Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

I had an exceptional experience visiting the Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery during my time in Hobart. This venue delivers a high-value, well-structured learning journey, and the standout for me was the Antarctic exhibition. The way the museum showcases the history of Antarctic exploration, scientific research, and modern-day operations is genuinely impressive. I found myself fully engaged with the interactive displays, the historical artifacts, and the powerful storytelling behind the expeditions. It’s the kind of exhibition that helps you appreciate the scale of the work being done in one of the most remote places on Earth. What really elevated the experience was the team on-site. The staff were proactive, knowledgeable, and very approachable. You could tell they take pride in the museum’s role in educating visitors and preserving Tasmania’s cultural and environmental heritage. Their professionalism and warm attitude made the visit even more enjoyable. The museum itself is beautifully maintained, easy to navigate, and offers a great mix of art, history, and science. It strikes the perfect balance between being informative and accessible, whether you’re visiting for a short stop or planning a deeper dive. Overall, TMAG is a must-visit destination in Hobart. Highly recommended.

I am constantly blown away by the quality of the museums in Australia, especially considering they are free! This museum and art gallery is no different. Great layout, an enormous amount of things to see (both information and conceptual), and some fun interactive displays! We visited for an hour and a half and still couldn’t get through the whole collection!!

If you are looking for a deep dive into Tasmania’s unique heritage, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) is an absolute must-visit. It’s rare to find a facility of this caliber that remains free for the public, and it really is a world-class experience right in the city center. ​Educative & Informative: The museum does an outstanding job of balancing natural history, colonial stories, and contemporary art. The exhibitions on the Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) and the First Nations galleries are particularly powerful and well-researched, making it a very educative experience for both locals and tourists. ​Superb Curation: You can tell a lot of thought goes into the displays. The transition between the historic architecture of the buildings and the modern gallery spaces is seamless. The curation is engaging and doesn't feel overwhelming, even though there is so much to see. ​Convenient Access: Located right near the waterfront, it is incredibly easy to find. One of the best parts for those driving is the parking situation nearby; we found 3-hour parking spots easily, which gave us plenty of time to explore the galleries without feeling rushed. ​Family Friendly: It is very accessible for strollers and has plenty of interactive elements that keep kids engaged while still providing deep historical context for adults. ​Whether you have an hour or a full afternoon, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is a gem that perfectly captures the spirit and history of the island. Highly recommended!

An amazing museum located right in the town center. The exhibits are expertly curated, offering an impressive variety. Admission is currently free to encourage visits. Definitely worth seeing.

We had a fantastic visit to the museum! Such a well presented and very informative museum. Some more history on the buildings themselves would have also been beneficial. I'm sure there is alot of history in the building which we couldn't find much info on. The butterfly exhibit was great, as was all of the old art work. A great exhibit on the Tazmanian Tiger, so disappointing that it's extension is from human being negligence. Such a great Arctic area! Great to see the information on the exploration history past and present. A very worthwhile place to visit.

A fantastic stop in Hobart and it’s free, which makes it even better. The standout for us was the Antarctic exploration section, which was truly unique (love the lego ship). We also appreciated the artworks related to Port Arthur, which perfectly complemented our visit to the historic site the day before.

Amazing Museum and gallery! It’s full of fascinating information, beautifully arranged displays, and exciting stories about different animals. Each zone is so well designed that I could spend the whole day there. I really enjoyed it — and the best part is, there’s no admission fee!

One of the best museum in Australia I have visited soo far. They have very good collection of animal birds, the butterfly room was spectacular. It’s a great place to spend a good time of 1.5 to 2 hours. A great place and must visit attractions for tourists.

Free museum a good way to spend the hot weather inside. They even have lockers for your luggage or backpack. Value 5/5 Atmosphere 5/5 Service 5/5 Quality 5/5 20/20

Really enjoyed my afternoon at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery today, stopped in for the Dark Mofo, A Journey to Freedom exhibition and enjoyed the museum, fascinated by the Antarctica exhibit, 3 floors of art and history, a must when you're in Hobart. The best part is the museum is free Australians truly value the arts! And donations are appreciated to help fund more programs & arts.

There's not enough good things to say about TMAG. Big, lots of different things to look at and friendly staff. And free! One of the best cheap, rainy day things to do with kids in Hobart.

As hot as MONA is, the public museum in Hobart is not bad either. It is free, and fairly substantial. I got a tour on art and history, and watching the drafts develop was interesting. They had plenty of pretty things, and the building was large enough to merit spending a fair amount of time there. They also had a bit of an arctic focus, as Tasmania is a key location for research trips to the polar ice. What was annoying was that they didn't have a proper coat check, only coin-operated lockers. Additionally, some of the history topics they struggle to present, although I think this is somewhat inherent to Tasmania, as so little is known about its history. Still, it's worth a stop.

In November 2012, TMAG closed its doors for some serious renovations, but IT'S BACK, BABY! And according to all knowledgeable sources, it's vastly improved. I didn't get my act together to visit before they closed late last year, but now that I've wandered through this incredible space, I really wish I had seen the BEFORE to truly appreciate the AFTER. Still... The main entrance for visitors to the Museum and Art Gallery is through the historic Watergate wall on Dunn Place (where there is also ticket-display parking available, up to 3hrs for up to $5.40). The beautiful big black doors open up onto a gorgeous courtyard full of stone and wood (and a dinosaur skeleton just hanging out up on the deck!), and from there you can head into the main entrance ahead, take a right for the new cafe space (serving surprisingly delicious coffee!), or take a left for the beautiful old Bond Store (maybe my favourite space, old and wooden and full of stuffed animals and birds!). There are nooks and crannies all over the place... which isn't surprising, as the state's museum and art gallery takes up literally a whole city block worth of buildings. Yes, buildingS plural, though they're all connected through a series of staircases and elevators and ramps and hallways. Do NOT (though how could you, really) miss the amazing new and strange big black sculpture-staircase-display case business in the centre of an amazing high-ceilinged room. Such a dramatic and brilliant thing, flocked by (stuffed) soaring birds... stunning. A little breathtaking. TMAG is free entry for all (though some touring exhibitions may require an entrance fee). There are cloakroom facilities available, as well as the (already mentioned) great cafe for a coffee or a food stop during your exploration. Get ready to settle in for at least a couple of hours before you've found your way through every space.

Brilliant experience! Brilliant experience for both old and young, plenty to explore both inside and outside, wonderful setting. Art imaginative and different.

Great modern museum, great staff and exhibits. Was very impressed by the small but vibrant pieces, though as per usual they go overboard on the stuffed exhibits, at least they incorporate them into other exhibits. Take the tour if you can, the whole thing is free.

We managed to see the Tempest exhibition while we were on holidays. It was whimsical and nautical and had everything from ships in bottles to prospero's library with flying books. I really enjoyed it. The guides situated in the galleries are so friendly and knowledgeable. It's a fantastic way to have a quick lesson in the history of Hobart and Tasmania. The cafe was excellent and had lots of fresh and tasty food- including vegetarian and gluten free options

A great local museum - they do some good kids programs, have a wonderful array Tasmania- focused exhibits, and a great Antarctic section. My 5-year-old loves to go, and it's a great place to spend a few hours. The free entry means that we don't have to worry about seeing everything on one day, which makes taking a child to a museum much, much more pleasant.