Art Galleries and Museums

Everyone knows about MONA, right? If not, here’s a quick rundown:

The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) was opened in 2011 by a successful gambler named David Walsh. The museum began as a space for Walshy to display his personal art collection, a selection that the man himself has described as a ‘submersive adult Disneyland’. Over the proceeding (almost) decade, Mona has become a part of the fabric of the Hobart art, music, festival and dining scenes. Mona Foma, now held each January in Launceston, and Dark Mofo, based in Hobart in June annually, are opportunities for festival goers to explore the themes the museum embodies; namely sex and death, with a little bit of hedonism thrown in. Many credit MONA for dragging Hobart into the 21^st century, attracting new talent, driving interest from international and domestic audiences alike.

So, explore MONA. You’ll regret it if you don’t sit on a sheep on the ferry from Hobart (who wouldn’t?) and at the very least, you’ll have a pleasant afternoon sipping wine made on site at the wine bar and you can just tell everyone you’ve been there…

But… let’s imagine it’s Tuesday, and MONA is closed (which it will be, if you’re hoping to go on a Tuesday). Scratch the surface and you’ll find so many more incredible art galleries and immersive museums all over the place. Here are some of our faves:

1. TMAG (Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery) – located in Hobart on the site it started on in 1863, this is the second oldest museum in Australia and it displays a unique combination of museum artifacts and beautifully curated art.

2. Maritime Museum of Tasmania – located diagonally opposite the visitor centre is the Maritime Museum  where you can find informative displays about aboriginal watercraft, early European explorers and whalers, and learn about how important sailing and steam ships were for developing Tasmanian industries.

3. QVMAG (Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery) – specializing in art, history and natural sciences, QVMAG operates between two Launceston sites; the art gallery is at the Royal Park venue, whilst the museum in Inveresk, a suburb to the city’s north east.

4. Furneaux Museum – this museum documents the rich, yet sometimes dark, history of the Furneaux Group, a group of islands in the state’s north east. Located on Flinder’s Island, there are seven individual buildings dedicated to illustrating the aboriginal history of the area as well as the island’s maritime past. If planning a trip to te Furneaux Museum, call ahead to ensure it’s open.

5. Beaconsfield Heritage Centre – big and little kids will enjoy this hands on museum that invites you to push, pull, hit, slide and learn about the history of the Beaconsfield and surrounding area, which means agricultural and mining histories. Come prepared and dress warm – parts of this museum are outside.

6. Cradle Mountain Wilderness Gallery – perfect for when you’re Dove Lake walk is rained out, or you need to warm your bones after wandering out to Ronny Creek and having lunch with a wombat (or two). With twelve different rooms, all inside and including one for the kids, this gallery is dedicated to all things (and artists) Tasmanian.

Of course, this isn't meant to be an exhaustive list of our state's museums and galleries. There are many, many more and you we can help you make the most out of your trip to Tassie and suggest others based on your interests if you would like to get in touch.