In Melbourne free activities can be hard to come by. The Royal Gardens, while stunning, aren’t exactly inviting when you’re battling the icy-cold or scorching heat. For an immersive, climate-controlled experience that’s both enriching and entertaining, look no further than ACMI, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. As Australia’s national museum of screen culture, ACMI offers a dynamic captivating blend of film, television, video games, digital art, and more. While many of ACMI’s exhibitions come with a price tag, their permanent exhibition The Story of the Moving Image is completely free and entirely worth your time.

This interactive exhibit is centred around a clever piece of tech called the Lens — a physical token you carry with you to “collect” digital content from the displays. You can revisit what you’ve gathered at home or view it all in what I call the Star Room near the exit.

The exhibit itself is hands-on and packed with surprises:

• play indie video games created by Australian developers
  
• step into a foley booth and add sound effects to old film clips
  
• edit together a scene using footage from iconic films and shows
  

You’ll also find beautifully crafted props from Memoir of a Snail by Australia’s own Adam Elliot, accompanied by a short interview where he walks you through his creative process. An interactive screen nearby lets you explore the story behind certain scenes of the film.

Take a seat and watch the original storyboards from Shrek and Madagascar 2, complete with Conrad Versnon’s “pitch”. Admire the astonishing TV miniatures and explore the evolution of the Australian living room through the lens of television history.

Watch a few clips of The Story of the Kelly Gang — the first feature-length film ever made and also the first film to be banned in Victoria. Only fragments of the film survive, but what remains is compelling. If you’re lucky, one of ACMI’s friendly VX guides might offer a spot talk to bring the story to life.

Spot talks are information supplied by ACMI and give further insight on the piece. They aren’t just reserved to this one exhibit. They’re open to all of the exhibits in The Story of The Moving Image. It’s always a fun surprise to see which one you’ll hear about. Though the timing isn’t a surprise they typically happen around 12:30pm and 2:30pm daily. 

I could go on and on about The Story of the Moving Image, but I won’t spoil everything. Some surprises are best discovered on your own.