brief history ...

The current building of the Art Gallery of New South Wales was initially designed by the architect Walter Liberty Vernon.
The Art Gallery of NSW was first open 1879 in an annex of the International Exhibition hosted by Sydney in that year. The Art Gallery was build in the same place where the glass pyramid in the Sydney Royal Botanic Garden now stands.

Only the façade and old wing of the Gallery were built using Vernon's design, between 1896 and 1909. After 1909 nothing more was built after the original design.

An extension was build in November 1970 and other extensions in 1988 as part of the National Bicentenary celebration. All the new additions were made after the plans of Government architect Andrew Anderson. The 1988 extension doubled the size of the Gallery.

In 1994 the Yiribana gallery, dedicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and culture, was inaugurated.

Today the Art Gallery of NSW stands as one of Sydney's most distinctive landmarks.

about...

Art Gallery of NSW permanent collections:

• Aboriginal Art
• Australian Art
• European Art
• Prints, Drawings and Watercolours
• Contemporary Art
• Asian Art
• Melanesian Art
• Photography
• Brett Whiteley Studio

Note: Photography of temporary exhibitions or Aboriginal art is not permitted.

tourist information ...

How to get there
Nearest train stations are St James and Martin Place plus a 10 minutes walk. Buses are also available. See map.

Contact details:
The Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery Road, The Domain, Sydney 2000
Ph: (02) 9225 1744
Web site: The Art Gallery of New South Wales

Hours of Operation:
Open daily 10 am to 5 pm
(Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday)
For up to date information please visit The Art Gallery of NSW web site.

Admission is FREE
Note: Special charges apply for some touring exhibitions.