Overview
Mobile ticket
Visit Old Melbourne Gaol, Melbourne’s oldest and most feared prison since 1845. Discover where some of Australia’s most infamous characters, including bushranger Ned Kelly and gangster Squizzy Taylor, spent time behind bars.
With your ticket, explore the three levels of the original gaol, see the gallows where over 100 people met their fate, and discover Ned Kelly’s death mask. Learn about the Women and Children of the gaol with special displays tracing their history.
General Admission to the Gaol includes self guided access to the Gaol, access to download the Audio Guide App and a National Trust Souvenir, which could consist of a tote bag, keyring or stuffed toy dependent on availability.
The Old Melbourne Gaol is a short walk from Melbourne Central Station. Or catch the free City Circle Tram to stop number seven on the corner of La Trobe and Russell Streets.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
The Gaol offers partial wheelchair accessibility, but please note that some areas, such as stairs and upper levels, may limit access.
What To Expect
Old Melbourne Gaol
The Old Melbourne Gaol is Melbourne’s home of crime since 1845 and the city’s most feared destination. A place of more than 130 executions — including infamous bushranger’s Ned Kelly — visitors can learn about the site’s rich criminal history, experience what it was like for the men and women held there, and discover the stories that never left. With your ticket, explore the three levels of the original gaol, see the gallows where over 100 people met their fate, and discover Ned Kelly’s death mask. Learn about the Women and Children of the gaol with special displays tracing their history. General Admission to the Gaol includes self guided access to the Gaol, access to download the Audio Guide App and a National Trust Souvenir, which could consist of a tote bag, keyring or stuffed toy dependent on availability.
Options
Admission Ticket + Souvenir
What‘s Included
Admission Ticket
Audio Guide
National Trust Souvenir: which may be a tote bag, keyring or stuffed toy dependent on availability.
Transportation to/from attraction
Hotel pickup & drop-off
Food & Drink
Add on tours are able to be purchased on site.
Meeting points
Old Melbourne Gaol
377 Russell St, Melbourne Australia
End points
This activity ends back at the meeting point.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
68 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Watch House tour was a highlight
pennycarroll1979,Apr 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A great museum (though I prefer a guided tour rather than just an audio guide). The Watch House tour was excellent - special thanks to Sergeant Finch (22 April) who was knowledgeable, formidable and very witty, and seemed like she genuinely loved her job.
Very good
jasonsR3711BT,Apr 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Educational enjoyed the history don't get tours like this in the UK
Watch House Fun
gengizs2026,Apr 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The Gaol was very informative and interesting. The add on watch house experience was definitely worth it. Our guide played her character so well.
A place that's hard to leave
E3115QDtonys,Apr 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A really interesting historic building and some excellent explanations of the social attitudes towards those convicted of crime. There are audio guides and tours (we did Watch house experience and Gaol tour but there other). The Watch house was particularly involving and I would recommend it for adults and children. Remember to do what the sergeant "tells you" to do, and no exceptions 🙂. You could easily spend more than 3 hours here, particularly if you partake in the tours.
Super fun,,1 great host 1 tired host
flyinbanana1,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.002 parts to this review We learned quite a bit and had a great time. Highly recommend doing both hosted options as only $5 more Sergeant Katherine ( i think ) arrested us and gave us the first private tour. She was fantastic! Bruce on the second tour was informative and interesting but just seemed a bit scripted and stale.
Great History
Meremale60,Mar 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We did a self guided tour. The history learnt is amazing, but the conditions prisoners lived in were very harsh and basic, whether it was male, female or child, all treated the same. We are glad the Victorian government didn't demolish all the goal by keeping one wing for us to learn so much about our past
Underwhelming and not worth the money compared to other activities in the area. Especially if you only have a few days in Melbou
jeromek2017,Mar 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00Not much to see, the guided your was so boring, I ended up leaving the group, there is one building with cell blocks to see and thats it, the rest of the jail has been turned into modern office buildings which is not part of the tour. definitely not worth the money, especially that you can visit the massive Melbourne museum for $18, don't waste your time. In saying this, all the staff were lovely and also the guide was really friendly, this is not a personal attack, just an honest review.
Nice visit
mayccm2018,Feb 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00The building was quite small. There were three levels for us to explore. We could visit different tiny cells and read stories of different prisoners and their historical backgrounds. We downloaded the app and used own phone to have a self-audio tour. We could enter one specific cell and take role as prisoner in the third level. Quite interesting to take a photo. Nice visit but price was little bit high.
Worth a visit but a little pricey compared to other sightseeing places
mikeyytokyo,Feb 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Worth a visit although a little on the pricey side at $38 for an adult ticket. There are 3 levels to explore and it is possible to go into different cells and read stories about some of the inmates. The building is quite small and so you don’t need to spend a lot of time looking around. It might be worth joining a tour to get more detailed information. Across the road there is a nice cafe which I visited afterwards. There are also other good attractions at a walkable distance from the jail.
Worth a visit once.
StephenHMD95,Feb 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00This is a little creepy. It is an old prison. Has several displays. Some of the displays are old and need updating. It has a very traditional look to it. I would recommend, but know it is creepy.
Related Experiences
Operated by National Trust of Australia (Victoria)