What is MPavilion?

We’re so happy you asked. MPavilion is just as it sounds: a temporary pavilion located in the heart of Melbourne. Each year the Naomi Milgrom Foundation commissions a world-renowned architect to design MPavilion, which becomes the centre of a free spring-summer program of talks, workshops, performances, installations and more. MPavilion is a new civic space, a cultural laboratory and a way for the whole community to engage in dialogues with and about design and architecture. MPavilion 2019, designed by Glenn Murcutt, will be the sixth MPavilion in an ongoing series and will open on 14 November 2019 – 22 March 2020. Read more about MPavilion here.

Where is MPavilion?

MPavilion is located in the Queen Victoria Gardens, opposite the Arts Centre on St Kilda Road, Melbourne. We respectfully acknowledge the Yaluk-ut Weelam as the traditional custodians of the land on which MPavilion sits. Yaluk-ut Weelam means ‘people of the river camp’ and is connected with the coastal land at the head of Port Phillip Bay, extending from the Werribee River to Mordialloc. The Yaluk-ut Weelam are part of the Boon Wurrung, one of the five major language groups of the greater Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their land, their ancestors and their elders—past, present and to the future.

When is MPavilion open?

MPavilion 2019 will open in the Queen Victoria Gardens on 14 November 2019 – 22 March 2020. Our program of free events will be announced in October.

During the season, MPavilion is open daily from 9am to 4pm and earlier/later for scheduled events. MPavilion is open every day—rain, hail or shine—except public holidays, and on Monday 31 December we will close at 2pm. We are also respectfully closed on 26 January.

Do I need to book a ticket?

All events at MPavilion are free to attend. Some events, including talks and workshops, may have limited capacity and require you to book a ticket or register your attendance—please check specific event details in the program.

How do I find out what’s on?

Right here on our website, via the program. Our calendar of events is constantly growing, so bookmark this site and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with all things MPavilion. (And feel free to tag us or use the #MPavilion hashtag!) You can also sign up to receive our newsletter here.

Photo by Alan Weedon.

How do I get there?

By train: the nearest train station is Flinders Street Station. From there it’s a short tram ride or walk to the Queen Victoria Gardens.

By tram: the nearest tram stop is 14–Arts Centre/St Kilda Rd (Southbank), accessed on routes 1, 3, 3a, 5, 6, 8, 16, 64, 67 and 72.

By bike: MPavilion is just off the Capital City Trail. Bike hoop parking is available on St Kilda Road.

By car: Metered on-street parking is available on St Kilda Road. The nearest car park is located at the Arts Centre.

There is wheelchair access from the paved paths in the park to MPavilion, with a short distance on the grass to reach the structure.

From the nearest parking/taxi drop-off point on St Kilda Road, it is approximately 60 steps to reach MPavilion.

How does MPavilion meet my accessibility requirements?

MPavilion endeavours to make our venue and our events as inclusive and accessible as possible. MPavilion 2019 has wheelchair accessibility via St Kilda Road. There is a ramp connecting the paved paths to the grass surrounding MPavilion when accessed via St Kilda Road—MPavilion is a short distance on the grass from this path.

Auslan interpreters may be booked for individual events—please check event details for information. If you would like to attend an event and require an Auslan interpreter or other form of audio accessibility, or reserved seating, please let us know in advance by emailing info@mpavilion.org. Headphones, tablets and other devices used to assist with communication are welcome.

Accessible and gender-neutral bathrooms are located inside Arts Centre Melbourne, a short distance from MPavilion on St Kilda Road, on the ground level.

MPavilion staff are onsite during events to assist with any accessibility queries. Please come and chat to us if you have any questions.

Where are the nearest toilets?

There are toilets, including accessible bathrooms, located inside the Queen Victoria Gardens and on the ground level of Arts Centre Melbourne, a short distance from MPavilion on St Kilda Road. If you have accessibility requirements, we recommend using the bathrooms at the Arts Centre for greatest ease and convenience. Gender-neutral bathrooms can also be found inside the Arts Centre.

Can I buy/bring food and drinks?

MPavilion’s onsite Kiosk offers the best in Melbourne’s summer foodie offerings—from a cup of the best coffee thanks to our friends Three Thousand Thieves (keep-cups are very welcome and also available to purchase), to tasty locally made treats. Follow Three Thousand Thieves on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and see what they have brewing for MPavilion.

MPavilion is also a licensed venue. Alcoholic beverages can be purchased from the Kiosk during events throughout the program. Due to licensing restrictions, you aren’t permitted to bring your own alcoholic beverages to MPavilion. The Kiosk serves light snacks 24/7, and other catering for specific events. You are also welcome to bring your own food—pack a picnic and come spend some time with us!

Is MPavilion licensed?

We sure are! You can purchase from a selection of alcoholic beverages at our Kiosk during the program. Please bring photo identification.

Grab your MPavilion keep-cup from our Kiosk. Photo by Alan Weedon.

Is there seating?

Limited seating is available inside MPavilion, with extra seating added for scheduled events. Please inform onsite staff if you have essential seating requirements. If you have accessibility requirements—including audio and visual requirements—or would like to reserve seating for individual events, please email us in advance at info@mpavilion.org.

Is MPavilion eligible for CPD points?

Yes, events at MPavilion related to architecture attract one CPD point for attending the event or listening to the audio recording. Please check with your professional association. 

Can I arrange to bring a class or group to MPavilion?

Yes! We’re dedicated to making MPavilion an educational space for all ages, with many events in our season designed to appeal to primary and secondary school students. Our capacity is limited, however, so if you’re planning on bringing a large group to MPavilion, we encourage you to let us know by emailing info@mpavilion.org.

Is MPavilion suitable for children?

MPavilion is for everyone, including little ones. MKids is our series of kid-friendly and kid-centric events: whether you’re looking for something fun and entertaining or something more relaxed, check out the program for all MKids events. MPavilion is a pram-friendly space, accessed via paved paths from St Kilda Road. (MPavilion is a short distance over grass from the paths.)

Can I bring my dog?

Please do! We love dogs. Please remember to keep your pooch on a leash at all times and be mindful of others, especially young children.

Can I take photos/video inside and around MPavilion?

We encourage it. Explore MPavilion and all the wonderful things happening inside and around the venue by taking happy snaps and artistic portraits. Please remember to be respectful to performers, speakers and other visitors when taking photos or video—and tag us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! We’d love to see what you’ve captured. (Don’t forget to use the hashtag #MPavilion!)

Can I hold an event at MPavilion?

MPavilion is designed as a civic space, and we love hearing your ideas for events. For the third year running, we’ve invited the public to submit expressions of interest for the MPavilion program. Expressions of interest are now closed—we couldn’t be more excited about what’s in store for the 2019/20 season.

Photo by Alan Weedon.

How do I find information about past events?

Missed something, or just want to dig into the many great talks and discussions from MPavilion’s past? Our podcast library contains a huge number of recorded events spanning right back to the first MPavilion in 2014, also available on the MPavilion podcast, which you can find on iTunes—perfect for educational purposes or your daily commute. You can also browse our previous event programs at each of their dedicated archival websites: MPavilion 2018, MPavilion 2017, MPavilion 2016, MPavilion 2015 and MPavilion 2014.

What happens to MPavilion at the end of the season?

Each year the Naomi Milgrom Foundation gifts MPavilion to the people of Victoria to be relocated to a permanent home in and around. You can visit MPavilions in and around Melbourne right now: MPavilion 2017, designed by OMA / Rem Koolhaas & David Gianotten, is at Monash University’s Clayton campus; MPavilion 2016, designed by Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai, can be found at Melbourne Zoo; AL_A’s MPavilion 2015 is in Docklands Park; and Sean Godsell’s MPavilion 2014 sits within the grounds of the Hellenic Museum. MPavilion 2018 by Carme Pinós of Estudio Carme Pinós will soon be relocated from the Queen Victoria Gardens to a new permanent location.

I’d like to know more about the Naomi Milgrom Foundation.

MPavilion is initiated and commissioned by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation with support from the City of Melbourne, State Government of Victoria through Creative Victoria and Development Victoria, and ANZ. For more information about the Foundation and its work, please visit naomimilgromfoundation.org.

What is the Living Cities Forum?

The Living Cities Forum is MPavilion’s sister event and is an initiative of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation. The annual day-long Forum explores the role of design, planning and architecture in shaping our society. In 2019, the Living Cities Forum expanded to be held in Melbourne and Sydney, with MPavilion 2019 architect Glenn Murcutt AO as a keynote speaker along with a line-up of internationally celebrated architects, designers and urban thinkers. For more info and to sign up to receive news about next year’s forum, head to the Living Cities Forum website.

Main photo by Earl Carter.

Wominjeka (Welcome). We acknowledge the Yaluk-ut Weelam as the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet. Yaluk-ut Weelam means ‘people of the river camp’ and is connected with the coastal land at the head of Port Phillip Bay, extending from the Werribee River to Mordialloc. The Yaluk-ut Weelam are part of the Boon Wurrung, one of the five major language groups of the greater Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to the land, their ancestors and their elders—past, present and to the future.