Although you may have visited some of our well-known performance spaces, such as the State Theatre, Playhouse, Fairfax Studio and Hamer Hall, there a multitude of other nooks and crannies around Arts Centre Melbourne, indoor and out, that you might like to know a little more about...
Taking it from the top…(of our Theatres Building, that is!)
We proudly present our premier function space with floor-to-ceiling windows and an elegant domed ceiling finished in gold leaf. The surrounding private balcony features magnificent views of the Alexandra and Queen Victoria Gardens, the city skyline, Arts Centre Melbourne lawn and Federation Square. Read more about The Pavilion.
Located at the front of Arts Centre Melbourne, and overlooking our forecourt, the Plaza Room is suitable for meetings, dinners and cocktails for up to 25. Read more about The Plaza Room.
This versatile room, suitable for meetings, dinners for up to 20 and cocktails for up to 65, has a small entrance area and large private balcony overlooking our forecourt. Read more about The Hugh Williamson Room.
This small gallery, leading to our exclusive Members Lounge and Dining room is situated on the mezzanine overlooking the Australian Music Vault and is available for small cocktail parties.
Located just inside the entrance of the Theatres Building and in front of the Australian Music Vault, our friendly Visitor Experience team are on hand from sun up to well-after sun down. So drop by for friendly advice on disability access, performances & exhibitions, where to grab a bite to eat, merchandise sales, taxi bookings and more. This is also our tour departure point and where anyone coming to meet our administrative and operations staff can report their arrival.
Often featuring ongoing smaller exhibitions and displays, the St Kilda Rd Foyer follows the curve of the Theatres Building and is a unique space for smaller cocktail functions with a twist.
Our large, red-carpeted foyer in the Theatres Building is the pre-performance hub of Arts Centre Melbourne. It houses our Box Office and theatre entrances and connects through to our car park and St Kilda Rd.
Situated in the Smorgon Family Plaza, the display cases feature selected objects from our Performing Arts Collection.
These luxurious lounges are located in the Theatres Building adjacent to the State Theatre Stalls foyer and the Fairfax Studio foyer. Linked by an adjoining door, they are ideal for cocktail parties, presentations and dinner parties. The Amcor Lounge can accommodate 50 for dinner, 100 for cocktails and 65 for theatre-style presentations. The State Theatre Lounge can seat 40 guests for dinner, 80 for cocktails and 50 for presentations. Read more about these Lounges.
The Rehearsal Room for the State Theatre can be accessed via the escalator to the State Stalls foyer or from the lift (head down to Level 3). It’s where we sometimes hold workshops, rehearsals and unique performances requiring smaller spaces.
The Ian and Primrose Potter Foyer is where you can relax and have a drink or bite to eat before seeing a show in the Fairfax Studio. You’ll know you’ve found it when you feast your eyes on Jeffrey Smart’s vivid painting “Container Train in Landscape" (did you know you can self-guided tours of our Art collections?) along the main wall opposite the bar (yes, there’s a bar here that opens one hour before performances in the Fairfax.)
The foyers of the Playhouse Theatre feature a stunning collection of Western Desert paintings by important indigenous artists. It contains a bar that opens one hour prior to performances in the Playhouse.
The Playhouse Rehearsal Room is an ideal space we often use for ‘Performance Discovery Workshops’ with children. It’s buried deep in our building, so can only be accessed with a staff member from Arts Centre Melbourne. (If you book to see or do something in this space, you will also get instructions on where to meet and how we will get you there on time!)
Situated at the front of the Arts Centre Melbourne Lawn, the Covered Walkway forms part of the Sunday Market and is a way of beating the Melbourne rain (or sun!) when you need to head from either our car park or the Theatres Building to get to your performance, function or dinner date at Hamer Hall.
This gathering place is where we hold our exciting Sunday Market, outdoor events, such as those linked to the Betty Amsden Participation Project, or where you can just lie back on a bright Melbourne day and enjoy your moment in the sun.
Home to Protagonist, our outdoor café, the Theatre’s Forecourt also features a podium for bands and plays host to The Famous Spiegeltent.
