Exhibitions & Collections

Behind-the-scenes tours are now available of the The Australian Performing Arts Collection on weekends at Hamer Hall. For more information and to book tickets visit Collection Store Tours 2024.

The Australian Performing Arts Collection is profiled through changing exhibitions and displays, both onsite and touring. Please check our Exhibitions & Curated Stories page for current offerings.

The gallery near the St Kilda Road entrance to the Theatres Building houses the Australian Music Vault. The exhibition celebrates the Australian contemporary music story - past, present and future and features iconic objects from the Australian Performing Arts Collection alongside items on loan from some of Australia’s most loved and respected artists. It is free and open daily. More information about the Australian Music Vault is available here.

Much of Arts Centre Melbourne’s Art Collection is on display within the buildings and onsite in the precinct. A self-guided tour is available through On Cue.

The Collections are also accessible through our Research Centre and our Online Catalogue.

Our Online Catalogue contains a selection of records covering items with the Australian Performing Arts Collection.

The Research Centre is available for research to be undertaken online or by appointment. Researchers can visit the Research Centre by prior appointment on Mondays and Tuesdays between 9:30am – 4:00pm.

Reproductions of photographs and documents in the Collection may be ordered subject to copyright obligations and other restrictions.

To discuss your research or make an appointment to view specific items, contact our Research Coordinator at researchservice@artscentremelbourne.com.au or on (03) 9281 8446. Or visit the Australian Performing Arts Collection online.

Curators are not permitted to provide valuations or appraisals of material for members of the general public. We suggest you seek advice from auction houses or individual professional valuers.

The Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program has a list of approved valuers that you can contact.

The Australian Performing Arts Collection includes approximately 60,000 programs donated by individuals and performing arts companies. We have complete holdings for most major performing arts companies in Melbourne and many of them donate their programs regularly.

We are currently looking for programs representing less mainstream performers and companies. Please view our Donation Guidelines for further details.

We welcome support for the Australian Performing Arts Collection with financial contributions supporting purchases, conservation treatments, digitisation or other activities important in maintaining and growing the collection. You can make a bequest in support of the Australian Performing Arts Collection through Arts Centre Melbourne's Philanthropy team by contacting privategiving@artscentremelbourne.com.au.

If you would like to donate significant material to the Australian Performing Arts Collection please see our Donation Guidelines.

Alternatively, if you're interested in volunteering with our Collections Team, please contact researchservice@artscentremelbourne.com.au for more information.

Arts Centre Melbourne's Australian Performing Arts Collection has been largely developed by generous donations of significant material by members of the general public.

Material may be gifted through outright donation, bequest or through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program, which provides tax deductions for the donation of highly valuable cultural material. Material offered for donation is assessed regularly by the Collection Development Group in line with our Collection Development Policy.

Please view our Donation Guidelines for further details.