The Melbourne Cricket Ground, or MCG, is a landmark stadium in Yarra Park, close to central Melbourne. Cricket and Australian rules football draw the biggest crowds, but you can also visit on a non-match day for a guided look behind the scenes and the Australian Sports Museum. Exhibits cover Australian sporting history, with memorabilia and interactive displays; the stadium tour can include areas such as the change rooms and media facilities. If you can, catch a match: the crowd and scale of the ground are part of the experience.
A stadium at the centre of Australian sport
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is known locally as the MCG or simply the G. It opened in 1853 and has hosted cricket, Australian rules football and other major events. Its history includes the first Test cricket match, played here in 1877, and the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. The stadium also hosted the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
The G is used for cricket in summer and Australian rules football in winter. It has also staged concerts and other sporting events. Its scale is striking: the ground can hold more than 100,000 spectators, and the MCG is a familiar part of Melbourne’s sporting life.
Tours and the Australian Sports Museum
A guided stadium tour is a way to see parts of the MCG that are not part of a typical match-day visit. Depending on the tour, the route can include player change rooms, media areas and other working spaces. Tours also cover the ground’s history and point out features connected to its cricket past.
Inside the stadium, the Australian Sports Museum explores sport in Australia through memorabilia and interactive displays. Its exhibits cover cricket and other sporting codes, and the interactive Game On area lets visitors try activities. Allow time to explore the displays rather than treating the museum as a quick walk-through. The museum gives non-match-day visitors another reason to come to the ground.
Choosing a match or a non-match-day visit
A match brings the stands to life, with crowds gathering to watch cricket or Australian rules football. Summer is the season for cricket, while Australian rules football fills the stadium in winter. The MCG has also hosted major international sporting events, so its calendar can include more than its regular cricket and football fixtures.
On a day without a match, a tour and museum visit let you focus on the venue itself. Tour tickets should be booked in advance if seeing behind-the-scenes areas matters to you. The stadium sits in Yarra Park, near the city centre. Jolimont and Richmond stations are within walking distance, making public transport a practical option for reaching the ground.
FAQ
Can you visit the MCG when there is no match?
Yes. You can take a guided stadium tour and visit the Australian Sports Museum on a non-match day.
What can you see on an MCG tour?
Tours can include behind-the-scenes areas such as player change rooms and media facilities, along with features connected to the ground’s history.
What is inside the Australian Sports Museum?
The museum has Australian sporting memorabilia, exhibits on cricket and other sports, and interactive displays including the Game On area.
How do you get to the MCG by public transport?
Jolimont and Richmond stations are both a short walk from the stadium.
