The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) was evacuated and St Kilda Road closed to traffic on Saturday after a red backpack was discovered on the footpath near the gallery's entrance.
Emergency services were called to the gallery about 5pm, with police treating the unaccompanied bag, which appears to be a school backpack, as potentially dangerous. A bomb squad was also called to investigate the contents of the bag, which was reported by members of the public.
St Kilda Road was blocked to traffic heading into the city, while trams in both directions were suspended as a precaution. Fire Rescue Victoria crews remained on standby at the scene.
The evacuation comes months after the NGV was locked down due to pro-Palestinian protesters. The road closure remained in place while bomb squad specialists worked to determine the contents of the backpack.
The area was deemed safe and reopened shortly after 6.40pm, with regular traffic allowed to resume. Commuters were advised to avoid the area and seek alternative routes during the investigation.
