Shop

Museum of Contemporary Art

Visit website

Phone

(02) 9245 2400

Address

140 George Street
The Rocks

Get directions

Opening Hours

Monday 10am–5pm
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday–Thursday 10am–5pm
Friday 10am - 9pm
Saturday - Sunday 10am-5pm

The home of modern art in Australia with an ever-changing exhibition program.

Step into a cutting-edge gallery in a grand art deco building. The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is dedicated to collecting and presenting contemporary art from Australia and all around the world.

The continually changing exhibition program means theres always something new and exciting to inspire you. There are also free guided tours of the exhibitions held daily. You can catch talks by artists, curators and industry professionals held in the museum's galleries most Sundays.

What's on at Museum of Contemporary Art

Oct

Feb

Isaac Julien: Once Again... Statues Never Die

A timely commentary on the enduring impact of museum histories and practices, while simultaneously advocating for the restitution of cultural heritage.

View Event

Nov

Apr

Julie Mehretu: A Transcore of the Radical Imaginatory

Discover the groundbreaking work of leading contemporary artist, Julie Mehretu.

View Event

@mca_australia

View on Instagram

140 George Street, The Rocks

The Museum of Contemporary Art (former Maritime Services Board) building is thought to be sited close to the first landing of the First Fleet.

Sydney's first hospital was built to the south-west of this site and by 1802, the Hospital Wharf was constructed in front of the present building. In 1797 Governor Hunter ordered a Government Dockyard to be built in order to repair shipping. The remains of part of the dockyard still exist in the archaeological record under the northern end of the MCA building. Convict masons who worked on construction of the Commissariat Stores carved their initials into each of the sandstone blocks used in the buildings. The demolition of the Commissariat Stores in late 1939, and the concurrent threats to other Macquarie-era buildings in Sydney, provoked considerable public debate, and was instrumental in the formation of the heritage movement in Australia and, in particular, the establishment of the National Trust in 1949. A prominent Circular Quay building, constructed after World War 2, the Museum of Contemporary Art (former MSB building) has aesthetic significance as a fine example of a stripped neoclassical government office building. Its strongly massed use of sandstone and bronze windows and doors and its harbourfront position indicate its original role as headquarters of the important Maritime Services Board.

Museum of Contemporary Art

The home of modern art in Australia with an ever-changing exhibition program.

What's on at Museum of Contemporary Art

You may also like…

140 George Street, The Rocks