★ Melbourne behind the scenes

Tutus at the Australian Ballet

Anyone can visit a city and grab tickets to a show, but visitors to Melbourne can take their love of arts behind-the-scenes with these quirky tours that peel back the curtain to reveal the inner workings of some of the city’s iconic theatres, galleries and museums.

Arts CentreMelbourne’s cultural heart, the Arts Centre, offers several backstage tours, which allow visitors to trace the footsteps of famous performers, directors and choreographers and hear stories from behind-the-scenes of major stage productions. Tour guides reveal the secrets of the Centre – which actually extends five floors underground – while offering a sneak peek into backstage rooms, hidden passageways and technical contraptions that are unknown to most.

Australian Ballet The glamourous – yet gruelling – world of ballet is revealed in a series of insider events, including a question and answer session with Artistic Director David McAllister and the opportunity to watch rehearsals and coaching sessions. The company recently introduced exclusive tours of their production centre in Altona, 13 kilometres south west of Melbourne. This 10,000 square-metre, custom-designed wonderland, houses more than 50 years’ worth of archival costumes and 130 large containers of props. From Graeme Murphy’s cygnet tutus to Cinderella’s coach, every artefact is recorded and preserved.

Melbourne Museum Victoria’s natural and cultural history museum offers a range of previews and behind-the-scenes experiences including the chance to meet the museum animal keepers and horticulturalists who care for the museum’s live plant and animal displays. Also on offer is a tour that allows visitors view the museum’s conservators in action, analysing and preserving some of the 16 million objects and specimens in the collection. The tours are currently only available to Museum members, but reciprocal memberships from a range of other Australian museums are recognised.

Melbourne Theatre CompanyWhile not technically a backstage tour, Melbourne Theatre Company does offer visitors the chance to become part of their Dress Rehearsal Club. For an annual fee, visitors have entry to all the dress rehearsals for the entire season – perfect for regular visitors to Melbourne. There’s no need to book – visitors can just turn up for a sneak peek before opening night.

State Library of VictoriaAs Australia’s oldest public library, the State Library of Victoria’s Dome to Dungeons tour offers a rare opportunity to sneak a peek behind the scenes of this iconic building. Tours are free, and take visitors through the Library’s historic building, from the dome to the basement and every nook and cranny in between. The tour will uncover collection storage areas not usually open to the public, an aerial view of the reading room from the Library’s sixth floor and the original Melbourne Museum catacombs.

Royal Exhibition Building When it was built, in 1879, the Great Hall (now known as the Royal Exhibition Building) was the largest building in Australia, and the tallest building in Melbourne. It was chosen as the venue for the opening of the first Commonwealth Parliament of Australia on 9 May 1901, and became Australia’s first World Heritage Listed building. Today, the building hosts dozens of events and expos each year, but regular guided tours are held on most days to inform visitors of its historical importance.