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#61 of 1,146 · Things to do in Melbourne Victoria

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Exhibitions ·Melbourne
4.510.6K
#3Exhibitions in Australia
  • Step-free access
  • Good on a rainy day
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About

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is a complex of three adjoining buildings beside the Yarra River in South Wharf, Melbourne, hosting conferences, exhibitions, concerts and community events.

What's on here

Mind, Body And Spirit Festival Mind, Body And Spirit Festival 13 Nov – 15 NovFree

Why go

  • The Convention Centre opened as the world’s first 6 Star Green Star convention centre.
  • Denton Corker Marshall designed the Exhibition Centre’s entrance, marked by a tilted metal blade.
  • The 70,000-square-metre complex includes 63 meeting rooms and 39,000 square metres of pillarless exhibition space.
  • A 450-metre urban verandah follows the Exhibition Centre’s riverside frontage.
  • Goldfields Theatre is a multipurpose space with retractable seating for 1,000.

Shorts

History

The Exhibition Centre launched with Victoria on Show, then Victoria’s largest free exhibition. A covered footbridge linked the exhibition and convention centres in 1998. PAX Australia has been held here since 2014, with online editions in 2020 and 2021. The venue became home to the Good Friday Appeal’s Kids Day Out.

  1. 1990The World Congress Centre Melbourne preceded the present complex.
  2. 1996The Exhibition Centre opened on 14 February. Originally planned for the Melbourne Museum, it was redirected to exhibition use during construction by Premier Jeff Kennett, after whom it is nicknamed “Jeff’s Shed”. It received the Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture that year.
  3. 2004A government commitment funded construction of the Convention Centre for local and international events.
  4. 2009The Convention Centre, designed by NH Architecture and Woods Bagot, opened beside the Exhibition Centre on 5 June.
  5. 2010The Convention Centre received the Australian Construction Achievement Award.
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  1. 2014PAX Australia debuted at the venue as Australia’s first major gaming and pop culture convention.
  2. 2018An expansion increased the venue’s size by 25%, adding exhibition space, event rooms, a banquet room, a theatre, and a café and bar.
  3. 2020The Melbourne Art Fair moved to the centre as its permanent home.

Facilities

  • Free Wi-Fi Available throughout the buildings.
  • Cafés and bars They serve in-house-made food using locally sourced ingredients, including Padre Coffee.
  • Parent Rooms Both centres have private spaces for feeding or changing children.
  • Prayer rooms Located in the Convention Centre.
  • Charging stations At Shed Café, Plenary Lounge, Goldfields Café + Bar and two staircases.
  • Coat, pram and luggage storage The Customer Service desk at Convention Centre Place can help store these items.
  • Wheelchairs A limited number are available for day loans.
  • Braille signs Room-door and fixed directional signs have Braille.
  • Assistance dogs Registered assistance dogs are welcome throughout the buildings.
  • Cash-free payments and ATMs The venue is cash-free. ATMs are on the Exhibition Centre concourse near Door 4.

How to get there

  • TrainSouthern Cross Station is the closest train station.
  • 10 minOn footWalk from Southern Cross Station to the Clarendon Street entrance.
  • TramTake tram 96, 109 or 12 to stop 124A outside the Clarendon Street entrance.
  • 10 minBusFrom Southern Cross Station, take bus 237; its stop is about a 10-minute walk from the Convention Centre Place entrance.
  • 5 minTramTake tram 70, 75 or the City Circle to Spencer and Flinders Streets, then walk down Clarendon Street to the venue.
  • BikeBike hoops are at South Wharf Promenade and Convention Centre Place.
  • CarTaxis and rideshares can pick up and drop off just outside the Convention Centre Place entrance.
  • ParkingThe Exhibition Centre basement car park has accessible spaces with lift access to Doors 1, 6 and 10.

Accessibility

  • Step-free access Ramps are available throughout.
  • Hearing-assisted devices Telephones and devices are available to borrow at no cost in Convention Centre meeting rooms.

Sources: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre - Wi… · Melbourne's Leading Event Venue | MCEC · History | Learn More About MCEC | MCEC · Château Merveilles | MCEC · Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre - Wi… · Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre: tic… · checked 10 Oct 2026

Where
1 Convention Centre Pl, Melbourne Victoria

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Questions and answers

How should I plan my visit to Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre?

Use your event’s programme to plan your arrival and departure.

What are the opening hours at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre?

The venue operates 24 hours daily; check your event’s advertised start and finish times.

Can I pay with cash at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre?

The venue is cash-free.

Where can I leave a coat, pram or bag at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre?

Ask the Customer Service desk at Convention Centre Place for help with storage.

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