic experience.

Living the curve: identity in a pandemic

Living the Curve explores personal and community stories of survival, creativity, and community activation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria.

Official Tickets: tiqets.com

Adult $15
Senior $10
Student / concession free
Children (3 to 16 years old) free
Free for children under 3
Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

❊ Official Tickets ❊

Book Online Here

❊ When ❊

Happens: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Times: 10pm - 5pm

❊ Where ❊

Immigration Museum View Venue
400 Flinders St Melbourne Victoria 3000 Map

❊ Web Links ❊

→ Permanent Exhibitions: Immigration Museum

❊ Also See.. ❊

→ Joy @ Immigration Museum

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