There's a new reason to linger a little longer at one of Melbourne's most iconic music spots at Arts Centre Melbourne.
The Australian Music Vault is getting its own bar, opening at Arts Centre Melbourne from October.
The addition means visitors can now sip a drink while surrounded by decades of Australian rock and pop history, with the bar pouring beer, wine, ready-to-serve cocktails and non-alcoholic options from 4pm till late, as well as during matinee performances.
Bar snacks will also be on the menu, making it an easy pre or post-show stop for anyone heading to one of the many live venues nearby.
Arts Centre Melbourne’s Executive Director, Destination and Audience, Kim Berkers said the addition arrives as the Australian Music Vault approaches its 10th birthday next year. Since opening, the free exhibition has drawn millions of visitors keen to dig into the stories behind Australia’s contemporary music scene, and the new bar is being pitched as another reason to stick around and soak it all in.
Arts Centre Melbourne’s Australian Music Vault Bar
- What: A new bar opening inside the Australian Music Vault
- When: From 1 October 2026, 4pm till late, and during matinee performances
- Where: Australian Music Vault, Theatres Building, Arts Centre Melbourne
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The Australian Music Vault first opened in 2017, founded by music industry heavyweights Molly Meldrum, Kylie Minogue, Tina Arena, and the late Archie Roach and Michael Gudinski.
The free, permanent exhibition lets visitors get up close to iconic stage outfits, dig into the influences behind the Australian sound and uncover lesser-known stories from across the industry, covering everyone from artists and producers to roadies and record label bosses.
Musicians currently featured include Archie Roach, AC/DC, John Farnham, Kylie Minogue, INXS, Marcia Hines, Molly Meldrum, Split Enz, Yothu Yindi, Sampa The Great, Tash Sultana and Amyl and the Sniffers.
The new bar’s launch lines up with a fresh menu next door at The Barre, now under the creative direction of new Executive Chef Diego Rosales, who has previously worked at Hero and Grounds of Alexandria.
Meanwhile, just around the corner, performances are set to return to the newly refurbished Ian Potter State Theatre this October, with a major reopening program kicking off on 3 October.
Arts Centre Melbourne remains home to the Australian Performing Arts Collection, the nation’s largest repository of performing arts material, with more than 875,000 objects spanning circus, dance, music, opera and theatre.
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