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The NGV sign by the water wall at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne

No. 25 Top 100 Most Visited Art Museums 2025 · 2,495,189 visitors in 2025

NGV International

Melbourne, Australia · City guide: Melbourne

Australia's oldest public art museum: world art from antiquity to now, with free entry, on St Kilda Road.

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Photo: Pru.mitchell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

NGV International is No. 25 in The Art Newspaper's survey of the world's most visited art museums, with 2,495,189 visitors in 2025, up 9% on 2024 (a figure that covers more than one building). The National Gallery of Victoria, founded in 1861, is the oldest public art museum in Australia.

Its international collection is housed in the building on St Kilda Road designed by Roy Grounds and opened in 1968, famous for its water wall entrance. Australian art is shown at the NGV's other site, the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square.

Aerial view of NGV International and its garden, Melbourne
Aerial view of NGV International and its garden, Melbourne. Photo: Lakeyboy at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source

Best time to visit

Weekday mornings are the quietest. Major exhibitions, such as the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series, draw crowds and are worth booking.

Highlights & collections

  • 1

    Water wall

    Visitors trail their fingers through the sheet of water over the glass entrance.

  • 2

    Great Hall

    Lie on the floor to look up at Leonard French's vast stained-glass ceiling.

  • 3

    The Banquet of Cleopatra

    Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's sumptuous painting of the Egyptian queen's feast.

  • 4

    European old masters

    Works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck and others.

  • 5

    Grollo Equiset Garden

    A sculpture garden behind the building.

Getting there

NGV International is at 180 St Kilda Road, a 10-minute walk from Flinders Street Station across Princes Bridge. Trams along St Kilda Road stop nearby.

Visiting tips

Tickets & hours
Entry to the collection is free; major exhibitions charge. Check the official website for hours and prices.
Time needed
Two to three hours.
Currency
Australian dollar (AUD). Cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere. Tipping is not expected.
Visa & entry
Everyone except New Zealand citizens needs a visa or an electronic travel authority before travelling. Citizens of the US, Canada, the UK, Japan and several other countries can apply for an ETA through the official AustralianETA app; EU citizens can apply online for a free eVisitor. Apply only through official Australian government channels (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au).

Official information: National Gallery of Victoria (official website). Check opening hours, prices and entry rules there before you go.

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