Canberra Museum and Gallery

Welcome to the Canberra Museum and Gallery, or CMAG, a pivotal institution nestled in the heart of Australia's designed capital. As your guide today, I invite you to consider this space not merely as a building of stone and…

We begin our exploration on the upper floor, which houses one of the most significant artistic treasures in the nation: the Nolan Collection. Sir Sidney Nolan is arguably Australia’s most celebrated modern artist, and his work…

As we descend to the regional history section, we move from the symbolic to the visceral reality of life in the ACT. This gallery is dedicated to the social history of Canberra and its surrounding regions, providing a granular…

Stepping into the central atrium, often referred to as 'The Link,' we can appreciate the architectural dialogue between the museum and the city. CMAG is housed within a building that was once part of the city's administrative…

As we move into the galleries dedicated to contemporary visual arts, we see how Canberra continues to be a fertile ground for creativity. The Canberra region has a high density of artists, many of whom are affiliated with the…

Our journey brings us to the spaces dedicated to education and community engagement. CMAG is not just a repository for objects; it is an active participant in the lifelong learning of its citizens. …

Before we conclude our tour, let us pause in the museum's shop and cafe area. While these may seem like peripheral spaces, they are essential to the museum's role as a civic hub. …

Our tour of the Canberra Museum and Gallery concludes where it began, in the heart of Civic Square. We have traveled from the mythical landscapes of Sidney Nolan to the sobering realities of the 2003 bushfires, and from the early…