There are lots of places to meet friends and family in and around Arts Centre Melbourne.
If you would like to meet someone outside, you could meet them:
If you would like to avoid crowds or noise, ask one of our team members to suggest some quieter areas for you to relax in before, during or after an event.
Please ask one of our team if you need assistance. They wear black Arts Centre Melbourne uniforms with a gold name tag. During a major festival, they may be wearing promotional t-shirts advertising the festival with their name tag clearly visible.
Please note: our team is unable to assist with using toilet facilities or transferring visitors from wheelchairs to seats.
Our buildings have directional signage on the walls and hanging from the ceiling. Our signage looks like this:
We have communication cards at our Welcome Desk. It is located inside the street level doors of the Theatres Building. These can be used to help you ask us questions or communicate your needs.
The main foyer in our Theatres Building is one level below the street. You can use the stairs, escalator or lifts to access this level.
The main foyer for Hamer Hall is street level, just inside the doors on St Kilda Road.
Before a show begins you may hear some announcements in your venue’s foyer. These will let you know when a venue is open (so that you can take your seat), and the final call before the venue doors are about to close (and the show is about to start).
Please listen out for these or ask our team if you need any assistance.
Our foyers and venues are usually kept at approximately 22°C.
If you've brought your own food, you can eat it in the foyers, on the lawn area between the Theatres Building and Hamer Hall or in the Queen Victoria Gardens opposite Arts Centre Melbourne. If you're attending a show, you can bring water in with you.
During the day, Protagonist is a great place to get a coffee or sandwich. It is located outdoors in front of the Theatres Building. They also serve cakes, pastries, snacks and a variety of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. It is casual and family-friendly, with unreserved tables and chairs under the shade and in the sun. If you would prefer a quieter place to enjoy your drink and food, Protagonist is across the road from a park. Find more information about Protagonist here
From late afternoon, The Barre is open for visitors to enjoy food and drink before or after an evening event. It is a stylish and modern bar serving drinks, food to share, and main meals. The Barre has indoor and outdoor seating. There are heaters and some umbrellas outside. It can be busy before a show starts or on Friday nights. Download The Barre’s menus here or book a table directly through our page
For more places to eat at Arts Centre Melbourne, visit our Food & Beverage pages
The Southbank Food Court is nearby, next to Hamer Hall on the banks of the Yarra River. It is a short walk from our Theatres Building, or accessible from St Kilda Road via an outdoor lift. The Food Court is indoors and has indoor and outdoor seating. There is a range of different food and drink outlets. It is casual and family-friendly but can get noisy during busy times. Find more information about the Southbank Food Court
