Melbourne Tourist Attractions: Immigration Museum Melbourne   by Dominique Vangheel

When looking for Melbourne tourist attractions, you end considering lots of different museums. One museum definitely worth a visit is the Immigration Museum Melbourne. As the name implies, the museum is devoted to the subject of immigration. Australia is a country of immigrants. More than thirty percent people in Melbourne speak another language than English at home. If you want to learn more about the history of immigration to Australia, then spend a few interesting hours exploring this place.

Australia is the country of the Aboriginal people. Australia is the country of immigrants. Both are true. The Aboriginal history of Australia goes back thousands and thousands of years. On the other hand, migration to Australia is only a few hundred years old. A lot of information about the first immigrants is still live and visible today.

Location of the Immigration Museum

In Melbourne, you will find the museum at the Old Custom House, 400 Flinders Street, an easy stroll from Flinders Street Station. It is open every day from 10 am to 5 pm but is closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

The Importance of the Museum

There is a constant stream of new immigrants to Australia. Australia is a beautiful and wealthy part of the world. This, of course, inspires people to immigrate into this country. During the recent decades, Australia has grown in leaps and bounds. It has a culture that is constantly evolving due to the many contributions made by immigrants. Although each country has difficulties at times with treatment of different people, Australia seems to be one of the world's societies where this is less of an issue, causing a true melting pot of cultures and influences. This makes cities like Melbourne to what they are today.

Immigration Museum: Take Your Children

This Melbourne tourist attraction is not only great for you, your children can learn many things from the museum as well. If you visit the museum with your children, you will be able to explain to them that the Aboriginal people are the original inhabitants of this land and that everyone else was transported to Australia. This can open up discussions about respect for different cultures and religions and valuing differences between people. They will also learn about the differences in transport, technology, keeping in contact etc between today and two hundred years ago. In the museum, you will also see a replica of an actual ship, which your kids will find very interesting.

Immigration Museum Set Up

Apart from the immigration history, there are many personal stories, some sad, some funny, others interesting. In fact, the history of Australia is filled with characters of enormous courage and will. In the museum, the information has been preserved in well thought out displays that are both informative and entertaining. Computerized interactive displays as well as moving images in the museum also keep visitors engrossed. During your visit to the Museum, you will learn a bit more about the earliest visitors to Australia and their stories as well as how immigration has changed over the times.

Other Facilities

There is a café in the Immigration Museum to serve snacks, light meals, confectioneries and soft drinks. The Museum also has a souvenir shop. If you are interested in the history of Australia, Melbourne, shipping, immigration and genealogy, there are many books specifically on these subjects. You will also find many attractive posters, postcards and maps with a flavour of yesteryear.

So, if you are thinking about which Melbourne tourist attractions to go to, please give the Immigration Museum some consideration. It is one of those places not only entertaining and interesting, but it can also serve as a place where you can explore differences between people and cultures, making it an invaluable learning experience.