Serious movie buffs could lose hours at ACMI (acmi.net.au; admission free), one of the cornerstone attractions of Fed Square. The "Australian Centre for the Moving Image" successfully manages to entertain, enthrall and educate in equal parts, all while offering insights into contemporary Aussie culture.
The exhibition takes you on a journey through the past, present and future of the moving image; starting with ancient shadow puppets and Victorian-era oddities, such as a mesmerizing zoetrope where strobe lighting makes spinning cartoon characters dance. From here it leads on to highly interactive displays about movies, TV, video games and digital art. Along the way you can experiment with assembling your own film scenes and creating your own sound effects in a custom Foley studio.
There's plenty here to amuse kids and adults alike; put aside at least an hour. Check the website for details of tours, workshops and film screenings, some of which are free.
