Museum of Contemporary Art

The Museum of Contemporary Art is the only museum of its kind in Australia

Museum of Contemporary Art overlooking Sydney Cove by Circular Quay
Museum of Contemporary Art overlooking Sydney Cove by Circular Quay cc licensed photo by jstuppy

At the Museum of Contemporary Art, which opened in 1991 in the The Rocks, you can explore a wide variety of contemporary art work. Contemporary art is, generally speaking, any art that is modern in theme or created within the last 40 or so years. It uses a wide variety of mediums, some even hi-tech, which means you will discover some truly unique and interesting forms of art here.

The museum was made possible by a bequest to the University of Sydney by the late John Power for the purpose of informing and educating Australians about the contemporary and visual arts. Subsequently, when the Maritime Services Board vacated their building in the Rocks for larger premises, the government of New South Wales donated the building which, after renovations, became the home of the Museum. It is also the only Museum of Contemporary Arts in all of Australia.

Between 2011 and 2012 the museum shut down for extensive renovations, which are now complete and make the museum better than ever. Admission to the museum is free with the exception of the occasional special exhibit.

Nearby attractions include: The Rocks, Sydney Observatory, Customs House, Justice and Police Museum, and Museum of Sydney.

Facts For Your Visit

Fee: No, except for some special exhibitions.

Museum of Contemporary Art Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays

  • Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Tuesday: Closed
  • Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Address: 140 George St, The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia

Phone: (02) 9245 2400

Official Website: Museum of Contemporary Art

Museum of Contemporary Art Reviews

Rated 4.4 out of 5 Star Rating

3 Star Rating It is difficult to evaluate art, always on the average;)))I can only share the impression that one or another art object makes. Only 2 authors liked it, the rest is complete nonsense, the idea was poorly conveyed or the execution was as non-catchy as possible. Forgive me and do not judge strictly for such a harsh statement ... I will leave the photos of those who liked both the idea and the execution
Тая Тен - in the last week

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5 Star Rating Recommended by a friend - I arrived pretty early for a meeting nearby and had time to kill. Free entry and a pretty extensive selection of modern art and installations. A few sections were closed off. Security staff were very active asking us to keep our backpacks facing 'front' ... Well worth the time spent and it was good to see the bark paintings and other multidimensional presentations. Easily accessed - a few minutes walk from Central Station.
R S - 3 months ago

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4 Star Rating Nice museum with gorgeous roof terrace overlooking Circular Quay and Opera house. The exhibitions are great if the resonate with you and a waste of time if not. As usual with modern art. We really enjoyed the aboriginal art pieces when we visited last time. However, if I had time for only one museum in Sydney, I would rather visit the Art Gallery of NSW.
Andreas Ludwig - a month ago

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4 Star Rating Nice place to visit on a hot day in Sydney. Lots of unusual art. However, I would recommend seeing a special collection and paying for it over just visiting the museum for general art expos. Staff were friendly and welcoming.
David L - a month ago

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5 Star Rating My wife and I had a fun time walking around the museum. Great mixture of mediums. The employees were great and added to the experience with their knowledge of the artists.
Nathan Nelson - 2 weeks ago

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Directions

Line Nearest Station Walking Time
L2, T2, T3, T8 or FerryCircular Quay 3 minutes

How to get to Museum of Contemporary Art by

By Train or Ferry: exit at Circular Quay Station and proceed west. The Museum of Contemporary Art is located in the park at the western edge of the Quay adjacent to the end of Wharf #6.

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