Dino Discovery: Melbourne Museum Spring School Holidays 2024

Get ready to roar and stomp for a Spring School Holiday adventure like no other at Melbourne Museum!

From 23 September to 6 October 2024, Museums Victoria is bursting with activities that will spark your child’s curiosity and make learning fun for the whole family.

Read on for our hot list of 10 fun things you can’t miss at Melbourne Museum these Spring School Holidays!

victoria skeleton melbourne museum

Melbourne Museum SPRING School Holiday Program

This season, Melbourne Museum is the ultimate destination for dino lovers. Step into the prehistoric world and meet the star of the show—Victoria the T. rex.

This incredible 66-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex fossil is making its grand appearance, but don’t wait too long to visit—Victoria’s time in Melbourne is limited, with the exhibition closing on 20 October.

1. Victoria the T. rex Exhibition

Dates: Daily until 20 October 2024

Times: Museum hours (9:00 am – 5:00 pm)

Details: Explore the interactive exhibition featuring the real fossil skeleton of a 66-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex named Victoria. This is the largest and most complete T. rex fossil ever displayed in Australia.

Tickets: Members: $14 / Adults: $32.50 / Children: $18 / Concession: $22.50 / Children under 3: Free. Tickets include general admission to the museum.

Book tickets to Victoria the T.rex here.

2. Victoria the T. rex Closing Weekend Party

Dates: 19 and 20 October 2024

Times: Museum hours (9:00 am – 5:00 pm)

Details: Celebrate the last days of Victoria the T. rex with a dino disco, mask making, Museum Discovery programs, and Tiny Tours.

Prices: All activities are included with museum entry.

Book tickets to Victoria T. rex Closing Weekend Party here.

. Victoria the t.rex at Melbourne Museum. Photographer Eugene Hyland. Source Museums Victoria.
Victoria the T. rex at Melbourne Museum. Photographer Eugene Hyland. Source Museums Victoria.

Related post: Hands-On Fun: Spring School Holidays At Scienceworks 2024

Dinosaurs Take Over Melbourne Museum

And that’s not all. Melbourne Museum is hosting a variety of dino-themed events and activities.

Make your own 3D T. rex mask. Embark on a Din-O-Seek scavenger hunt to find 100 tiny dinosaurs hidden throughout the museum. Or, dig into some delicious treats at Dino Bites—where even Victoria the T. rex would approve of the tasty offerings…

3. Dino Bites

Dates: Daily until 20 October 2024

Times: Monday to Friday, 11:00 am – 2:30 pm

Details: Enjoy themed food offerings including loaded Angus Beef or chickpea and kale burgers, zesty salads, and rich soft serves. Kids’ Happy Bites lunch boxes are also available. Located on Lower Ground.

Prices: $3–$22

Find the Dino Bites menu here.

4. 100 Tiny Dinos – Din-O-Seek

Dates: Daily until 6 October 2024

Times: Museum hours (9:00 am – 5:00 pm)

Details: Search for 100 tiny dinosaur figures hidden throughout the museum, including 11 special sticker clues and the mysterious Crystal T. rex.

Prices: Included with museum entry.

Book tickets for 100 Tiny Dinos here.

5. T. rex Masks

Dates: 21 September – 4 October 2024

Times: Daily, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Details: Create your own 3D T. rex mask. Decorate, fold, and wear your mask as you explore the museum.

Prices: Included with museum entry.

Find details here or complete it at home!

Playbound Tiny Dinos at Melbourne Museum Source Museums Victoria Photo Eugene Hyland
Playbound Tiny Dinos at Melbourne Museum Source Museums Victoria Photo Eugene Hyland

Triceratops at Melbourne Museum

Of course, there is the a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see one of the world’s most complete Triceratops fossils too, all under one roof!

Journey back to the Cretaceous Period and come face-to-face with this iconic dinosaur. During the Spring School holidays, kids can get creative with the Triceratops in Technicolour workshop, where they’ll design their own augmented reality Triceratops using an iPad Pro.

6. Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs

Dates: Daily

Times: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Details: Discover the world of the Triceratops with this immersive exhibition that takes you back to the Cretaceous Period.

Prices: Included with museum entry.

Find more on Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs here.

7. Triceratops in Technicolour

Dates: 23 September – 4 October 2024

Times: Three sessions per day

Details: Kids can design and colour their own augmented reality Triceratops using Procreate on an iPad Pro. All materials are provided.

Prices: Member: $15 / Children: $20

Book Triceratops in Technicolour here.

MUSEUM TRICERATOPS
Triceratops at Melbourne Muserum. Photo by Eugene Hyland

8. Tiny Tours

For the littlest explorers, the Tiny Tours are a perfect fit. It’s a great way to introduce young kids to the wonders of the natural world in a fun and engaging way. Read our Tiny Tours review.

Dates: 27 September – 4 October 2024 (Fridays)

Times: 10:00 am – 10:45 am and 11:30 am – 12:15 pm

Details: A 45-minute guided tour for children aged 3 to 5, exploring areas like 600 Million Years, Dinosaur Walk, and Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs.

Tickets: Adult: $15 / Member child: $18 / Children: $22 / Concession: Free. Tickets include general museum entry.

Book Tiny Tours here.

Pxl .Mp Tiny Tours Amy Gardner Images Tiny Tours px
Tiny Tours run every Friday at Melbourne Museum for ages 3 – 5 years

IMAX Melbourne

For a cinematic experience like no other, head over to IMAX Melbourne for T.REX 3D. This awe-inspiring documentary narrated by Sam Neill takes you on a journey to Hell Creek, Montana, where you’ll join a group of palaeontologists and kids as they uncover ancient dinosaur fossils. It’s the most accurate and dazzling portrayal of a T. rex ever made, and it’s showing exclusively at IMAX.

9. T.REX 3D

Dates: Daily until 20 December 2024

Details: Experience the most accurate and visually stunning T. rex documentary in IMAX 3D, narrated by Sam Neill.

Prices: $10–$25. Joint tickets with Melbourne Museum’s Victoria the T. rex exhibition are available.

Book T.REX 3D here.

. Melbourne Museum Tiny Tours. Photographer Eugene Hyland. Credit Museums Victoria
Melbourne Museum Tiny Tours. Photographer Eugene Hyland. Credit Museums Victoria

10. Road to Zero

For something a bit different, don’t miss the Road to Zero exhibition, which offers a glimpse into the future of road safety. This interactive experience uses projections, touchscreens, and virtual reality to educate visitors on how we can all stay safe on the roads. And for parents, the Buckle Up! program is a must—learn all about car seat safety from experts and ensure your little ones are travelling as safely as possible.

Dates: 23 September – 5 October 2024 (excluding 29 September)

Times: Daily, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Details: A free program offering advice from experts on car seat safety for parents and carers, with fun activities for children.

Admission: Free

. Learn how to fit your child in their car safety seat Road to Zero Melbourne Museum Source Museums Victoria
Learn how to fit your child in their car safety seat Road to Zero Melbourne Museum Source Museums Victoria

Melbourne Museum Permanent Exhibits

While you visit during the school holidays, make sure you stop by these awesome exhibits at Melbourne Museum.

  • Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery (Daily Exhibition) – a wondrous place for babies to five-year-olds to explore, play and learn.
  • Gondwana Garden (Daily Exhibition) – Wander through Gondwana Garden and step into ecosystems of the past.
  • Dinosaur Walk (Daily Exhibition) – Walk among skeletons of prehistoric animals.
  • 600 Million Years (Daily Exhibition) – The origin and evolution of life in Victoria.
  • Dynamic Earth (Daily Exhibition) – A brilliant, immersive exhibition about our ever-changing Earth.
  • Mini Mega Model Museum (Daily Exhibition) – Welcome to the Mini Mega Model Museum, where the apples are wax and the Colosseum is small!
Melbourne Museum Childrens Gallery photo Joel Checkley
Melbourne Museum Children’s Gallery photo Joel Checkley

Check out the rest of Melbourne Museum’s must-do permanent exhibitions

Play outside at Carlton Gardens

Click here for more things to do in Melbourne this Spring


About Joyce Watts

Joyce Watts is a former intellectual property, IT and media lawyer turned serial entrepreneur.

As well as being the founder of TOT: HOT OR NOT she helps businesses with their SEO, email marketing & social media as BrightSmart.com.au; she owns an online bike store CycleStyle.com.au and develops and produces creative experiences for families via WheelieGoodFun.com. She used to publish another popular lifestyle and food blog called MEL: HOT OR NOT The decisive guide to Melbourne.

She lives in inner-city Melbourne with her husband, two children and seven bikes.

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