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Art Gallery of NSW North Building

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Art Gallery of NSW North Building

The Art Gallery of NSW new North Building displays contemporary art, with an emphasis on Indigenous Australian art. The building reflects this with bright well lit rooms and colourful displays. A highlight is the use of its basement, an old storage tank as a display space.

Getting There

Located, to the north of the original Art Gallery (now the South Building), it’s walkable from the Sydney CBD. We used the train from Central Station, getting off at St. James and walking, although buses can also be used. If you drive, the Domain carpark would be the closest option.

Arriving before opening time, we took some photos of the giant sculptures outside and then had a coffee at the café opposite the entrance.

Inside

With four levels, there is plenty of space to display artworks. The ground floor has an amazing display of Indigenous art and its great that this is the first gallery you see on entering. Previously displayed at the South Building the collection now has pride of place at the entrance.

The next two levels down display a series of contemporary art in addition to having access to outside galleries. Here we found an amazing flower sculpture, as well as a Buddhist Temple.

Lower Level 4 – The Tank

The highlight though was The Tank. Level 4 used to be an underground oil storage tank, but has been repurposed as an art space. Access is via a spiral staircase, which you descend into increasing darkness. Left deliberately dark, with the original columns still in place, it’s eerie, with lights moving on the ceiling, slowly brightening and dimming to highlight the sculptures there.

Before entering, you are warned that the area is dark and claustrophobic, so that you know what to expect. Numerous staff patrol the space, ensuring everyone obeys the rules (no flash photos) and remains safe.

We loved it, the sculptures were unworldly and the empty spaces and columns eerie.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

National Museum of Australia

FJ Holden and Propert Trailaway touring caravan

National Museum of Australia

Dedicated to preserving Australia’s social history, the National Museum of Australia contains many unique and significant artefacts. Located in Canberra on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin, its distinctive because of its architecture.

Getting There

We drove and used the large carpark on site, although as with most Canberra parking, there is a fee. Entry to the museum is free, but entrance to any special exhibits incur a fee. During our visit, Ancient Greeks, a large display of ancient Greek artefacts was there, so we paid to visit this too.

National Museum of Australia
Entrance
National Museum of Australia
National Museum of Australia

The Gandel Atrium

This is also the entrance foyer, containing the giftshop and several displays. In the centre is a cast of Australia’s most famous dinosaur, Muttaburrasaurus. Nearby is Australia’s first car, the FJ Holden and a caravan, showing the affluence of the 1950s and the rise of industrialisation.

Situated just off the atrium is the café, where food and drinks can be purchased. We bought morning coffee and snacks here before moving on to other displays.

Landmarks Gallery

The Landmarks Gallery traces the social development of Australia from it’s early colonial farming to the current day. Important features such as the windmill used to pump water, harvesters and stagecoaches give way to mining and the stock market. We thought the most interesting item here was the very first Holden Prototype preserved in excellent condition.

First Australians

The First Australians gallery showcases aboriginal society from pre-colonial times to the present day. Artefacts including a full sized outrigger canoe represent Torres Strait Islander culture.

The post-colonial treatment of aboriginal people shows their disenfranchisement, loss of land and persecution. Although attempts have been made to remedy the wrongs of the past, a lot is still required for true equality. The displays here demonstrate the wrongs, often with personal stories from those who suffered.

Special Exhibition Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes

Open until 1 May 2022, Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes contains many treasures from the British Museum. From statues to tiny coins and jewellery the displays were amazing. If you are in Canberra while this is showing, it is really worth going to. We have been to Greece but still enjoyed this display.

What Did We Think?

We loved the Greek display and would have visited just for that. The rest of the museum has a nationally important collection, which we found interesting. If you want to see the social history of Australia, it’s a great place to visit.

For other places to visit in the Australian Capital Territory click here

National Gallery of Australia

Aboriginal Message Sticks

National Gallery of Australia

Located on the south side of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, the National Gallery of Australia houses the most valuable art collection in the country. Limited parking is available onsite, but we chose to park at Questacon, where a large carpark is available. This also means that you are close to other attractions in the area without needing to move your car.

Entry to the gallery is free, but you will need to get an entry ticket from the front counter. However, some special exhibitions may have an entry fees. If you have bags or coats you don’t want to carry around with you, self storage lockers are available free of charge.

The collection comprises over 155,000 works of art, including the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. With artwork from around the world, there is something here for everyone.

We enjoyed walking through the galleries, particularly the unique Indigenous section.

For other places to visit in the Australian Capital Territory click here