10 Best Art Galleries in Sydney

The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is located on the very edge of Sydney Harbour, at the iconic Circular Quay. It’s one of the most visited art galleries in Sydney, with an awe-inspiring permanent collection and a commitment to works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, as well as regular major exhibitions. This is the kind of museum you’ll want to visit again and again, discovering something new each time you wander around the museum’s 4 floors. Admission is free, though there are sometimes fees for specific exhibitions.

Be sure to check out the rooftop cafe, where you can pause for drinks and snacks while admiring breathtaking views of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. There’s also a high-tech education centre and a sculpture terrace.

Established in 1871, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is the state art museum, housing iconic collections and exhibitions of paintings, sculptures, and other visual artworks. It’s based in 2 buildings connected by a public art garden on a magnificent site that overlooks Sydney Harbour, just a 15-minute walk from the city centre. You’ll find a celebration of creative diversity within the museum’s walls.

Admission to the Art Gallery of New South Wales is free. Go late on a Wednesday to explore the collections and exhibitions after dark, and join a guided tour or catch a film, talk, or performance. During evening opening hours, a courtesy shuttle bus runs from the Art Gallery to the city centre’s public transportation hubs.

The White Rabbit Gallery is home to one of the world’s largest private collections of 21st-century Chinese artworks. Arranged over 4 floors and topped with a theatre, the gallery is truly breathtaking. Stroll through the gallery to explore thought-provoking and intriguing paintings, sculptures, embroidery, videos, and more. If you’re interested in Chinese art and culture, a stop here is essential while you’re in Sydney.

White Rabbit is in Chippendale, close to Chippendale Green, and admission is free. When you visit the gallery, drop into the stylish café. The freshly brewed Chinese tea is highly recommended, and the steamed dumplings are delicious.

You’ll find 2 Wentworth Galleries in Sydney: one in the Sofitel on Philip Street, and one in Martin Place, in a former post office building. There are some fabulous pieces on display, with a focus on the works of Indigenous Australian artists. The paintings and artwork you’ll view here are on sale and make great additions to art collections and investments. The friendly and helpful staff will encourage you to browse without any pressure to make a purchase.

The Wentworth Galleries provide a welcome quiet space away from the bustle of the Central Business District. The galleries also host regular art community events.

The Brett Whiteley Studio is a hidden gem in Sydney’s suburb of Surry Hills. Brett Whiteley was a well-known and prize-winning Australian expressionist who moved into the residential property in 1985 and converted it into a live-in studio and exhibition space. The site is now an art gallery that carefully preserves the artist’s life and work—you can even view his unfinished paintings, his unmade bed, his collection of art books, and his photographs and graffiti wall in the upstairs living area.

There’s a rotating collection of artworks on display in the ground-floor gallery’s exhibition space. You’ll find a small shop selling postcards, posters, and other items.

Firstdraft is the longest-running artist-led initiative in Australia, established in 1986. It’s run by a team of volunteer directors who are all artists and arts professionals. The organisation promotes emerging and experimental artists, and its space now includes 4 galleries and 2 artist studios. There’s a diverse program of year-round exhibitions, artist talks, events, performances, and auctions. Admission is free.

You’ll find the gallery in Woolloomooloo, with the entrance in Haig Lane—look out for a grey wall with 'Firstdraft' painted on it.

Tucked away down a tiny backstreet in the suburb of Paddington, 2 miles east of Sydney’s Central Business District, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery feels like a well-kept and delightful secret. It’s actually one of the leading commercial galleries in Sydney, and it has supported the careers of some of Australia’s most experimental and influential contemporary artists, as well as international artists.

The artworks on display include paintings, sculpture, video, and photography. If you’re aiming to add to your art collection or make an investment, you’ll be provided with a price list as you enter the gallery.

Climb through The Rocks and up Observatory Hill to discover the exciting S. H. Ervin Gallery, based in a spectacular National Trust NSW building dating back to 1856. Historical and contemporary art rub shoulders on the walls of this exciting space. The gallery’s exhibition program aims to explore diversity in Australian art and champions the contribution of Australian women artists.

After your visit to the gallery, pop into the Trust Cafe to enjoy a delicious lunch, or choose from a wide selection of coffees, teas, and cakes. There’s also a shop where you can browse for books, gifts, and Australian-made items.

Carriageworks is a large multi-arts centre run by artists. Converted from railway workshops to a cultural precinct in 2007, its program shows a commitment to social and cultural diversity and is always innovative and ambitious. You’ll find awe-inspiring art installations in a giant warehouse with washed brick walls, steel beams, and high ceilings. There’s also an amazing selection of food outlets available at the Carriageworks Farmers Market, with fresh seasonal produce, and spaces where you can gather to chat about the artworks you’ve experienced.

Carriageworks is based in the suburb of Redfern, 2 miles south of Sydney. Watch out for regular performance nights when the venue is open until late.

The University of Sydney’s Chau Chak Wing Museum provides an exciting mixture of art, science, history, and culture under one roof. The cultures of Australia’s First Nations Peoples are celebrated in ongoing exhibitions, and there are artefacts and artwork from Egypt, Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and the Middle East. You can also enjoy an ever-changing showcase of paintings, sculptures, and ceramics from the University Art Collection.

The Chau Chak Wing Museum is in a large, bright space just inside the University of Sydney’s main gates, near Paramatta Road and the Broadway Shopping Complex.