Discover the heart of Australia's Performing Arts
Arts Centre Melbourne is home to Australia’s largest performing arts collection, the free Australian Music Vault exhibition, and one of the most significant Australian visual art collections outside the major state galleries. It is now also the proud home of the Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA). Step into the stories, sounds, and sights that have shaped Australia’s performing arts – plan your visit today.
Opening in December 2025 at Hamer Hall, the Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA) will showcase rare and iconic treasures from the Australian Performing Arts Collection and renowned international museums and galleries. Celebrating Australia’s rich performing arts history through world-class exhibitions found only in Melbourne.
Consisting of over 850,000 items, Australian Performing Arts Collection has been in development since the 1970s and spans all performing arts genres including circus, dance, music, opera and theatre. The Collection celebrates Australia’s performing arts history and the stories behind iconic performances. Explore our foyer spaces in the Theatres Building and Hamer Hall to discover regularly refreshed displays from the Collection.
Gain exclusive behind-the-scenes access to to view items from Australia's largest performing arts collection. Located at the Collections Store at Hamer Hall, the tours showcase how the collection is developed, managed, preserved and shared.
Explore the Australian contemporary music story – past, present and future. The Australian Music Vault brings this story to life through a free immersive exhibition open daily in the Theatres Building.
The Public Art Collection showcases major works by leading twentieth-century Australian artists, pioneering Western Desert paintings and tapestries, and significant sculptural works. Located throughout the public spaces of Hamer Hall, the Theatres Building, and surrounding gardens – celebrating the enduring connection between visual and performing arts.
