The Pool at The NGV

https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/the-pool/

NGV Australia,
Federation Square
Melbourne

The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has installed a pool! The Pool is free to enter, open daily, and you can even wade in the water. It’s only 29cm deep so it’s more for kids to have a swim and a splash (although adults are more than welcome).

The Pool is a temporary exhibition (open until mid Feb) that celebrates and explores one of the great Australian icons…. The Pool. The exhibition also itself features the eight stories of famous Aussies and how they feel about pool culture in Australia… so you know, a bit of arty culture and a free swim!

The Pool itself is very pretty, but unfortunately very cold. The water isn’t heated at all. Probably in the heart of Summer this might be a great asset to Fed Square, but given it is the middle of Winter I wonder how utilised it will be.

Missy Moo had the occasional splash but refused to get in (and she’s usually a water kid). I even attempted to bribe her (unsuccessfully) with jelly beans… #mumoftheyear

Worth noting is that unfortunately the nearest utilities aren’t very well set up for visitors to be swimming. Right by the pool is a disabled toilet (with change table) and a single male and female toilet, so no real changing room space. Not a major concern, but something to be mindful of…. there’s no hot shower to await you after your dip! But this is Melbourne, plenty of coffee to warm you up can be found only footsteps away.

I liked the exhibition and can see what they’re going for. A pool brings people together, everyone loves to gather around a pool, it’s in our culture. But for my daughter she was just cold and grumpy.

We’ll try again in the Summer.