ACMI (museum) facts for kids
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| Established | 2002 |
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| Location | Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia |
| Visitors | 1,316,000 (2016) |
| Public transit access |  Flinders Street Stop 13 – Federation Square |
ACMI, which stands for the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, is Australia's national museum for all things related to screens. This includes movies, TV shows, videogames, and digital art. ACMI opened in 2002 and is located at Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia.
ACMI has many cool exhibitions, including its main one called The Story of the Moving Image. It also shows movies regularly, hosts special events, has a library of films, and offers educational programs. It's a great place to explore how moving pictures have changed over time!
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History of ACMI
How it Started
Before ACMI, there was a place called the State Film Centre of Victoria. It started in 1946 and was all about films. In the 1950s, it even helped with the new invention of television in Australia. It also kept old Australian films safe, like The Sentimental Bloke (1919).
Later, in the 1960s, the Film Centre helped filmmakers with their movies. In 1969, it opened a special theatre to show films that weren't in regular cinemas. In the 1970s, it started collecting films made by students and new Australian movies, like Homesdale (1971).
In 1988, the Film Centre began an education program. It showed films to students and helped teachers learn about movies.
Building ACMI at Federation Square
People wanted a bigger, better place for moving images. So, in 1993, the government decided to create the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. A design competition was held, and the winning design was chosen in 1997. ACMI was built at Federation Square, a new public space in Melbourne.
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ACMI officially opened on January 1, 2002. The first parts of the museum opened in October 2002, with exciting exhibitions like Deep Space. A few weeks later, the ACMI Cinemas also opened.
In 2009, two new areas opened: the Australian Mediatheque and the Screen Worlds gallery. The famous actress Cate Blanchett helped open Screen Worlds. She even loaned her Oscar award for a while! Screen Worlds was a free exhibition that taught people about film, TV, and digital culture. The Mediatheque was a place where visitors could watch films and TV clips from ACMI's collection.
A Big Update in 2021
In May 2019, ACMI closed for a major upgrade that cost $40 million. It reopened in February 2021 with a brand new main exhibition called The Story of the Moving Image.
During this update, ACMI worked with different companies. Architects helped redesign the museum's spaces. Another company designed the new main exhibition and special labs. ACMI also opened a new restaurant, bar, and café called Hero.
Leaders of ACMI
ACMI has had several directors. John J. Smithies was the first director and CEO, starting in 2002. He helped open the new museum.
Tony Sweeney became director in 2005. He helped ACMI grow a lot and attract many visitors. He worked there for ten years.
Katrina Sedgwick was the director from 2015 to 2022.
Since August 2022, Sebastian Chan has been the Director and CEO of ACMI. He joined ACMI in 2015 as Chief Experience Officer.
The Story of the Moving Image
This is ACMI's main exhibition, covering a huge area of 1,600 square meters. It explores the past, present, and future of movies, TV, videogames, and art. It features over 900 items from Australia and around the world.
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What You'll See
Moving Pictures
This part of the exhibition shows how moving pictures first started. You'll see old objects and try interactive activities that explain the inventions and people who helped create movies.
Moving Worlds
Here, you can explore how famous films, TV shows, and videogames are made. You'll see costumes, characters, set designs, and learn about visual effects and Foley art (making sounds for movies).
Moving Australia
This section highlights Australia's screen industry. It includes special works by First Nations artists.
Games Lab
The Games Lab is a super fun part of the exhibition! It features videogames from both local and international creators. You can play twelve different games and learn about the history of videogames.
Moving Minds
This area looks at factual media, like newsreels, TV broadcasts, documentaries, and even video art. It shows how information has been shared through screens over time.
First Nations Artworks
Throughout The Story of the Moving Image, you'll find amazing artworks by First Nations artists. These include an installation called Yanmeeyar by Vicki Couzens and the documentary My Survival as an Aboriginal by Essie Coffey.
Fun Interactive Experiences
The Lens
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The Lens is a cool, small device you can hold and take home. As you walk through The Story of the Moving Image, you can tap The Lens on special spots to collect artworks and objects you like. Later, you can see your collection on the ACMI website and find out more about what you collected!
Constellation
At the end of the exhibition, there's a special room called the Constellation. It has big touchscreen tables where you can use your Lens. The Constellation connects the items you collected to hundreds of other films, TV shows, and games. It's like a giant map of screen culture!
Edit Line
Ever wondered how movies are edited? At the Edit Line, you can try it yourself! You arrange physical blocks, each with a famous movie quote. When you put them in order, a clip plays on a big screen. You can even save your edited clip to your Lens!
Foley Studio
Foley artists create sound effects for movies using everyday objects. In the Foley Studio, you can add sounds to scenes from TV shows like Round the Twist. You might use strange objects to make footsteps or creaking doors! You can save your sound-filled videos to your Lens.
Memory Garden
This is an interactive display of old Australian home movies from the 1930s. Beams of light shine from the ceiling, and when you hold out your hands, they react and animate the videos.
Shadow Play
In the Moving Pictures section, you can use your body to control virtual puppets projected in front of you. It's a fun way to see how early moving images worked!
Exhibitions at ACMI
ACMI has different galleries that host various exhibitions.
Gallery 1
Gallery 1 is now home to the permanent exhibition The Story of the Moving Image, which opened in 2021. Before that, from 2002 to 2019, Gallery 1 hosted many temporary exhibitions about video art, installations, and screen-related objects.
Gallery 2
Gallery 2 opened in 2009 and is a smaller, more flexible space for exhibitions.
Gallery 3
Gallery 3 opened in 2021 and shows special commissioned artworks and smaller exhibitions.
Gallery 4
Gallery 4 also opened in 2021 and hosts larger exhibitions, including some big ones that come to Melbourne.
Gallery 5 (Online)
Gallery 5 is a special online space that started in 2020. It features virtual exhibitions and performances. It's also a place where artists create new digital art that explores the internet and digital culture.
Programs and Events
Film Programs
ACMI has two cinemas that show movies all year round. They show local and international films, from old classics to new releases. These cinemas were the first in Australia to show Digital Cinema (DCP) films. They can also still show older film formats like 16mm and 35mm!
ACMI's film programs include:
- Matinees: These are daytime screenings of classic movies, documentaries, and musicals.
- Big Screen Premieres: ACMI partners with streaming services like Netflix to show episodes of TV series on the big screen. These are often just for ACMI members.
ACMI also has special movie seasons that focus on certain actors, directors, or film types. For example, they've had seasons on Wong Kar-wai and Tim Burton.
Public Programs
ACMI hosts talks and workshops for everyone, both in person and online. Some regular programs include the Women & Non-Binary Gamers Club and workshops for families during school holidays.
Festivals
ACMI is a popular place for film festivals and events. Many different festivals are held there, celebrating various types of films and cultures.
Some current festival partners include:
- Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC)
- Japanese Film Festival (JFF)
- Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF)
- Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF)
Collections and Preservation
The ACMI Collection has over 250,000 items! This includes films, objects, videogames, and digital art. It started in 1947 as a way for people in Victoria to watch educational films. Now, it has all kinds of moving images. ACMI works with other museums and universities to keep these items safe.
Many items from the ACMI Collection can be seen online on the ACMI website or their YouTube channel.
Blackmagic Design Media Preservation Lab
This is a special lab at ACMI where you can see the Collection team at work! They are busy preserving old films and digital art, making sure they last for a long time. It's a public space, so you can watch them as they work.
Education
ACMI has a great education program for schools and teachers. They offer museum visits, workshops, film screenings, and online programs. They also provide free learning materials and recorded lessons.
Touring Exhibitions
ACMI sends its exhibitions to other places! This means more people around Australia and even the world can enjoy them. Some popular touring exhibitions have included Game Masters: The Exhibition and Mary and Max.
Current Touring Exhibitions
- Two Girls from Amoonguna
- Between the Details: Video Art from the ACMI Collection
Past Touring Exhibitions
- Wonderland
- DreamWorks Animation: The Exhibition
- Cleverman
- Code Breakers: Women in Games
- Game Masters
- Del Kathryn Barton: The Nightingale and the Rose
- War Pictures: Australians at the Cinema 1914–1918
- Shaun Tan's The Lost Thing: From Book to Film
- Mary and Max: The Exhibition
Online Content
ACMI has a strong online presence. They regularly update their website and social media pages like Facebook and Instagram.
YouTube Channels
ACMI has several YouTube channels:
- The main channel has talks, interviews, and behind-the-scenes videos.
- The ACMI Collection channel lets you watch old home videos and educational films.
- The ACMI Education channel has videos for learning and films made by students.
Cinema 3
This is ACMI's online platform where you can rent and watch new movies, classics, and special films chosen by ACMI's experts.
Gallery 5
As mentioned before, Gallery 5 is an online space for virtual exhibitions and digital art.
Stories & Ideas
ACMI's website also has a section called "Stories & Ideas." Here, you can read essays, interviews, and articles about film, TV, videogames, and digital art.
ACMI Publications
ACMI publishes books about its exhibitions and screen culture. Some titles include:
- Game Masters: The Exhibition (2012)
- Wonderland (2017)
- The story of the moving image (2022)
- Goddess: Fierce Women On Film (2023)
Commercial Operations
ACMI Shop
ACMI has a gift shop where you can buy books, gifts, and items related to screen culture. They also work with local artists to create unique products.
Event Spaces
ACMI has several spaces that can be used for events, like:
- The Story of the Moving Image exhibition space
- Lightwell foyer
- Underground Gallery (Gallery 4)
- Swinburne Studio
- Gandel Digital Future Lab 1
- Boardroom
- ACMI Cinemas (Cinema 1 and Cinema 3)
Hero (Closed)
Hero was ACMI's restaurant, bar, and café. It had a menu created by famous Melbourne chef Karen Martini. Hero closed in October 2023.
Industry Partnerships
ACMI works with many partners in the creative industry.
ACMI X
ACMI X is a special office space for creative people and businesses working in film, TV, videogames, and art. It helps them connect and grow their ideas.
ACMI + RMIT Audience Lab
ACMI and RMIT University invite game developers and artists to show their work and get feedback from visitors. Games like Untitled Goose Game were tested here!
ACMI + RMIT Games Prize
This prize is given to a student from RMIT's Bachelor of Design (Games) program for a game that shows artistic potential.
Awards
ACMI and its exhibitions have won many awards for their design, innovation, and impact.
Renewal Awards
ACMI won awards for its big renovation, including:
- Australian Institute of Architects’ 2021 Victorian Architecture Awards (Interior Architecture)
- Melbourne Design Awards 2021 (Gold Winner for Interior Design)
- Good Design Awards 2021 (Architectural Design and Design Research)
Awards for The Story of the Moving Image
The main exhibition also won awards:
- MAGNA (Museums & Galleries Awards) – Highly Commended
- Good Design Awards 2021 (Gold Winner for the Constellation interactive experience)
- SEGD Global Design Awards 2022 (Merit Award and Honour award for digital experiences)
Brand Awards
ACMI's new brand and logo also won several awards, including:
- MAPDA (Museums & Galleries Awards) – Winner (Identity)
- Brand New Awards – Winner: #1 Project of the Year
Website and Post-visit Awards
ACMI's website and virtual tour also received awards from MAPDA.
Former Attractions
Screen Worlds
Screen Worlds was a permanent exhibition that explored all parts of the moving image. It had interactive displays like Timeslice (inspired by The Matrix) and a Ty the Tasmanian Tiger Zoetrope. Screen Worlds closed in April 2019 for the museum's big redevelopment.
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Video Garden
The Video Garden was an outdoor gallery that showed different video exhibitions.
Memory Grid
The Memory Grid was a display where you could watch over 100 hours of films made by everyday Australians, students, and independent filmmakers.
Australian Mediatheque
This was a place with multiple screens where you could watch films and TV shows from ACMI's collection. It closed in September 2017.
Screen It
Screen It was an annual filmmaking competition for primary and secondary school students. Students could enter films, animations, or videogames. There was a different theme each year, and finalists attended a Red Carpet Awards Gala. The competition ended after 2019.
Games Lab (Old)
The original Games Lab was a display area for interactive videogames. It showed how popular games are and how they reflect Australian culture. It featured games like acmipark and exhibitions about Sonic the Hedgehog. The Games Lab was later included in the Screen Worlds exhibition.
