National Gallery of Australia
Canberra's national collection in a concrete building by the lake, holding the Aboriginal Memorial, the Ned Kelly paintings and a large sculpture garden.
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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
The National Gallery of Australia opened in 1982 in a heavy board-marked concrete building beside Lake Burley Griffin, a design that divides opinion more than the collection does. Inside are the country's national holdings: Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly series with its black helmet against flat country, a large body of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, and international modern work including Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles, bought in 1973 for a price that was argued about across the country for years. The Aboriginal Memorial, two hundred hollow log coffins made by artists from Ramingining in Arnhem Land, stands near the entrance. Outside, a sculpture garden runs down to the lake shore. General entry is free.
What you actually see
- The Aboriginal Memorial - two hundred painted hollow log coffins from Ramingining, arranged as a forest near the entrance.
- The Ned Kelly series - Nolan's flat, bright paintings of the bushranger against open country.
- Blue Poles - the Pollock canvas whose purchase price became a national argument in the 1970s.
- The sculpture garden - large outdoor works spread across lawns and gum trees down to the lake.
When to go
Open daily and free. Canberra's autumn, roughly March to May, gives cold clear light and turning trees in the sculpture garden; spring is similar. Winter mornings are genuinely cold and the garden is best skipped then. Ticketed touring exhibitions run through the year and sell timed entry. Weekdays outside school holidays are quiet.
Honest expectations
The building is a maze inside, with galleries at odd levels and a layout that defeats people who want a simple circuit. Canberra is a long way to come for a single gallery, so it makes sense only as part of a wider visit to the national institutions. Parts of the collection rotate out of view. The sculpture garden is exposed and uncomfortable in both summer heat and winter wind.
Nearby
The National Portrait Gallery, the National Library and the lake shore paths are all within walking distance.
What to pack for National Gallery of Australia
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
