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Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 5pm

Old Melbourne Gaol

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Old Melbourne Gaol

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👮🏻‍♂️ Melbourne’s Original Gaol. Est 1845.
🚨 Open Daily 10am to 5pm Tickets and Information
www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au

Old Melbourne Gaol
Open Wednesday - Sunday, 10am to 5pm
Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday.

13/10/2026

06/10/2026

Have you explored Pentridge Prison yet?

18/09/2026

Billie B Brown returns to Old Melbourne Gaol for the final time these Spring School Holidays!

Step inside Melbourne’s historic Old Melbourne Gaol and join Billie B and the Secret Mystery Club for an exciting self-paced mystery trail.

A mysterious treasure has been missing for years. Long ago, a guard lost it during his rounds inside the Gaol, and it was never found. Now, Billie B and her friends are determined to uncover the truth and solve the mystery once and for all.

Using your activity map, follow a trail of clues through the historic cell block, meeting members of the Secret Mystery Club along the way. Search for hidden clues, decode secret messages and uncover pieces of the story as you explore the Gaol.

🗓️19 September to 4 October 2026, 10am–5pm
📍Old Melbourne Gaol, 377 Russell St, Melbourne
🎟️ Comment BILLIEB and we’ll send you the details and how to get free entry!

10/09/2026

Scary. Terrifying. Fun! 👀

What’s it actually like to play Call of Cthulhu inside a real prison cell? Our last players know…

Cell of Cthulhu is a three-hour immersive tabletop role-playing experience where cosmic horror, dark worlds and unsettling mysteries come to life inside the historic City Watch House at Old Melbourne Gaol. 🔐

With a professional Masters of Alchemy Game Master guiding the story, you’ll work together to unravel a complete one-shot adventure. And yes, you’ll be playing from inside an authentic Melbourne prison cell.

📍 Old Melbourne Gaol – City Watch House, 377 Russell St, Melbourne
🗓️ Wednesday 23 September
🕡 6.30pm–9.30pm

Love tabletop games, dark history or immersive experiences? Or just looking for something completely different to do on a Melbourne weeknight?

Tag your gaming crew and get your tickets! 🎲 Link in comments.

30/08/2026

Have you ever wondered why death masks were made from hanged prisoners? 💀

Could the shape of your skull reveal your character, or even whether you were prone to criminal behaviour?

In the 1800s, some people believed it could.

Known as phrenology, this now-discredited theory claimed that the shape and contours of the skull could reveal a person’s character and personality. The skull was divided into different sections, each supposedly linked to a particular trait, from intelligence and self-esteem to “destructiveness”.

Death masks and plaster casts of executed prisoners were used in attempts to study these supposed characteristics. One of the most famous examples is Ned Kelly, whose death mask was made shortly after his ex*****on at Melbourne Gaol in 1880.

But what did people actually believe they could learn from the shape of a prisoner’s head?

Hear from Historian and Curator Lizzie Anya-Petrivna as she explores the fascinating, and thoroughly debunked, world of death masks and phrenology at Old Melbourne Gaol.

Want to uncover more stories of crime, punishment and criminology? Explore the gaol on an audio tour included with your ticket, or join one of our guided tours and experiences, including Hangman’s Night Tour, Ghosts! What Ghosts?, Ned Kelly’s Last Stand and Life in the City Watch House.

School groups can also step inside the gaol and discover its history through our school excursions and education programs.

📍 Old Melbourne Gaol, 377 Russell St, Melbourne
🗓️ Open daily, 10am–5pm

🆓 Free general admission for National Trust members

🎟️ Tickets via the link in bio, including our special $30 general admission offer for under 30s daily.

Share this with someone fascinated by true crime, history, Ned Kelly or Melbourne’s darker past.

Address

377 Russell Street
Melbourne, VIC
3000

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	10am - 5pm

Website

http://www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au/

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