How Fascinating Is The National Gallery of Australia?

What is your favorite tourist destination whenever you travel overseas? How about Australia? There are plenty of options there. If you think galleries are only for the artsy people, then your mind is about to change once you read this.

About The National Gallery of Australia

This gallery is called the National Gallery of Australia (NGA). It is the institution of visual arts built in art collection, sharing, and celebration. The art they feature is mainly from Australia, but they also showcase other artwork from other countries worldwide.

The NGA was formerly known as the Australian National Gallery. It is also one of the biggest art museums in Australia, which holds over 166,000 pieces of precious artwork.

The NGA was founded and built-in 1967. The idea (and aim) behind this gallery is to become an inspiration to all Australians. It is more than a whole building of a “show-and-tell” place regarding arts. There are many interesting programs that visitors – especially art enthusiasts can participate in whenever possible.

For example, NGA elevates the female artists and culture of the First Nations. Their expansive collection displays other dynamic programs of exhibitions, cultural events, and local tours. It is all in the name of celebrating the practice of creativity and the deepening of lifelong learning, whether in person or online.

The NGA is located on the southern shore of Lake Burley Griffin, on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. That is within Canberra’s Parliamentary Triangle. As a heritage-listed building, NGA was designed by Colin Madigan AO, an award-winning architect. The concept of the building is based on Brutalist architecture.

Nick Mitzevich is the museum director of NGA. Before that, he was the Director from 2010 until 2018 at the Art Gallery of South Australia. Even before that, Mitzevich had also been the Director of the Newcastle Art Gallery and of the University of Queensland Art Museum.

Nick Mitzevich also hosts regular talks called “Art Talk” as part of the museum’s program.

The Finest Collection of Australian Art Anywhere In The World

The NGA has the world’s largest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art collection. They also have another whole of Australian art and modern art worldwide. Some artwork pieces are from Europe, America, Asia, and the Pacific.

The collection consists of some of the finest examples in Australia, like French Impressionism, Russian Avant-Garde, Dada and Surrealism, Pop Art, Abstract Expressionism, Conceptual Art, and also Minimalism.

Schedules To Visit The National Gallery of Australia

Regularly, The NGA opens from 10 am – 5 pm. For regular visitors (general entrance), the admission is free – although a ticket is still required. The ticket entrance can be booked either in person (on-site) or online. It is recommended that you book the ticket online in advance, which can save you the trouble of having the tickets out.

The general entrance into the NGA leads you to the national collection (Australian art), the Sculpture Gardens, and some of the exhibitions opening to the public. To be on the safe side, check out the schedules to spot which events that require a paid ticket. If there is a notice that says ‘tickets on sale’ above the event title online, that means you have to pay. 

Still, it is best to check out the website first for more information. Some galleries may be closed, or some other key works may temporarily be off display.

There are many famous artworks displayed on the NGA. Some of the examples include “Blue Poles, Number 11” by Jackson Pollock in 1952, and “Paintings In The Studio: ‘Figure Supporting Back Legs’ and ‘Interior with Black Rabbit’” by local artist Arthur Boyd in 1973-1974.

To get to the museum, you may take ACTION buses as the public transit access.

There is also a regular update on the NGA security protocols. Some admission fees or special invitations might be required for special exhibitions, workshops, and other shows in the museum. So, it is better to prepare ahead by following the latest schedules on NGA’s official website.

The Conclusion

All in all, hopefully, you will have an opportunity to experience how fascinating the National Gallery of Australia really is. Still, you do not need to stop there. There is another interesting museum too that you can also visit. Check out the Australian War Memorial Museum to find out more about its history.

Related: 11 Fun Canberra Destinations That Are Not Tourist Traps!