Things to do in Melbourne in March

Have you ever wanted to walk the hallowed halls that once housed notorious criminals like Ned Kelly and Mark 'Chopper' Read? Well, soon you'll have your chance: the historic Pentridge Prison in Coburg is reopening for public tours from March 1, 2023. 

Pentridge opened its doors in 1851 and served as a maximum security prison for nearly 150 years, so you know it's going to be spooky in there. The 90-minute tours, which are partially narrated by former inmate Uncle Jack Charles, will delve into the stories of former inmates and highlight the historical disproportionate imprisonment of First Nations people. As you listen, you'll be taken through different sections of the prison, learn about how the place was run and how prisoners were treated. 

Tickets start at $35 and will be available through the Pentridge Prison website. Watch this space for more details. 

Love being spooked? Read about Cell 17, the most haunted prison cell at Old Melbourne Gaol.

Head to Scienceworks for a brand new exhibition focusing on the science of light. Kids and adults alike will love this exploration of light and colour, featuring interactive exhibits, neon displays, and even an invisible laser sensor chamber.

With an illuminated colour-mixing station, a giant kaleidoscope and more, the hands-on, interactive play is an excellent introduction to the world of STEM for kids and will keep them entertained during the winter school holidays.

"Our new experience encourages play, exploration and creativity, reflecting our museum's role in fostering life-long engagement with STEM and preparing young Victorians for the science and technology-led workforce of the future," said Lynley Crosswell, the CEO of Museums Victoria. 

The exhibition runs until July 2023 at Scienceworks. Entry is $12, in addition to the $15 museum entry.

Looking to get your culture fix? Here are the best art exhibitions in Melbourne this month.

If you were to ask almost any local what Melbourne is best known for, there’s a chance you’ll get a reference to its laneways. While a good number of Melbourne laneways are already filled with art, eateries, and hidden bars, there are a fair few that are lesser known and haven’t reached their full laneway potential, until now.

Supported by the City of Melbourne, Flash Forward is Melbourne’s most ambitious street art project, with over 40 large-scale works commissioned and set to hit the laneways of Melbourne. Among the program are familiar names like Celeste Mountjoy (filthyratbag), Jarra Karralinar Steel, Olana Janfa, Aretha Brown, DREZ, and Ling, with more lighting, music and creative installations in the works. 

From Mountjoy’s ‘Your Turn’ on Little Lonsdale Street standing over six metres tall with vibrant pops of colour, through to LING’s gargantuan sculptural piece ‘Crushed Can’ on Wills Street paying homage to the city’s graffiti scene, Flash Forward is encouraging exploration with an element of surprise, as pieces seem to pop up across the city overnight. While a fair few pieces are already up, the ever-growing program list means there are still a bunch more pieces yet to hit the laneways of Melbourne. 

If you’re interested in taking yourself on a laneway tour, there’s an interactive and printable map available on the Flash Forward website.

Want more art? Check out the best street art spots in Melbourne.

Get ready to go on a journey through living light when Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium unveils its new interactive digital experience in mid-February. 

Marking the major attraction’s first foray into this ever-evolving art form, Submerged is inspired by the bioluminescent underwater world and will tell the story of the mysterious firefly squid (which emits a glowing blue light from its body) and other majestic ocean creatures. The exhibition will also explore magical locations such as a glittering shoreline in the midst of spawning season and a moonlit deep dive into the depths of the bioluminescent unknown.

Suitable for all ages, Submerged will run until December 2023 while the 2.2 million litre Oceanarium undergoes a massive renovation. During this time, the larger sharks and rays will not be on display – but rest assured there will still be thousands of marine animals and freshwater animals to discover during your visit. 

“As one of Melbourne’s top tourist attractions, we are excited to be diving into new depths with the launch of Submerged," says Claire Burrell, general manager of Sea Life Melbourne. “The digital experience will captivate guests with its vibrance and hyperrealism, providing them with an alternative but no less engaging ocean experience while our Oceanarium is upgraded.”

Access to Submerged is included in the price of your admission and will be open to the public until December 2023. For more information, head to the website.

ICYMI: three adorable baby elephants were just born at Melbourne Zoo – and you can now see them!

Catherine Martin's costumes from Baz Luhrmann's acclaimed movie Elvis have arrived at the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra, joining the exhibition Australians and Hollywood as a major drawcard.

See the famous 'Aztec' jumpsuit that the King wears in his final concert that concludes the film; the pink woollen suit jacket he wears in at his breakthrough performance; the 'Blue Wheat' jumpsuit; and more costumes worn by star Austin Butler and other cast members. 

Australians and Hollywood has been running for a year in the nation's capital, and new arrivals also include props from Jane Campion's Oscar-winning western The Power of the Dog. Other highlights include customised steering wheels from Mad Max: Fury Road, spectacular costumes from Moulin Rouge! and The Sapphires; and Luhrmann and Martin’s famous art concept books for Romeo + Juliet. 

Two years in the making and presented with major partner VisitCanberra, Australians and Hollywood contains never-before publicly seen objects, costumes, original documents and footage from the archive’s huge collection, augmented by loans from the private collections of some of Australia’s most celebrated actors, cinematographers and filmmakers, including Eric Bana and Mia Wasikowska.

With dozens of Australians contributing to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, filmmakers such as George Miller and Luhrmann hailed as visionaries, the likes of Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie and Cate Blanchett admired as A listers internationally, and First Nations storytellers like Rachel Perkins and Warwick Thornton the toast of international film festivals, there’s no denying the influence of the so-called “Aussiewood”. The show is a chance to find out more and take the opportunity to visit Canberra while you’re at it.

Full-price tickets to the exhibition are $16, and there are accommodation packages being offered at Accor Hotels in Canberra starting at $171/night too. Packages include accommodation, breakfast, an exclusive tote bag and tickets to Australians and Hollywood.

Find out more about Australians and Hollywood at the NFSA.