St. Kilda Museums and Galleries

NGV is actually two galleries (the walk is short, promise!) that divide the substantial art collection into Australian and International exhibits. Both are worth a visit for the permanent collections alone (which includes incredible indigenous art and textiles, French impressionist works, and modern sculpture and design), but it’s the roster of exhibits that makes the gallery a cultural forerunner. Currently on: a dive into the intersections between Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, and for the kiddos, an immersive play experience around Kaws-designed toy characters that look like a 2020 iteration of the Smurfs. For a casual refuel, the Gallery Kitchen brews excellent coffee, but for a proper sit-down, lunch at the fancy Garden Restaurant is the spot.