Information
Landmark: Museum of Old and New Art (MONA)City: Hobart
Country: Australia
Continent: Australia
Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), Hobart, Australia, Australia
Overview
MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art, is a world-famous gallery in Hobart, Tasmania’s lively capital, where the salty river air drifts in from the Derwent.MONA draws crowds with its daring exhibitions and striking, maze-like architecture, making it one of Australia’s most visited and hotly discussed art museums.Inside the museum, you’ll find everything from a chipped clay pot thousands of years old to a bold, modern canvas still smelling faintly of paint, a blend of past and present that pushes you to see art in a new way.First.MONA sits on the Berriedale Peninsula, just beyond Hobart, where the river catches the light, and you can reach it from the city center in no time.Perched above the Derwent River, the museum offers visitors a sweeping view of glittering water that makes the whole place feel like a painting.The museum’s founder, David Walsh, teamed up with architect Nonda Katsalidis to design the building, giving it sharp lines and a bold, modern edge.The building is an architectural marvel, its underground halls tucked neatly into the curve of the hillside.The museum nestles into the hillside, its galleries tunneling deep underground, where cool stone walls and dim light pull visitors into a dramatic, almost hidden world.MONA opens every day except certain holidays, usually welcoming visitors from late morning until the early evening, when the last light slants across its entryway.Check the official website for the latest operating hours-you might notice they’ve changed since last week.Two.MONA’s collection blends ancient relics with bold contemporary pieces, focusing on works that push against the edges of tradition-like a weathered statue beside a flicker-lit video installation.The collection ranges across paintings, sculpture, installations, and even flickering video art.The museum’s known for bold, unconventional shows-sometimes downright controversial-that keep testing the art world’s idea of what’s acceptable, like a sculpture made entirely of rusted bicycle chains.Old Art: MONA may be famous for its bold contemporary works, but it also holds an impressive trove of ancient treasures-statues from Greece, worn coins from Rome, and painted fragments from Egypt and across the Mediterranean.These works often push back against the modern pieces, sparking vivid conversations between past and present-like an old oak casting its shadow across new glass walls.New Art: MONA’s bold contemporary pieces are what really put it on the map, from a room glowing with flickering neon to sculptures you can’t stop staring at.It showcases pieces by both celebrated names and fresh talent from across the globe, with a spotlight on interactive, immersive experiences that pull you in like stepping through a glowing doorway.The collection ranges from performance art to video installations, alongside bold conceptual pieces that grapple with political, philosophical, and cultural ideas-one work flickers with the looped glow of a protest march at night.MONA’s standout pieces include Adrian Villar Rojas’ “The Great Ocean of Truth,” Wim Delvoye’s “Cloaca Professional” - a machine that quietly churns away like a stomach - and Leon Golub’s “The King’s Stomach.”The museum also showcases pieces by notable artists, including Damien Hirst’s gleaming vitrines, Jeff Koons’ playful sculptures, and Matthew Barney’s bold creations.Number three sits there, plain as a pebble on a quiet path.At MONA, exhibitions pull you in with sights, sounds, and textures that spark curiosity and keep you exploring.The museum hands visitors a sleek handheld device called “O” that guides them with rich details about each artwork as they wander past the quiet, echoing galleries.The system gives you audio commentary, artist bios, and vivid descriptions of each piece-like noting the brush’s rough strokes-so the experience feels more engaging and personal.The museum keeps things lively by swapping out displays, introducing new pieces and short-term shows-one month you might see shimmering glass sculptures, the next, vivid street photography.MONA regularly welcomes artists from around the world and also highlights the vibrant work of Tasmanian creators, from bold oils to delicate charcoal sketches.The exhibitions span everything from sharp political commentary to intimate personal stories, like a faded postcard tucked in a desk drawer.MONA is famous for pushing boundaries with bold, often controversial shows-think walls splashed with vivid, unsettling imagery.It often explores themes like death, sex, religion, and morality-sometimes as starkly as a candle burning down in a dark room.These works can challenge you and make you think, at times stretching the limits of traditional art.They often spark lively conversations-someone might lean in to whisper a sharp opinion while another nods in disagreement.Number four.David Walsh, a Tasmanian businessman and art collector, founded MONA with a bold idea: to shake up the traditional art world, much like splashing bright red paint across a quiet, white gallery wall.Walsh built his wealth through gambling and a love of collecting art, then opened MONA to share his bold, eclectic trove-pieces ranging from ancient coins to a wall of pulsing neon.He wanted to build a place where art wasn’t the only focus-where visitors could linger over a painting, spark new ideas, and feel both welcome and challenged.Walsh’s vision runs through the museum like a thread, shaped by his personal passions and philosophy-every gallery feels stamped with his touch.Each piece in the collection reveals what sparks his curiosity and shows his urge to push against the boundaries of art, culture, and society-like a bold splash of red cutting through a quiet canvas.Walsh believes art ought to stir both the heart and the mind, and he shaped MONA to capture that very idea-like a jolt you feel when a sudden chord strikes in the dark.Number five.Dining and visitor perks don’t stop with the galleries-Mona’s restaurants and cafés serve up everything from fresh-baked bread to rich espresso.At The Mona Cafe, you can settle into a laid‑back corner and enjoy dishes made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients.The Source Restaurant leans toward fine dining, serving elegant dishes while you take in sweeping views of the river glinting in the sun.If you’re ready to kick back after wandering the galleries, you’ll find plenty of spots nearby for a good meal or a cold drink.At The Wine Experience, MONA pours tastings from its own Mona Wine label, letting you swirl and sip everything from crisp whites to deep, velvety reds.Down in the museum’s cellar, a wooden door opens to a counter where visitors can taste Tasmanian wines, adding a rich, earthy note to the whole experience.Number six.Each January, MONA throws its annual Festival of Music and Art, MONA FOMA, filling the air with live beats and the buzz of summer crowds.This festival brings together vibrant performances, live music that hums late into the night, and striking art installations, creating a lively, unforgettable cultural experience.The festival brings together local talent and international performers, filling Hobart’s streets with music and color, and has grown into one of the city’s biggest cultural events, drawing thousands every year.Music, performance art, and more come alive at MONA FOMA, where you might hear an electric cello scream through a warehouse or step inside an installation that blurs the line between stage and audience.It’s a rare chance to step right into the art, to feel the colors and shapes surround you.Seven.Wrapping around the museum, the wide-open sculpture garden showcases towering metal figures and bold, sprawling installations.The garden feels calm and inviting, with wide views of the river glinting in the sun and rolling hills stretching beyond.In the sculpture garden, certain pieces seem to grow out of the earth itself, their curves and shadows melting into the trees and grass.Eight.Getting there’s easy-MONA sits just 20 minutes from Hobart, a quick drive past the river and rolling green hills.
