National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

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Of Canberra’s many cultural institutions is the National Gallery of Australia , open daily from ten am until five pm, with free admission that comes with a booked ticket . This free, general entry ticket will ensure that you can access most exhibitions and galleries at the gallery. If you’re keen, you can also add on tickets for free collection tours, special art experiences, and public programs, and there are also paid tickets for major exhibitions like Gaugin’s World on offer.

There are temporary and ongoing exhibitions at the gallery that explore all facets of Australian art. There’s so much to explore, I think you need a whole day to get through it all and find your way around the gallery and its wide spaces filled with chances for education, admiration, curiosity and wonder. Each gallery has its own theme, such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art on level one across galleries 1-6, Australian Art on level two in galleries 19-25 or their worldwide collection on level one across galleries 8-11. These are ongoing exhibitions that showcase some of the best, most unique and some very interesting works of art that are thought-provoking, and there to be explored any time you visit the National Gallery.



One of the exhibitions that you can see for free with your ticket is A Century of Quilts , which is on show until the 25th of August. You’ll find it on level two, in gallery 26. Curator Simeran Maxwell has brought together this collection of quilts in a rare opportunity where visitors will get to see a group of works that have great historical and artistic value. A Century of Quilts is important and interesting because it showcases an art form that is often overlooked, and, almost exclusively created by women. The quilts in this exhibition were made by hand, using scraps they had on hand, or with paper piecing. One of these quilts is called the Rajah Quilt, made in 1841 by convict women.

This quilt was made by women aboard the convict ship, the Rajah, and tells the story of hope and resistance. Since its rediscovery almost forty years ago in 1987, it has become a significant aspect of studying colonial life. Showcasing it in the Century of Quilts exhibition is important because it lets people know that there was more to colonial and convict life than the stories of men. Women were affected and impacted during this time as well. There is also a fascinating possum skin quilt from an Aboriginal community on display, showing how widespread the practice of quilt making is, and how each culture creates quilts, and what they use.

There are several other exhibitions coming up over the next few months that will explore a wide range of artists and art, and their place in Australian culture and society. Check out what’s on to see what you can catch over the coming months, exploring Australian and world art in our nation’s capital. The National Gallery is interesting and vibrant, a place where people can learn and find out about artists that they may not have known about before visiting.

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