Families, rediscover your city
Whether you’re a young or old kid (at heart), there’s plenty to do across Melbourne on The Weekend! Here are some of our favourites that will delight all ages.
Dip your toes into science at the Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute. Join for a public tour of the award-winning building and grounds, or join for an interactive exhibition to discover what scientists are currently working on! For younger ones there will be a spot for kids to play with simple science activities.
If you love live action role playing, or even love games and imagining different scenarios in the future, then Reworlding Naarm could be for you! Using augmented reality and immersive sound, this live action game will invite you to think of ways communities can thrive in the Naarm Melbourne of 2050.
If imagining the future via drawing, collage or bricolage is more your style, it’s time to exercise your creativity at The Substation. In this creative design activity for kids, it’s their turn to create their own vision for this former electric substation. Would it be more fun with a pool or a rollercoaster? More wild with a rainforest? The sky’s the limit! There will also be guided tours of the site on Saturday.
Dive into nature and kayak down the Birrarung in What’s Good for the Birrarung is Good for Everyone. Come for a sensory exploration of the river, and consider the river, how it affects the body and how people the river can collaborate.
Download or collect a map and set out on your own adventure! Head to the Open House Melbourne Weekend Hub to pick up a hard copy of the Play Spaces Pocket Book. With this in hand, you’ll be ready to explore more than 40 of the city’s unique play spaces, including Rocks on Wheels, Royal Park Nature Play and Lincoln Square Play Space.
You can also pick up the Melbourne Laneways Pocket Book to see how Melbourne’s arcades and laneways have evolved over time. The maps will be available online, so you can always come back after The Weekend.
Over in Hawthorn, check out the Connected Community HackerSpace. Head down the cobbled laneway to discover a space filled with tools, machines and more, and meet the makers, hackers and technologists who use them. See some of their creative solutions come to life, like ‘Saucebot’ for saucing snags.
While you’re in the area, head to Glenferrie Road for a refresh—stop by Kōri for ice cream with delicious Japanese flavours like Hokkaido cheesecake or matcha if you’re not afraid of the cold. Visit the Hawthorn Tram Depot, where you can join a tour of the Melbourne Tram Museum. You’ll even get to see tramcars that date back to the 1880s.
The family that plays together stays together and an afternoon at the Prahran Skate Park is the perfect afternoon activity to stretch young creative legs. Learn how to skateboard on one of Australia’s best open access skateparks with Prahran local and former World Cup Champion and Paris Olympics head judge, Renton Millar.
Come discover Eltham Library, designed by the star of this year’s episode of Modern Melbourne, Gregory Burgess. Join him for a panel discussion with local writers at the library on Saturday, or come along Sunday for Open PlayOPEN Play and learn more about the role of good design in shaping our community and city.
Nearby, you can also check out the Montsalvat community, where artists, musicians, writers, philosophers and more have come to be inspired for more than ninety years old. Join a guided tour, or see what’s on in the latest exhibitions inside the heritage-listed buildings.
For more family tour fun, check out this downloadable kids friendly heritage tour of the Hoddle Street Grid by Lovell Chen.
Family fun on the Weekend
Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne
Sunday 27 July
The Substation
Friday 25 July, Saturday 26 July
