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Open House Melbourne is back this month with a jam-packed program of building tours and talks highlighting the city’s most exciting places and spaces.
There’s over 180 events happening across the three day event on Friday July 24 – Sunday July 26 2026 including access to 10 private residences, 11 churches/places of worship, 15 performing and visual arts spaces, 16 multi-residential buildings, and 76 heritage sites.
New and notable to this year’s program are: a tour of The Primrose Potter Australian Ballet Centre including its costume department and rehearsal studios; the new Transurban Freeway Control Centre in Footscray that operates CityLink and the new West Gate Tunnel; and the Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio.
Among the popular returning attractions is Melbourne Park (including a behind-the-scenes VIP access to Rod Laver Arena), the National Institute of Circus Arts, Parliament of Victoria, and Yarraville’s Sun Theatre, a special guided tour of Eltham’s Montsalvat artist community.
You might recognise some of the homes and buildings on this year’s program from previous stories on The Design Files, such as the 1930s Cairo apartment complex in Fitzroy; a Seddon home by Steffen Welsch Architects; and various Nightingale Village buildings.
Other projects include those by some of our favourite architects and designers, from Rob Kennon Architects, to Simone Haag, and FMD Architects.
We also recommend checking out Materia in St Kilda as an example of a certified Passive House in Melbourne.
Over 70,000 people are expected to attend this year’s event. Many events will sell out in advance, so plan your weekend and register for ticketed events now.
