MoPA: Museum of Play and Art — Attraction in Melbourne

Absolutely blown away by our experience at MoPA for our son Levi’s 4th birthday party on Saturday! 🎉 From start to finish, everything was just incredible. We can't recommend MoPA highly enough – not only for a casual visit (which is always amazing) but also for throwing the most fun, seamless and thoughtful birthday parties around!

A huge shoutout to our wonderful party hosts — Annabelle, Zara, and the third lovely assistant whose name has slipped my mind (sorry!) — you were all beyond incredible! 💛 The entire experience was so well organised, from the initial booking right through to the big day. Communication was clear and consistent, RSVPs were easy to manage, and every little detail was thoughtfully taken care of.

The value for money? Unmatched! The per-child price (including one adult!) covered so much— delicious food, adorable cupcakes, balloon decorations, lolly bags, a personalised digital artwork in the room, and a team of amazing hosts who took care of everything. 🎂🎈 The kids were fully engaged the entire time, moving from one exciting activity to the next, all run seamlessly by the MoPA crew. Their professionalism, energy and ability to connect with the kids (and wrangle a group of 16 four-year-olds plus a few younger siblings!) was next-level. Being a primary school teacher myself I know thats no easy feat!

We especially loved that parents could relax and enjoy the party too. Being able to pop a tab at the café for coffees and cold drinks was a thoughtful bonus ☕🥤, and knowing the children were in safe, capable hands meant we could actually catch up with each other and enjoy the moment.

The dance party celebration at the end was the perfect finale — so much joy and excitement as the kids danced and sang and celebrated Levi. And the extra little touches? Just wow. Two wheeled carts to help carry presents to the car (genius!), and the personalised video we received the night before the party melted our hearts. Levi immediately recognised Annabelle the next day and was thrilled to have his party host already “know” him. He declared, “I love the party host!” before the party had even started. 🥹❤️

MoPA, thank you for making Levi’s birthday absolutely magical. A stress-free, affordable, joy-filled party that we will remember forever. If you’re thinking about hosting your child’s birthday here — do it. You won’t regret it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hot tip: The 9am party slot is perfect, especially for sensory-sensitive kids or those who get overwhelmed by more people around (like our little man and some of his...

Q: What is MoPA Sandringham like? MoPA (Museum of Play and Art) in Sandringham is a bright, 2,500 m² immersive playground for kids aged 1–7. It features a multi-sensory colour wheel, craft rooms, an immersive cinema, the world’s largest soft‐play area, a 6‑m miniature city, race tracks, ball‑run walls, a giant slide with confetti sprinkles, interactive digital art/photo booths, dress‑ups, dance‑party stages and more!

Q: Is it educational or just fun? Both! All exhibits are play‑based and intentionally support learning outcomes from EYLF and the Victorian Curriculum. It’s ideal for school excursions and daily family visits.

Q: Is it toddler‑friendly? Yes—there’s a dedicated soft‑play zone for under‑2s, with accessible facilities including bathrooms, ramps, seating and quiet/feeding rooms.

Q: Is it worth the price? Absolutely. Rated 4.8 stars by 1,800+ families it offers high‑quality family time through sensory play, creative exploration and active learning. Many repeat visitors confirm it’s “as good as it gets” and I cannot agree more.

Q: How is the staff? The staff are wonderful - warm, welcoming, incredibly kind and accommodating. They truly care and are quick to help families feel at ease.

Q: Do I need to book ahead? Yes - sessions must be pre‑booked to manage capacity. Walk‑ins are not permitted. The museum often sells out, so booking early is recommended!

Q: What else does MoPA offer? Art classes for 5–12-year-olds (term-based, fully supplied; 90‑min sessions) Birthday parties: private rooms, craft, food, balloons, wine for adults, lolly bags and more Membership & gift cards: unlimited visits and perks; memberships cost less than five casual visits and gift cards are valid for 3 years

Our personal experience We visited with our 15‑month‑old during our travels and hadn’t booked ahead. Due to a cancellation, the staff kindly squeezed us into a half‑session which was so thoughtful and accommodating. Their flexibility truly stood out for a family with a toddler on the go. The staff were encouraging and attentive, making the visit seamless and joyful.

Overall, MoPA Sandringham blends creativity, education, and joy in a beautifully designed space. The staff go above and beyond, especially in accommodating last‑minute bookings for little ones like our 15‑month‑old. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Melbourne with toddlers and preschoolers and would give 6 stars if possible!

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(This is a belated review as we were hoping the management would call after we gave our feedback and requested a call in their survey after my daughter's birthday party. But many months have gone pass no one bothered to call back. What's the point of sending out a survey and asking the customer if they want a call back then don't call?)

First the positives. Our party host did a good job managing so many kids (28 in total) all by herself. So we'd like to give a shoutout to her. The museum itself is great. The on-site cafe is handy. Parking is easy.

A few things we felt let down:

1. A sign saying "XXX's birthday party" displayed outside of the assigned party room would be nice. We had 28 kids on the day plus parents. By the time everyone found the room and settled in 20 minutes of the 90 minutes already gone. It was chaos at the start and didn't feel very well organised at all.

2. We were told at booking that for 28 kids we would have two hosts but on the day there was only one host managing all 28 kids. You can already predict what's gonna happen. A few kids were not looked after and were lost and confused and couldn't find the party group at the play area. We expected two hosts to split the kids into two groups and take them through the museum and do activities. So that was very disappointing.

3. On the day of the party, we emailed the team first thing in the morning about a couple of songs our daughter likes and hoped at least one song to be played at the 12:30pm dance party but neither of the songs were played. With 4 hours advance notice we can't understand why it was not possible. It's not that hard to add a song to a playlist.

4. For the host family not allowed to arrive and enter the party room 10-15 minutes before our guests' arrival is a silly policy. We have never experienced something like this at any other party venues ever before.

Overall, compare to many other venues we have had kids party at and considering how much we paid for the party the experience was very underwhelming. So for this place, it's a yes for visiting but a no for having...