SAM Presents: Whiteley (2017) Saturday Screenings Dive deeper into the creative and personal life of Brett Whiteley with compelling feature-length documentary Whiteley (2017), screened in conjunction with exhibition Brett Whiteley: Inside the Studio.   Join us on selected Saturdays in SAM’s Level 4 viewing space for a free, relaxed screening that sheds light on Whiteley’s artistic […]

Enjoy creative playtime with SAM Toddlers x See Make Play! We're once again partnering with the legends at See Make Play to present hands-on sessions of sensory play and exploration for toddlers, with art activities designed especially to support early childhood development. Please note that this program may use materials such as paint, water, and […]

SAM Club Term 4: Science Join us for SAM Club Term 4 (the last for 2025) - our after-school program for primary-aged students in grades 2-6 who love to learn and explore their creativity! This term, science and art collide to unleash new ideas and spark new inspiration.  From biology to chemistry and everything in […]

SAM Club Term 4: Science Join us for SAM Club Term 4 (the last for 2025) - our after-school program for primary-aged students in grades 2-6 who love to learn and explore their creativity! This term, science and art collide to unleash new ideas and spark new inspiration.  From biology to chemistry and everything in […]

SAM Club Term 4: Science Join us for SAM Club Term 4 (the last for 2025) - our after-school program for primary-aged students in grades 2-6 who love to learn and explore their creativity! This term, science and art collide to unleash new ideas and spark new inspiration.  From biology to chemistry and everything in […]

Seasonal Exhibition Celebration | JXSH MVIR: Forever I Live, SAM Open, Yuria Okamura, Prue Venables + Philip Hickingbotham Join us at SAM for an evening celebration welcoming a new season of exhibitions. From the opening of Koorie Heritage Trust’s touring show JXSH MVIR: Forever I Live to looking back on another incredible exhibition of talented […]

SAM Club Term 4: Science Join us for SAM Club Term 4 (the last for 2025) - our after-school program for primary-aged students in grades 2-6 who love to learn and explore their creativity! This term, science and art collide to unleash new ideas and spark new inspiration.  From biology to chemistry and everything in […]

Enjoy creative playtime with SAM Toddlers x See Make Play! We're once again partnering with the legends at See Make Play to present hands-on sessions of sensory play and exploration for toddlers, with art activities designed especially to support early childhood development. Please note that this program may use materials such as paint, water, and […]

SAM Club Term 4: Science Join us for SAM Club Term 4 (the last for 2025) - our after-school program for primary-aged students in grades 2-6 who love to learn and explore their creativity! This term, science and art collide to unleash new ideas and spark new inspiration.  From biology to chemistry and everything in […]

SAM Club Term 4: Science Join us for SAM Club Term 4 (the last for 2025) - our after-school program for primary-aged students in grades 2-6 who love to learn and explore their creativity! This term, science and art collide to unleash new ideas and spark new inspiration.  From biology to chemistry and everything in […]

Spring at Summerhill - Friends of SAM Garden Party The Friends of SAM Committee invite members and friends to join them for a garden party at Summerhill, a charming setting overlooking the Goulburn River. Enjoy a spring afternoon outdoors amongst friends, with afternoon tea, garden strolls and live music, plus a raffle of garden-themed prizes. […]

SAM Club Term 4: Science Join us for SAM Club Term 4 (the last for 2025) - our after-school program for primary-aged students in grades 2-6 who love to learn and explore their creativity! This term, science and art collide to unleash new ideas and spark new inspiration.  From biology to chemistry and everything in […]

SAM Club Term 4: Science Join us for SAM Club Term 4 (the last for 2025) - our after-school program for primary-aged students in grades 2-6 who love to learn and explore their creativity! This term, science and art collide to unleash new ideas and spark new inspiration.  From biology to chemistry and everything in […]

Enjoy creative playtime with SAM Toddlers x See Make Play! We're once again partnering with the legends at See Make Play to present hands-on sessions of sensory play and exploration for toddlers, with art activities designed especially to support early childhood development. Please note that this program may use materials such as paint, water, and […]

SAM Club Term 4: Science Join us for SAM Club Term 4 (the last for 2025) - our after-school program for primary-aged students in grades 2-6 who love to learn and explore their creativity! This term, science and art collide to unleash new ideas and spark new inspiration.  From biology to chemistry and everything in […]

SAM Toddlers 2026 Join us for creative playtime with SAM Toddlers! Little ones can enjoy a hands-on session of sensory play, exploring an array of art activities that encourage early creativity while stimulating different developmental areas. Toddlers can move across several activity stations, including: - Messy Arts Play: A space for little hands to explore colours, […]

SAM Presents: An Evening with the Australian Tapestry Workshop With a major tapestry slated to enter the SAM Collection in mid-2026, we invite you to join us for an exclusive evening that goes behind the scenes at the Australian Tapestry Workshop in South Melbourne to discover the fascinating project translating artist Philip Hunter’s 2008 painting Salt […]

Date night, friends’ drinks, end-of-week debrief – Bar SAM, your favourite location for an evening out, is here for 2026. We’ve teamed up with the Elsewhere at SAM crew to bring you an ambient bar experience on our Level 4, where you can enjoy drinks and bar snacks in an architectural space while taking in the best […]

SAM Club 2026: Term 1 SAM Club, our after-school workshop program for kids who love to learn, is back for Term 1 2026! Designed for primary students in grades 2-6, SAM Club connects kids to our exhibitions, artists, and new artmaking techniques, encouraging curiosity and creative exploration. In SAM Club Term 1, local artist Kat […]

Educator Professional Learning After Dark: Nyini Woka (My Place) Join the SAM Education Team for a special after-hours look at new major exhibition Nyini Woka (My Place), exclusively for educators. Bringing Yorta Yorta artists and stories into dialogue with broader First Nations voices from across the continent, Nyini Woka (My Place) features artworks from Vincent […]

SAM Storytime with Emma (GV Libraries) Little ones will catch the reading bug with our new story time sessions in our Children’s Gallery, led by Emma from GV Library. Each 45-minute story time will begin with a lively reading by Emma, followed by a hands-on crafting activity that brings the stories to life. Program details […]

Bar SAM | 6 March Date night, friends’ drinks, end-of-week debrief – elevate your Friday nights at Bar SAM. We’ve teamed up with the Elsewhere at SAM crew to bring you an ambient bar experience on our Level 4, where you can enjoy drinks and bar snacks in an architectural space while taking in the best view […]

SAM Seasonal Exhibition Celebration | 21 March Enjoy an evening of art, connection, and conversation as SAM celebrates a new season of exhibitions on 21 March. Discover major new exhibition Nyini Woka: My Place alongside new installations from artists Raafat Ishak, Fran O’Neill, Tully Moore, and Aleisa Miksad, and experience the museum after-hours, with refreshments […]

Join one of Australia’s most significant contemporary artists, Raafat Ishak, and SAM Artistic Director Danny Lacy for an evening conversation event exploring Ishak’s 2026 commission for the Furphy Family Art Wall on SAM’s Level 4. The pair will delve into Ishak’s artistic and academic practice, and the local history that lies behind Sherbourne Bear at […]

Update: This event has been cancelled by Gertrude Contemporary ____________________________________________________________________ Gertrude Contemporary Art on the Road 2026: Educator Professional Development with artist Jenna Lee The team at Gertrude Contemporary are returning to SAM on Friday 27 March for another iteration of Art on the Road – an annual professional development program for educators featuring presentations […]

SAM Toddlers 2026 | April Join us for creative playtime with SAM Toddlers! Little ones can enjoy a hands-on session of sensory play, exploring an array of art activities that encourage early creativity while stimulating different developmental areas. Toddlers can move across several activity stations, including: – Messy Arts Play: A space for little hands to […]

Bar SAM | 10 April Date night, friends’ drinks, end-of-week debrief – elevate your Friday nights at Bar SAM. We’ve teamed up with the Elsewhere at SAM crew to bring you an ambient bar experience on our Level 4, where you can enjoy drinks and bar snacks in an architectural space while taking in the best view […]

Craft and chat with us at the SAM Van at the Tatura Market! The SAM Van is back on the road, and this time we’re coming to Tatura Market! Kids and families are invited to drop in to our free hands-on workshop, where we’ll be crafting our very own Picasso-inspired portraits as we gear up […]

SAM Talks: Fran O'Neill Join us at SAM for an in-conversation event with 2026 SAM Selectd artist Fran O’Neil and SAM Community Curator Caroline Esbenshade. Over an hour, the pair will explore Fran's creative processes, her time spent in the New York arts scene, and the inspirations behind her recent exhibition On The Move, now […]

SAM Storytime with Emma (GV Libraries) Little ones will catch the reading bug with our new story time sessions in our Children’s Gallery, led by Emma from GV Library. Each 45-minute story time will begin with a lively reading by Emma, followed by a hands-on crafting activity that brings the stories to life. Program details […]

SAM Club 2026: Term 2 Join us for SAM Club Term 2, our afterschool program for primary aged students in grades 2-6 who love to learn and explore their creativity! This term, kids will dive into the imaginative worlds of artists including Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and Henri Matisse. Inspired by their artworks, kids will […]

Petit Picasso Studio for Kids | 23 May Step into a world of colours, shapes and wild creativity with Petit Picasso Studio for Kids! Inspired by our brand-new exhibition, Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso, these free monthly drop-in workshops invite kids to imagine themselves in their very own artist studio, complete with an array of […]

Opening Day Celebration | Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso Celebrate the opening of Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso with a vibrant day of art, creativity, and entertainment at SAM. Enjoy family-friendly activities, hands-on creative workshops, outdoor activations, delicious treats, and a special afternoon talk from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki’s Senior Curator of International […]

SAM Talks: Bringing Facing Modernity to Australia with Dr. Sophie Matthiesson Join Dr. Sophie Matthiesson, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki Senior Curator, International Art, for a special afternoon talk introducing Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso and tracing the exhibition’s journey from a private collection in New York City to New Zealand, and now across the Tasman to SAM. Event Details: […]

Educator Professional Learning After Dark | Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso Join us for a special after-hours look at Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso, exclusively for primary and secondary school educators. Tracing the major art movements of the modern era, the exhibition brings together 37 artworks by influential artists including Paul Cezanne, Salvador Dalí, Barbara […]

SAM Toddlers 2026 | June Join us for creative playtime with SAM Toddlers! Little ones can enjoy a hands-on session of sensory play, exploring an array of art activities that encourage early creativity while stimulating different developmental areas. Toddlers can move across several activity stations, including: – Messy Arts Play: A space for little hands to […]

SAM Talks: The Urbach 2026 with Kate Lewis Delve into life inside the SAM Artist Studio in our upcoming talk featuring artist Kate Lewis, winner of the 2026 Urbach Prize & Scholarship, and Caroline Esbenshade, SAM Curator – Community. Together, they’ll explore Lewis' three-month experience at SAM undertaking the Urbach scholarship period, learnings she’s drawn […]

Guided tour of Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso | 28 June Discover fascinating insights into the key artworks and artists of Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso with our guided exhibition tours. Led by SAM Programs Coordinator Bryony Large, these tours allow a deeper insight into the themes, historical contexts and artistic techniques on display. Our guided tours […]

SAM Storytime with Emma (GV Libraries) Little ones will catch the reading bug with our new story time sessions in our Children’s Gallery, led by Emma from GV Library. Each 45-minute story time will begin with a lively reading by Emma, followed by a hands-on crafting activity that brings the stories to life. Program details […]

SAM Presents: Life Drawing with Tim Hocking Join local artist Tim Hocking for a relaxed evening life drawing session focused on the human form. Working with a nude model, participants will explore observational drawing through a series of short and extended poses in a supportive environment. Suitable for all skill levels, this guided session offers […]

Petit Picasso Studio for Kids | 11 July Step into a world of colours, shapes and wild creativity with Petit Picasso Studio for Kids! Inspired by our brand-new exhibition, Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso, these free monthly drop-in workshops invite kids to imagine themselves in their very own artist studio, complete with an array of art materials […]

SAM Club invites creative kids in Years 2–6 to explore and make art in this dynamic after-school workshop series! Across three sessions inspired by the upcoming 2026 Archibald Prize exhibition at SAM, participants will learn about the art of portraiture, discover new techniques, and create their own masterpiece, with a chance to be featured in […]

Accessible Early Viewing Sessions | Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso Designed to support visitors who prefer a calmer experience, including people with vision impairment or sensory needs, this early viewing session of Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso provides a quieter, low-sensory environment and higher light levels for increased visibility. Visitors can make use of audio […]

SAM Deep Dives: Tasting Modernity – France Through Food & Wine with Professor Jacqueline Dutton How did modern France become one of the world's great food and wine destinations? Join French gastronomy expert Professor Jacqueline Dutton from the University of Melbourne for an afternoon exploring the remarkable transformation of French food, wine and culture during the late […]

Petit Picasso Studio for Kids | 8 August Step into a world of colours, shapes and wild creativity with Petit Picasso Studio for Kids! Inspired by our brand-new exhibition, Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso, these free monthly drop-in workshops invite kids to imagine themselves in their very own artist studio, complete with an array of art materials […]

Accessible Early Viewing Sessions | Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso Designed to support visitors who prefer a calmer experience, including people with vision impairment or sensory needs, this early viewing session of Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso provides a quieter, low-sensory environment and higher light levels for increased visibility. Visitors can make use of audio […]

SAM Presents: Ballet-inspired Life Drawing with Debra Winn Draw like Edgar Degas in this ballet-inspired life drawing session, led by artist Debra Winn.   Working with a live model dressed and posed as a ballerina, participants will explore observational drawing through a series of short and extended poses referencing the iconic dance studies of Edgar Degas and his fascination […]

SAM Storytime with Emma (GV Libraries) | September Little ones will catch the reading bug with our new story time sessions in our Children’s Gallery, led by Emma from GV Library. Each 45-minute story time will begin with a lively reading by Emma, followed by a hands-on crafting activity that brings the stories to life. […]

Archibald in the Classroom: SAM Van Outreach Program | September – November The SAM Van Outreach Program, delivered by SAM museum professionals, brings our exhibitions to life beyond the gallery, providing engaging, hands-on learning experiences directly to schools and community spaces. From September to November, the SAM team will travel to schools with the SAM […]

SAM Talks: Archibald Prize 2026 with artist Richard Lewer and curator Beatrice Gralton Celebrate the opening of Archibald Prize 2026 at SAM with a special opening day in-conversation event featuring artist Richard Lewer, six-time finalist and 2026 Archibald Prize winner, and Beatrice Gralton, Senior Curator of Contemporary Australian Art and Brett Whiteley Studios at the […]

Accessible Early Viewing Sessions | Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso Designed to support visitors who prefer a calmer experience, including people with vision impairment or sensory needs, this early viewing session of Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso provides a quieter, low-sensory environment and higher light levels for increased visibility. Visitors can make use of audio […]

Petit Picasso Studio for Kids | 23 May Step into a world of colours, shapes and wild creativity with Petit Picasso Studio for Kids! Inspired by our brand-new exhibition, Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso, these free monthly drop-in workshops invite kids to imagine themselves in their very own artist studio, complete with an array of art materials […]

SAM Deep Dives: Tracing the face — A history of portraiture with Professor Lisa Slade Join Professor Lisa Slade for a special evening lecture exploring the history and enduring power of portraiture. Beginning with Pliny the Elder’s story of a young woman tracing her lover’s shadow before their separation, Lisa will examine how portraiture has […]

SAM Toddlers 2026 | October Join us for creative playtime with SAM Toddlers! Little ones can enjoy a hands-on session of sensory play, exploring an array of art activities that encourage early creativity while stimulating different developmental areas. Toddlers can move across several activity stations, including: – Messy Arts Play: A space for little hands to […]

Bar SAM | 16 October Date night, friends’ drinks, end-of-week debrief – Bar SAM is back for a final 2026 session on Friday 16 October from 5–8pm. We’ve teamed up with the Elsewhere at SAM crew to bring their delicious drinks, bar snacks, and amazing service to our rooftop terrace bar, so get a group […]

SAM Presents: Portrait Painting with Carmel Robertson Discover the art of portrait painting in this hands-on workshop with local artist Carmel Robertson, inspired by the Archibald Prize 2026 at SAM. Whether you’re new to portraiture or looking to develop your painting skills, this workshop will guide you through the foundations of creating a realistic portrait […]

UniMelb Italian 6 Students Present: Non tutti i ladri vengono per nuocere (The Virtuous Burglar) What happens when a burglar gets caught red-handed – not by the police, but by the owner sneaking home with his mistress? Chaos, sharp satire, and an avalanche of frantic cover-ups. Enjoy an evening of live performance from University of […]