Immigration Museum in Saint Albans

Its a good place to know more about history. It took me around 1.5 hours to hang around. Btw, the counter staff is so kind, I like her.

Nice place to learn the immigration history in Melbourne.

This used to be the immigration museum, documenting immigration to Australia with exhibitions on those journeys and stories such as cabins from migrant boats and explanations of why introduced bird species like blackbirds are here - to allow immigrants to adapt with familiar noises. Stories of first settlers and nation building. Essentially the history of Australia.The museum has now been woke washed and is focused on alternative gender identities. Which is fine, but that should be in the gender museum… I’m not sure where you go to learn about immigration history now. It’s a shame to delete that history, I would think the job of a museum is to preserve history rather than promote a particular political viewpoint. The newer migration stories are interesting eg modern African migrants stories and are relevant to a migration museum and modern Australia.The exhibitions are all promoting a left wing political agenda rather than simply documenting immigration to Australia.

This is a fairly mediocre museum for the $15 entry fee - both me and the people I went with found it to be so. Most of the exhibits are dated and lack a detailed account/narrative behind them. Probably the main one I enjoyed was pretending to be an immigration decision maker, this was high quality. On the whole, this museum is relatively poor compared to the hundreds of others that I have seen over the years.

Significant part of the museum is dedicated to The White Australia policy and how racist the country was in the early days.Which is fine, its part of our history, but its not balanced enough. We have had plenty of success stories with migrants from all over the world. Show more of this... Celebrate how the migrants have improved the country and how diverse the population is now.The main hall is empty, although it makes for a cool photo... Opportunity to have displays and other pieces would be a better use of the hall.

Nice but not amazing. They can definitively display more stories and old items in such a huge space.

This place is an absolute must! Great explanations, very well made films, fantastic layout, ideas, and so on.You learn so much! Facts, ways of life, all seen with different points of view. You cant come out feeling the same as when you went.Dont miss it.

A wonderful journey through Australias short, checkered history. Very moving, often embarrassing, often sad and frequently emotional but a must see experience. A credit to the curators.

Great exhibitions capturing the history of migration in Australia and sharing information on the key impact of migration to Australias economy and culture. Very educational exhibits and some really immersive experiences on offer at the museum to learn about different cultures.

Pretty good. Extra exhibit only loosely related to immigration but still mildly interesting. Main exhibition good. Lots of reading to do, some interactive elements. Set aside at least 1.5 hours to visit, or 2-2.5 hours if youre a reader. Lots of accessible accommodations but probably too long and disengaged for children under 12 or so, and maybe a little older too. Staff were very warm and helpful.

I thought it was pretty interesting. Hadnt visited it for nearly 20 years, and I can say that it has changed dramatically since then. It is much more interactive than it used to be, with touch screens and numerous video screens displaying migrant stories and other historical events. I would suggest that if you want to take most of it in, you need to give yourself a good two hours. Most of it is located on the first and second floors. The ground floor has a lounge / library type area where you can have a seat and read the various books they have there. Just my opinion, but I dont think the museum is really that interesting of a place for kids - its a bit more adult oriented. Im glad this museum is in the process of changing certain exhibits though, especially language that relates to our First Nations peoples. Some of the racist language and policies of the past really shocked and appalled me actually. I get that it needs to be remembered, but I did find it a bit confronting in parts. I didnt take many photos, but have attached a few to show the amazing architecture inside.

A great museum. I really felt it in my heart.

Great museum. Very fairly priced. The immigration history was really nice with modern display and interactive area. The identity part (level2was unexpected and amazing. A must go to in Melbourne.

Its my second visit to this museum and I really enjoyed it. As Im an Concession Card Holder the entrance was free...otherwise its only AUD$15...Great stories about immigrants to Australia over a long period of time. Also information in regards to Immigration Law changes.

Fabulous to see where our background Australians came from, including my family! We spent 3 hours there absorbing all of the cultural experiences :loved it and highly recommend if you want to learn how our country grew and developed into the amazing country we our privileged to live in.

To learn more about Australian immigrants and their struggle. Make sure you visit this place. One small tip, please allow yourself at least half a day, as you will be getting lots of information and lots of reading.

What an amazing place! Its wonderful to see historical objects and documents so well preserved. Museums staff is fantastic. Im definitely going to visit it again!

This place is amazing! didn’t get any photos but the historical timelines where decent on story telling I would recommend going to this Museum!

This should be #1 on your list of museums to visit in Melbourne. Exhibits tell honest, intimate stories that really make you think. Great summaries and visualizations of immigrant experiences from the 1800s to today.

Was good but not enough to see.It should be free for all..

Interesting experience. Several parts of the Becoming the exhibition were closed or being put together, somewhat breaking up the experience. I found some of the first-person accounts fascinating, and the attempts to get visitor participation by writing personal anecdotes very good. But the form of the displays and presentations required a particular mindset and is not how my mind works - but many visitors appeared well into it. For example, for me, a distinction between kids and adults and the idea of "becoming adult" as a massive transition does not compute - we change all the time, all through our lives. I think previous generations were far more into that mindset "kids and adults are different" My mother, for example always said "learning is what you do at school. Then you grow up and get on with life". No. Learning should be a lifetime job and kids are people too.

A good place to read in detail about Australias history.

Informative displays, excellent interpretation. We particularly enjoyed the story of the family of women artists. The computers in the discovery room were not working which was a pity. We were looking for information about Maribyrnong Migrant Hostel.

I made a special effort to come and visit as former migrant, on a cold and wet day. I was disappointed at the lack of displays. The whole top floor made no sense, with 9 million migrants their stories were unrepresented, with only handful of individual displayed. Where is the arrival connections via boats or planes, could not even get a cup of coffee and the entry fee were not value for money. Left underwhelmed

Great eye-opening and captivating museum. One exhibit had me in tears. Very well done and the staff were so friendly and knowledgeable. A wonderful experience, I would recommend this to anyone regardless of where you come from.

This museum is for serious history buffs or those interested in knowing detailed historical information about the making and becoming of Australia. Worth visiting only if you are an avid historian or historical fact gatherer.

We had the pleasure of being party of a Corporate Christmas Party last year. Amazing venue. Staff were kind and helpful. Food looked delicious. Beautiful atmosphere.

Wonderful museum very well laid out with lots of fascinating details. Well worth a visit.

Permanent exhibition is very enlightening, especially for a country and city so built and influenced by modern immigration. Temporary exhibition on adulthood was surprisingly earnest and cathartic. Definitely worth a visit!

Visited the Immigration Museum in April 2021 and was pleasantly surprised with the pure beauty of this place. I believe it is a hidden gem in Melbourne!From the beautiful architecture to the detailed artefacts and content rich information, I truly believe there is something for everyone at the museum.As a young adult with immigrant Italian grandparents, I felt connected to learn more about their journey to Australia. The museum provides so many interesting records and facts that I can directly relate back to my family and how I have come to live in this country.The ‘Becoming You’ exhibition was also a great addition and I loved learning about other individual’s life experiences. It was like walking in their shoes for a couple of minutes.Definitely recommend this place for anyone who likes reflecting back on their own experiences and are willing to learn others, and the history of Australian immigration.

As a tourist in Melbourne wanting to explore the history of Australia as a country and how it became one of the most diverse countries in the world, this museum is the right place to be at.The museum offers a brilliant insight to the history of immigrants and how it all began.There are amazing arts at display, a beautiful historical screening depicting the stories of millions of immigrants during the world war or post war and modern times.The museum offers mind blowing resemblance of many cultures that were brought in Australia by the immigrants and how it shaped the Australia we all know of today.A must place for explorers and curious minds.

The Immigration Museum was interesting, and the museum spans over three floors. We only found the second floor to really talk about the immigration to Australia over the last few hundred years, with the other two floors have less interesting exhibits, in our opinion. Some of the immigration stories were interesting and we enjoyed the historical accounts. Unfortunately the top floor just wasnt what we were expecting.

Australia has a long history of Immigration and this museum has some great exhibits which showcase why people have moved to this country and how their journey’s have been and have shaped the culture of Australia as a nation. As many as 9 Million people have immigrated to Australia since 1788 when the first fleet arrived in Sydney. Definitely worth checking if you are history buff and want to know more about Immigration to Australia. It’s located in a beautiful building which use to be a customs house till 1960’s.

Was a good experience a unique insight into our country’s history and development. A lot of interactive displays but i feel I personally would have learnt more and had a better understanding with a guided tour.The building it self is something to be admired from an architectural and craftsmanship’s view point. It might be/ I’m sure it is the bogan in me but I didn’t get the Art exhibition.Should be on the school curriculum.

Been there once, and it was fun.I learnt some knowledge from here, and make me love this city more !!Also some facilities you even could pretend yourself as the immigrant staff to grant the people or not!! It quite fun !

I ventured across Immigration Museum in Flinders Street across from Yarra River and it was an emotional experience reading through the immigration experience in Australia to modern times. The museum houses 3 levels of exhibitions focused around Australian historical records of immigration progression and living experiences. The stories were very moving and poignant, not to mention very enriching. Highly recommended!

Very interesting place to visit. Self guided tour which takes approx 90 mins to complete. I learned so much more about the first people arriving to Australia by ship and what the true Australians went thru, and all from the museum. Definitely recommend a visit. Sorry photos are limited but I wasnt able to take photos whilst inside.

Good ambience on the new exhibition on tattoos. Informative and focuses on all ethnicities and how all people played an important role in the shaping of Australia.

Immigration Museum Melbourne⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️$15 for Adults, Free for Kids & Concession (Aussie senior card). Smaller museum, 2 floors in a beautiful marble building outline of interesting history for the last 150 years. This is the third and permanent building on this land as it was the former immigration office. Learn about discrimination laws coming to help those who’d already been here and couldn’t become citizens. Sit and watch the short movie about why people came here. Really thought provoking.

An amazing place, all the exhibition was carefully mounted, every detail has a meaning. I wish in the future it has more presence of Latin America immigrants.

We found the immigration museum stale, and lacking interactive installations. Very passive overall. We were quite surprised. Photos in the visiting tattoo exhibition were repetitive. Paying aud15 for this was not what we expected.

A must see when youre in Melbourne. Australia has been shaped by immigration policy, and this museum does a great job of showing where weve come from, where weve fallen short, and how we can do better. Give yourself a couple of hours. The Japanese tattoo exhibit was excellent.

Free basic admission or for a small fee can tour the entire museum. Great exhibits. Australia is quite the melting pot as we all know. Very interactive.

If you want to learn how immigration in Australia started and continued, this is the place to visit. The exposition provides necessary information, invites you to think differently about others and touches subjects about humans and the believes they have. At the day of my visit some artistic photos illustrate the tattoo culture mainly in Samoa and Japan.

A great educational and inspiring place! I’ve been to “Identity: yours, mine, ours ” exhibition in Level 2 and it was truly creative in approaching the whole identity issue through the lens of personal stories and an informative review of Australia’s history and its struggle with identity!The museum also hosts an exhibition about Ramadan - the holy month for Muslim! I found it educational and beautiful!

One of a kind museum which celebrates diversity and weaves a multicultural fabric that makes up Australia. The building is also an architectural gem, used to be the Customs House, which is has been positively reused for a significant purpose.

I visited when they had the LOVE exhibition. The exhibition itself was very touching and very immersive with some very heartwarming stories as well as ones that made me tear up. Also many good photo opportunities with the cool neon signs that have up for the exhibit. I have not visited this museum whilst it was not showcasing this exhibition so I cannot give valid feedback on that aspect of it.

Spent close to two hours in the Love exhibit. It is amazing! So well done and touching, and showcases a wide variety of people and relationships. I rarely participate in audio tours, but I really enjoyed this one, both for the music and the spoken stories.

Really great exhibit on "love". Rest of the museum was also very interesting. Good to see they didnt try to gloss over Australias complicated history with immigration (anti-Chinese policies, dictation tests, etc.). Really interesting and a fairly inexpensive way to spend a morning or afternoon.

Great museum with the focus on the immigration; the people that arrived, who they were, how theyre arrived, and when. They also go through the discrimination, the British policy making and the following Australian policies. They have so many artifacts from history and so much information. They also have some information about the customs house itself. I love that the place isnt too big, its perfect size for the job. Its a great museum and I highly recommend it!