I’m an important believer within the worth of gifting experiences relatively than objects in the case of children – so a present membership is an ideal current for households and children who’ve all of it!
Right here’s an inventory of my must-have memberships for Melbourne households. Some are free to hitch, some are paid – however all are extraordinarily good worth.
1. Your native library
Libraries are my primary parenting useful resource. Membership is free and you’ll borrow extra than simply books – audiobooks, DVDs, video games and even toys can be found.
You additionally get entry to library applications, workshops, seminars and faculty vacation actions which are sometimes free.
Associated: Finest libraries in Melbourne
2. Melbourne Metropolis Library Service
Along with becoming a member of your native library be sure you be part of Melbourne Library Service for CBD/inner-city library entry. Membership is free and open to all residents of Victoria. You possibly can borrow books and different objects and entry a variety of companies by changing into a member.
There are six centrally situated branches: Metropolis Library in Flinders Lane, Kathleen Syme Library Carlton, Library at The Dock Docklands, East Melbourne, North Melbourne and Southbank Library at Boyd.
Metropolis Library, 253 Flinders Lane Melbourne 03 9658 9500
Kathleen Syme Library and Group Centre, 251 Faraday St, Carlton 03 9658 7310
Library at The Dock, 107 Victoria Harbour Promenade, Docklands 03 9658 9998
East Melbourne Library, 122 George St, East Melbourne 03 9658 9600
North Melbourne Library, 66 Errol Pl, North Melbourne 03 9658 9700
Southbank Library at Boyd, 207 Metropolis Rd, Southbank 03 9658 8300
naarm Ngarrgu Library at Queen Victoria Market, 141 Therry St, Melbourne, (03) 9322 3700
3. State Library of Victoria
Library membership is free, and you’ll join a Library card on-line.
As a Library member, you may entry over two million books, images, artworks, paperwork, maps, manuscripts and extra once you go to State Library of Victoria. Members can even log in to hundreds of on-line databases, journals, magazines, ebooks and newspapers from all over the world.
Whereas the rarity of their assortment means that you’re not capable of borrow objects, you may browse many in style and not too long ago printed books and journals in our public studying rooms, and lots of objects can be found for interlibrary mortgage.
State Library of Victoria, 328 Swanston St Melbourne 03 8664 7000
Associated: Finest indoor locations to go in Melbourne with children
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4. Museums Victoria
For under $99 a 12 months, households (2 adults and 4 kids as much as 16 years) obtain limitless free common entry to 3 Melbourne museums (Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks and Immigration Museum) and to different museums round Australia, together with Australian Museum (Sydney) and Questacon (Canberra).
You can too achieve particular entry to occasions and actions, presale ticket alternatives and excursions and viewings not open to most people. Members additionally obtain common updates on what’s occurring on the three museums through the museum journal and emails.
Different advantages embody cheaper parking at Melbourne Museum, member costs for IMAX Melbourne, the Lightning Room and Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks, entry to particular occasions and touring exhibitions and particular reductions on the Museum retailers, particularly round Christmas.
Value | |
Family | $99 |
Grownup | $59 |
Concession (Pupil, pensioners/seniors, or well being care cardholders) | $39 |
Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson St, Carlton 03 8341 7777
Scienceworks, 2 Booker St, Spotswood
Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders St, Melbourne
Associated: Finest Melbourne museums for youths and households
5. Zoos Victoria
Zoos Victoria membership gives limitless entry to Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary and Werribee Open Vary Zoo. As zoo entry prices over $30 every go to, a Zoos Victoria membership of $10 per grownup monthly (over a 12-month membership) is nice worth when you’re prone to go round 4 instances a 12 months.
Along with limitless categorical entry, members can entry member-only occasions and exhibition previews, reductions on zoo experiences similar to Wild Nights Werribee Zoo, Sundown Safari Werribee Zoo, Wild Encounters at Werribee Zoo and a 15% low cost in any respect Zoo retailers.
Members can hold updated with a free subscription to the quarterly member journal Zoo Information and through the month-to-month e-newsletter.
In the event you’re travelling interstate you additionally obtain free reciprocal entry to pick out interstate zoo, together with the magnificent however very costly Taronga Zoo in Sydney.
This membership could also be greatest for households with non-school aged kids as all kids get free entry to the zoos throughout Victorian public holidays and faculty holidays.
Costs | monthly | per 12 months |
Grownup | $11.50 | $138.00 |
Baby (0-15 yrs) | FREE | FREE |
Concession | $8.50 | $102.00 |
Seniors | $10.50 | $126.00 |
Werribee Open Vary Zoo, Ok Rd, Werribee South 03 9731 9600
Melbourne Zoo, Elliott Ave, Parkville 03 9285 9300
Healesville Sanctuary, Badger Creek Rd, Healesville 03 5957 2800
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6. Nationwide Gallery of Victoria
Nationwide Gallery of Victoria is Australia’s most visited public artwork gallery they usually at all times have superb kids’s gallery exhibitions.
Whereas entry to the gallery is free, membership is worth it when you go to the particular, ticketed exhibitions often.
NGV Members obtain a free ticket to a significant exhibition of your selection, discounted entry and precedence entry to ticketed exhibitions, members-exclusive curator ground talks and exhibition previews, reductions on public applications, 10% low cost at NGV design shops, cafés and Backyard Restaurant and 15% low cost on parking on the Arts Centre and Federation Sq. – handy after I’m going to exhibits on the Arts Centre!
Once I take children the very best use of the membership I discover is that I’m capable of entry the NGV Member Lounges which offer a restful place to cease in addition to free espresso/tea/babycinos, biscuits and a field of toys/books.
Two little recognized reciprocal advantages of being an NGV Member which is related for households are that you may obtain ACMI Member costs for ACMI ticketed exhibitions and 20% low cost off the value of common admission Grownup & Baby entry tickets at Melbourne Aquarium.
Particular person membership begins at $110 per 12 months and household membership (2 adults and three kids beneath 18 years) is $165 per 12 months.
National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne 03 8620 2222
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7. Your native Toy Library
In my opinion toy library membership is second solely to library membership as vital. For beneath $100 a 12 months (some so much cheaper) you may entry toys for a restricted interval and hold a gradual rotation of toys in your family with out the litter and expense.
Right here’s an inventory of toy libraries in Melbourne and Regional Victoria. When you’ve got an everyday vacation location it is perhaps price becoming a member of the toy library so that you don’t should pack your automobile filled with toys!
8. Melbourne Aquarium/Legoland Melbourne
SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium and LEGOLAND Melbourne are owned by the identical firm and each are an important indoor possibility for chilly/moist/extremely popular climate.
Advantages embody 25% off for FOUR additional visiting associates who should not present SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium Annual Move holders, reductions on the cafe, particular occasions and present store.
This membership is the very best worth when you’ve got a baby beneath 4 as they enter free, which implies you simply want to purchase a membership for the grownup/s.
In the event you’re an everyday customer then membership is worth it for both or each locations as grownup entry is greater than $30.
There’s additionally the Merlin Annual Move – which will get you limitless entry into the Melbourne Aquarium, Legoland in addition to numerous the Sydney sights such because the Sea Life Aquarium, Wild Life Zoo, Manly Aquarium, Madame Tussaud’s and a few others. Undoubtedly price it if you’re contemplating Aquarium/Legoland membership however have a visit to Sydney inside the 12 months.
You possibly can mix your go to to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre with SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium and save as much as $27.50 off particular person admission.
Annual Move Kind | Value |
Annual Move:
ADULT (16+ yrs) |
from $125 per grownup |
Annual Move:
CHILD (4 – 15 yrs. Beneath 4s enter FREE!) |
from $99 per baby |
SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium Cnr King and Flinders Streets, Melbourne 1800 026 576
Associated: Finest indoor locations to go in Melbourne with children
9. Your native Aquatic Centre
In the event you’re regulars at your native pool or aquatic centres then all of them provide particular passes or membership which may cowl a variety of actions. Try Aquapulse, Lara Pool and North Melbourne Pool.
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10. ACMI
ACMI’s family membership gives discounted charges for ACMI applications and actions, $12 parking at Federation Sq., reductions on the ACMI store and cafe and free member-only screenings. Better of all you obtain 2 x Member Exhibition Move for a paid exhibition and 4 x Member Cinema Move, which principally covers the price of your membership payment!
Value is $28 per 12 months for normal membership and $350 for premium which incorporates all the advantages in the usual membership, plus invites to opening nights, curated exhibition talks, and a personal tour of the museum.
Australian Centre for the Transferring Picture, Federation Sq. Melbourne, Australia (03) 8663 2200
11. Metropolis farm
Expertise nation life within the metropolis with a membership to Collingwood Kids’s Farm, Chesterfield Farm, Myuna Farm, Animal Land or The Massive Goose.
12. Play Centre Memberships
Many play centres provide a membership program for frequent guests, together with Crocs, Funtopia and the Museum of Play and Artwork.
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13. Nationwide Belief
Nationwide Belief membership presents free or discounted admission to over 180 Nationwide Belief properties situated all through Australia, together with Ripponlea, Previous Melbourne Gaol and Polly Woodside Tall Ship in Melbourne.
Your membership helps the Nationwide Belief in its work to protect the historical past and heritage of buildings and areas all through Australia.
Family: $120 plus $35 becoming a member of payment, Concession charges obtainable
14. Cinema membership
In the event you take pleasure in going to the flicks then a cinema membership is an effective way to earn reward factors and/or get monetary savings.
As an illustration:
- Hoyts Rewards – has two tiers of memberships with reductions, competitions, invites. The usual tier is free, then there’s the Hoyts Rewards VIP for $15 per 12 months.
- Palace Film Membership – complimentary go upon becoming a member of, birthday present of a $10 meals and beverage voucher, reductions and precedence entry. $13.50 per 12 months.
Our native unbiased cinema Solar Theatre Yarraville presents membership for $15 a 12 months that entitles you to $15.50 tickets throughout. Try your native unbiased cinema as they might have an analogous membership deal.
Associated: Finest cinemas in Melbourne for youths and households
15. Ambulance Victoria
For a mere $106.73 a 12 months Ambulance Victoria membership offers you peace of thoughts for your loved ones.
I by no means thought I’d want it however I suffered a burn accident and needed to be taken to hospital by ambulance. The invoice got here to virtually $2,000 so thank goodness we had ambulance membership!
Different strategies:
- Heide Museum of Trendy Artwork – limitless free entry to all exhibitions, members-only previews and reductions within the Heide Retailer and the cafe. Particular person $80, Household $150.
- Luna Park Annual Move – entry to an Limitless Journey Ticket any day the Park is open to most people. $120 per individual per 12 months.
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