Experience CARTIER, the 2026 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces® exhibition after dark at NGV with weekly curated experiences featuring live music residencies, pop-up performances and activations, alongside drinks, dining and unlimited entry to the CARTIER exhibition. With a changing program every week in iconic, heritage-listed surrounds, lean into winter in the city with NGV Friday Nights.
Music residency – Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO)
7–7.30pm
8–8.30pm
9–9.30pm
Great Hall
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra residency for Friday Nights brings the glittering world of Cartier to life through sound. Curated by MSO musicians, as part of the newly launched initiative MSO+, the program places music in luminous dialogue with jewellery, design, and visual art, transforming the Great Hall into a living exhibition where classical works, contemporary music, and unexpected collaborations shine with elegance, imagination, and exquisite craft.
Performer: Hooked on Strings
Hooked on Strings is a dynamic and unique MSO ensemble bringing together a string trio, double bass, and musical theatre star to create immersive musical experiences that shimmer with elegance and imagination. Blending rich jazz influences and classical textures, their performances are shaped by lush harmonies, playful rhythms, and soulful improvisation, inspired by the brilliance of diamonds and the timeless beauty of fine jewels.
Presented by MSO+
Melbourne Opera Performs – Diamonds for the Diva
Experience bespoke live performances in celebration of renowned soprano and Cartier client, Dame Nellie Melba. Arranged especially for Friday Nights, the performance features Melbourne Opera’s own ‘Melba’ alongside a five piece ensemble of string quartet, flute and conductor.
Cartier Quiz
Think you’re a Cartier connoisseur? Test your knowledge on the Maison’s fascinating history, bold designs and iconic motifs with a short pop quiz accessible via QR code.
Moët & Chandon champagne bar
Start your weekend with Moët & Chandon, serving the distinguished Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut and Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial until late.
Yering Station wine bar
The Yering Station wine bar returns with a menu of fine wines from the Yarra Valley. Enjoy signature wine flights featuring a selection of three, for an extraordinary wine-tasting experience.
Häagen-Dazs
Visit the Häagen-Dazs ice-cream kiosk and indulge in ice-cream perfection. Enjoy complimentary tastings and choose from a variety of flavours.
Gallery Kitchen
Charcuterie and cheese boards will be available in Gallery Kitchen — ideal for sharing, grazing, and enjoying alongside a glass of wine or your beverage of choice.
Great Hall
Friday Night dining in the Great Hall will feature a food station offering burgers, salads, fries, and other savoury dishes. This year, alongside this offering, guests can also enjoy sweet crêpes from a dedicated crêperie bar.
Experience the elegance and exhilaration of CARTIER at NGV this winter. Opening exclusively in Melbourne, the exhibition features nearly 400 extraordinary jewellery objects, alongside rare archival materials. Explore pieces owned by royalty and Hollywood stars alike, within a breathtaking original exhibition design, produced in collaboration with Dutch design practices Studio Sabine Marcelis and CLOUD. The exhibition has been created by the V&A, London, in partnership with the National Gallery of Victoria and in collaboration with Cartier and will feature loans from private and institutional collections across Europe, the United States and Asia, alongside highlights from the Cartier Heritage Collection.
Garden Access
The NGV Garden is closed while we build The Fox: NGV Contemporary and a brand new 18,000 square metre urban garden, Laak Boorndap.