Heide Museum of Modern Art

Well presented art invites exploration of the historic homes. New purpose built gallery space is spacious. Sunday Reed’s garden is lovely. Only three toilet cubicles - might be another in restaurant- but really lovely hand soap.

This place is a treasure - the gardens and the history are definitely worth a visit. I recently visited for Manray and Max Dupain exhibition and was lucky to get onto guided tour which was great. Confess I was disappointed with the catering at the venue which was overpriced and not that good (second time now). Maybe grab a coffee - bring your own picnic lunch and enjoy it in the gardens

One of the best galleries in Australia and an important part of Melbourne’s creative history. The grounds are worth a walk - there’s a range of interesting, quirky sculptures and multiple buildings that are worth a look. It’s ticketed - $27 for adults as of September 2025 - and is well worth a visit.

Nice location . Great history behind it. There is a nice cafe there but it was busy so we did not go, it looks like they serve nice foods and coffees. Nice park to walk around.

Really great place. Quiet and secretive location. A beautiful modern art outdoor sculpture park with a variety of different flora and fauna with a lake nearby that has Wood Ducks! ❤️ Heide Cafe next door for a quick coffee and dessert with lovely flat walking trails. Abundant trees surround this park, each having their own character. Smaller children may be bored, but a really lovely place for a picnic, a family day out, a romantic walk or even if you're looking to get your nature dose, highly recommend this entire park!

I photographed a wedding at Heide MOMA recently and it’s such an interesting, fun venue. The mix of art, architecture, and landscaped gardens creates endless photo opportunities. The team are fantastic and the whole day flowed seamlessly.

Had a beautiful experience with my baby attending the Heide Baby Class. The museum itself is a hidden gem. Lovely sculptures and landscaping set atop a hill. The story of Sunday and her lover and how the museum came to be was particularly enchanting, and to experience what it is today was captivating. The tour guides were highly engaging for both bub and parents. We learnt so much about the location, art origins and garden. The cafe has an amazing selection of brunch and lunch options. Coffee was delicious. Such a peaceful place. We look forward to visiting again soon ⭐

A beautiful spring visit Lovely open grounds Many interesting large sculptures and pleasant small gardens A modest gallery with a touring exhibition Nice cafe with refreshing beverages

Okay, while I'm not a particularly big fan of modern art, this is one of those museums that I have been meaning to visit for a while. I actually suspect that the reason for its exitence has something to do with there being a style of Australian art that developed in the region, though this museum doesn't really display any of it, namely because that tend to be elsewhere. This museum really works to promote more modern art, and as such most of the spaces are for exhibitions - there really isn't any art here that is own by the gallery. Mind you, they do have a pretty large outdoor area where there are quite a number of sculptures, and wandering through there is actually free. It is also a great place for a picnic, and while they also have a cafe on premises, it tends to get rather packed at times. Yeah, this place is cool, though one problem is that it can be tricky to get to if you happen to be relying on public transport.

The Heide Gallery of Modern Art is a must for anyone interested in art, or those in the Melbourne community who want to know more about important historical and cultural houses. What started off as a retreat for influential and up and coming Australian artists has become a beautiful and unique gallery and space. Walking around the buildings and through the gardens it isn't hard to imagine great artists like Sydney Nolan, or Albert Tucker practicing their work along with the owners and patrons Sunday and John Reid. The Heide Gallery of Modern Art is modest. Its small Australian collection is interesting and well presented. White walls and spacious rooms contribute to a very modern atmosphere, matched by the evocative and sometimes confrontational pieces of work. What I like about Heide is that it's a collective experience. You can't just go and see the gallery without walking around the garden. You can't just see the garden without visiting the old farmhouse. You can't just visit the old farmhouse without walking through the gallery and looking at the Reid's legacy. Take the time to walk around Heide and experience the natural beauty and modern art. You won't regret it.

My boyfriend took me on a picnic at Heidi for Valentines Day last year. It was beautiful! He organised a picnic lunch which was put together by Cafe Vue. It had scotch eggs, a couple of salads, roast chicken, bread, iced tea and petite fours. Weirdly I loved loved the garden salad the best. Haha, but it was all fantastic. He also brought a bottle of champagne along with us. We drank, ate, relaxed and listened to a band they had put on. I intend to check out the art more next time we go. And there will be a next time!

The only thing that sucks about Heide is that it's not a bike ride from my joint. If it were, I'd be buzzing down there every chance I got to sit back, soak up the grounds and get my fill of inspiration. Everything about Heide (except it ain't down the road from me) smacks of those qualities of this city that make it remarkable. There are galleries, trees, wide open spaces, a cafe (with a fucking awesome ploughman's lunch option and good coffee) and the whole experience just reinforces how important art is to a society. The grounds rule. There is ample space to accommodate a huge volume of visiting day trippers without interrupting the serenity of the place. It's to be noted that parking and the cafe situation can be an absolute mother fucker on busy summer days, but spring and autumn are the best anyway due to the leaves and colour changes. This place has such incredible history and makes you feel OK about living in a bogan society in decline... for a moment.

Pick a sunny day, pack the car and make a day of Melbourne's sweetest gallery. Head down the Eastern Freeway ten minutes and hang a left at Bulleen Road for another five and you have entered Melbourne's green suburban belt and the location of Heide Gallery. This modern gallery is set amongst acres of sculpture parklands, BBQ area and windy creek walking track. I think the weather is a more important consideration than what is currently showing, safe in the knowledge that the exhibitions are of a consistently high quality. Wandering around the white rooms musing thoughtfully takes 30 minutes then you are free to spend the rest of the afternoon strolling around the gardens, climbing trees, finding random sculptures and forgetting that the city is only a 15 minute drive away. For the less rambunctious there is also a relaxed café and very stylish souvenir shop. To wander around the gardens is free and for students/concessions the exhibitions are $10, adults $14.

Yet another reminder of why I'm not a fan of modern art, especially Australian art. I understand that the simplicity and undeveloped nature of some Australian art is a reflection of our young country, and the seemingly nothingness of the expansive bush landscape, but it's just not my cup of tea. The staple pieces are the typical pieces that are the butt of modern art jokes (i.e. "my kid could've done that!" or "that's art? It's just a table in the middle of the room!"). Be warned that there are images of dead animals being manipulated into grotesque forms for the sake of art. Despite my criticisms, there are a few things I liked and truly appreciated about the museum. The current Arthur Boyd exhibition was more interesting. Commonly known as the Brides, the series attempted to delve into the socio-cultural and political issues of being a half-caste in Australia and being Aboriginal. Without the small plaques of interpretation, many of the images alone would not have been able to convey most of its story, to me anyway. It was also interesting to learn about the life and works of Moya Dyring, the Australian artist who spent much of her time in Paris. What I truly loved and appreciated was the story of the buildings and land that make up the Heide Museum. The current museum was born from a strong love of Australian artists by one extraordinary couple. Their appreciation of the artists and their art spanned many decades and has given us Heide. The main house of the previous owners - just past the cafe - has been preserved and now houses various art including Picasso. At another building atop a hill, the library room (resplendent with books from time gone past) chronicles the history of the property from when it started out as farmland to its opening as a museum. If any part of this review piqued your interest, I would recommend you see the Heide MOMA. You may not have gained anything from it, but you certainly won't lose anything from it.

Nice place to walk around. Unique looking sculptures and a nice place to spend your afternoon. The garden is like an adventure, many sculptures and interesting things to see. Didn't get a chance to visit the exhibition, would recommened going on a sunny day, maybe next time but the garden was a nice experience otherwise.