RMIT Gallery
About RMIT Gallery
RMIT Gallery is a public art gallery located in the heart of Melbourne that presents engaging exhibitions of contemporary and twentieth-century art and design. Our dynamic program focusses on RMIT research and local cultural stories, showcasing provocative works that enrich the student experience and engage local audiences.
History
RMIT Gallery is located in historic Storey Hall, which was built in 1887. RMIT Gallery was officially opened on 16 March 1977, with an inaugural exhibition of 40 works by John Brack. An extensive refurbishment was completed in 1996 and the building is now a celebrated example of architectural innovation, in the heart of Melbourne’s cultural tourism precinct.
Easily accessible by public transport, the RMIT Gallery is only walking distance from the State Library of Victoria, Federation Square, the National Gallery of Victoria and the Melbourne Museum.
Throughout its long colourful history, the building has been a part of the life of Melbourne – from social and political protest to its current role as a significant contributor to the city’s arts and exhibiting calendar.
Hours of Operation
RMIT Gallery is open 11am-5pm Tuesday to Friday and Saturday 12.00pm-4pm during exhibitions, and is closed on public and University holidays.
RMIT Culture
RMIT Gallery is part of RMIT Culture.
RMIT Culture brings together the university’s cultural spaces, creative programs and art, film, design and research collections, providing valuable support for the university’s learning and teaching activities and opportunities to inspire creativity and collaboration. By showcasing and expanding RMIT’s cultural assets through new initiatives RMIT Culture helps facilitate an enterprise-wide approach to cultural engagement.
Getting Here
RMIT Gallery is located on Swanston Street in Melbourne’s CBD. The Gallery is located in RMIT Building 16 and is a part of Storey Hall, one of the University’s most iconic buildings. RMIT Gallery has two entrances, the Swanston Street entrance has several stairs. Our accessible entrance via lift is on Rodda Lane opposite RMIT Building 8.
- By car: There is a limited amount of ticketed on-street parking in the area. There are multiple commercial carparks located in the Melbourne CBD, many within close proximity to RMIT Gallery.
- By tram: The closest tram stop is Stop 6 La Trobe St/Swanston St, Tram Route Numbers 1-6, 16, 30, 64, 72 service this stop.
- By train: The closest train stop is Melbourne Central.
- By bike: There is bicycle parking located on Swanston Street outside RMIT Gallery.
RMIT Gallery in the Media
Planning your visit (for individuals and groups less than ten)
RMIT Gallery is free to visit and if you are visiting on your own or in a group less than ten you do not need to pre-book.
Planning your visit (for any group visit of ten or more people, including RMIT student and staff groups)
Please email us at galleries@rmit.edu.au to organise your visit
In your request please include the following information:
- Group leader(s) name, email address and contact number
- Desired date and time for visit (RMIT Gallery is open 11am-4pm Tuesday-Friday and Saturday 12pm-4pm during exhibition dates)
- Name of institution and subject/course of study (if relevant)
- Number of people in your group and educators or supervisors
- If any members of your group have accessibility requirements
We require all groups of ten or more people to book their visit to RMIT Gallery in advance. Bookings are essential to minimise clashes with other events and programming.
Requests for group bookings must be made at least two weeks in advance of your planned visit date.
We strongly encourage educators to visit our exhibitions before booking a group visit. If you have any questions about the exhibition and/or specific artworks, please mention this during your booking so we can best support your visit.
Introductory talks given by Gallery staff are available upon request and are subject to staff availability. Introductory talks provide a brief overview of the exhibition and run for approximately five to ten minutes. Teachers and educators are then responsible for group engagement with the exhibition. If you are interested in an introductory talk for your group, please mention this whilst booking. Introductory talks will not be available for groups booking within two weeks of their visit or who arrive at the gallery without making a booking in advance.
For primary and secondary school groups, adult supervision of students is required at all times, at no time will RMIT Gallery assume responsibility for your group. Please find below the required teacher-to-student ratios and ensure the adequate number of teachers and/or guardians are present during your visit:
- 1:5 for primary groups
- 1:10 for secondary groups
- 1:20 for tertiary groups
At the gallery
Upon arrival at RMIT Gallery, please stop by our Front of House reception and see the staff member on the desk to check your group in for their visit. For group bookings, please note that backpacks will need to be left at the Front of House desk before you enter the gallery.
Before entering the gallery, it’s a good idea to go over gallery etiquette with your group. At RMIT Gallery we ask that visitors:
- Treat staff, other visitors and each other with respect while visiting RMIT Gallery
- No touching of the artworks, unless the work is interactive (staff will invigilate group interaction with interactive artworks)
- Don’t use flash photography when taking photos of artworks
- No running, loud voices or eating and/or drinking while inside the gallery spaces
- Sketching and/or completing worksheets in the gallery is permitted with dry materials only (pencils, graphite sticks, and/or wax crayons).
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