Australian Centre for the Moving Image

The Australian Centre for the Moving Image, or ACMI for short, is Australia's national museum of screen culture and is located at Federation Square in Melbourne. The institution was founded in 2002, though its roots reach back to the 1940s, when the State Film Centre of Victoria served as its predecessor. The museum is dedicated to the history and development of film, television, video games, digital culture, and art. After a major renovation that lasted from 2019 to 2021, the building reopened with new exhibition spaces and a modern concept.

At the heart of the visitor experience is the permanent exhibition The Story of the Moving Image, which presents more than 900 objects from around the world across 1,600 square meters (about 17,200 square feet). The exhibition is divided into several areas, ranging from the technical beginnings of moving images and the creative processes behind well-known productions to Australian film history and the role of First Nations artists. A particular highlight is the Games Lab, where you can try out current video games from independent developers and major studios. Interactive stations such as the Foley Studio, where you create sounds using unusual objects, or the Edit Line, which simulates film editing, invite you to get hands-on. With The Lens, a take-along device, you can scan objects and digitally expand your personal collection.

In addition to its exhibitions, ACMI offers a varied program of film screenings in two cinemas, showing both digital and analog formats. Here you can see international classics, current productions, and themed retrospectives. The building also houses a large collection of more than 250,000 objects, which are digitized and preserved in a laboratory that is visible to the public. Visitors will also find a library, educational courses, and a shop with specialized products on screen culture. Today, ACMI is regarded as one of the world's leading venues for culture and education in the field of moving images.