With a capacity of 100,000 people, the 'G' is one of the world’s great sporting venues, hosting cricket in the summer, and AFL footy in the winter – for many Australians it's considered hallowed ground. Make it to a game if you can (highly recommended), but otherwise you can still make your pilgrimage on non-match-day tours that take you through the stands, media and coaches’ areas, change rooms and out onto the ground (though unfortunately not beyond the boundary).
In 1858 the first game of Aussie Rules football was played where the MCG and its car parks now stand, and in 1877 it was the venue for the first Test cricket match between Australia and England. The MCG was the central stadium for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth Games. It was also used as army barracks during WWII.
The MCG houses the state-of-the-art National Sports Museum .
