The Art Gallery of Western Australia | AGWA

The Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA) is a premier art museum located in the heart of Perth's cultural precinct. Known for its impressive collection and engaging exhibitions, AGWA offers visitors an enriching cultural experience. The gallery houses a vast array of artworks, including historical pieces, contemporary art, and notable Indigenous Australian art, providing a comprehensive view of the region's artistic heritage. One of AGWA's standout features is its interactive spaces, where visitors of all ages can engage creatively. These areas encourage hands-on participation, allowing people to draw, create, and explore their artistic abilities, fostering a deeper connection with the art on display. The interactive segments are particularly popular among families and school groups, making art accessible and fun. The ambiance at AGWA is another highlight, with thoughtfully designed spaces that enhance the viewing experience. Natural light, spacious galleries, and a harmonious layout create a welcoming atmosphere, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the art. The serene environment is perfect for contemplation and appreciation, making AGWA not just a museum, but a sanctuary for art lovers. Whether you're an art aficionado or a casual visitor, AGWA offers a dynamic and inspiring cultural experience, engaging and enlightening for everyone. A truly amazing experience at this centre!

Always worth a look to check out what on at the AGWA. This time was Anna Park. Such large, thought provoking pieces. Modern, Pop art, pristine line work, sweeping movements with ink and charcoal on paper… social themes, broader cultural contexts… emotively fresh, but classic vintage visuals. *chefs kiss* Will be back when I have more time, before she’s gone. Admission is free, but worth definitely worth a donation. Just gorgeous.

The AGWA is a small gallery (by international standards). However, it is located in the Northbridge Arts quarter, and unlike the WA Museum, it is free. The 2 special exhibitions were small but interesting and well worth spending an hour or so looking around. Great views of the city from the rooftop area, which is open as a bar on weekends.

My granddaughter and I visited today. First maccrons pastry and coffees.👍👍👍, then a wonder through the shop. Yip back to front but fun. Ground floor art covering the nuclear testing that happened in Sth Australia. My granddaughter was stunned. Even though only a couple of years out of high school she hadn't heard about this. To see and learn a little of the horrors that happened and her why was it allowed? Hindsight is a wonderful thing sometimes. The artist Anna Park has bought her work to W.A. from America. Wow 👏 👌 I could go on but go see this lady's amazing work. Next the up and coming artists of W.A schools. There thoughts put into art. Three pieces took my breath away. If I could have voted for each of them. Won't say which I chose but check it out. Finally my granddaughter did a quick painting with water and special paper. Your art disappears as it dries so be quick with photos A great few hours spent in our art gallery.

Nice coffee shop for a relaxed matcha and some interesting displays by local artist, covering the topic of indigenous people and lands history. Free entrance. Nice rooftop area with a good view, where one can sit in silence.You will have to leave any drinks in the cloakroom.

My 4yr old and I love coming here. They always have a hands on experience targeted for children which he adores. He then has about enough patience for me to get around the rest of the gallery. The Yoshitomo Nara exhibition was stunning.

This is a difficult review because I must emphasize the welcoming atmosphere, superb staff, modern facilities, amazing space and free entrance. However, the art content to my humble opinion was of little substance.

Very wonderful collection of art, with comprehensive descriptions to read through and learn more about the piece. The actual building is not the most attractive for an art gallery, but I definitely enjoyed my time here.

Great architecture and easy to get to from train station and free Perth buses. Interesting exhibitions although very much of an indigenous theme - may just have been timing. Some moving pieces and stories. Sculpture garden in the roof, but was 44 degrees so searing hot, but can see it would be a great space late in day or on a cooler day. Overall a good visit, free but donation requested

It's actually pretty easy to become somewhat of an Art Gallery snob, especially when you live in Melbourne and have something on the scale of the NGV (and that isn't even travelling overseas), so when you have that to compare with it is actually hard to get all that excited at the gallery that Perth has to offer. Look, it isn't a small gallery, but it isn't really a large one either, and the only paintings by well known artists here happen to be Australian artists (but then again this is Australia so it is probably to be expected that a bulk of the art be Western Australian in origin). However, with all that considered, it isn't all that bad. Sure, the modern art sections are pretty ordinary, but there are some decent paintings in the more traditional section of the gallery.

I love art and there is nothing better than a free gallery, right in the heart of the City. Staffed by knowledgeable and dedicated paid workers and volunteers, the Art Gallery of Western Australia has seen it's share of some amazing exhibitions over the years, including some that have only been shown at this gallery in Australia. Alas, a slump in sales to visiting exhibitions and the public's seeming evolution of preference for more 'wow factor' has had it's effect on our gallery. I suspect similar is being felt in galleries around the world. Sadly, this has manifested itself in to the cancellation of the last of the New York art series exhibitions that this gallery proudly signed up to, several years back. Two outstanding exhibitions were shown, but ticket sales and a lack of numbers meant the gallery could not afford the multi-million dollar insurance price tag to show the remaining exhibition. Indeed, as evidenced by my most recent visit, to view the brilliant annual Year 12 Perspectives exhibition -- it's *free*, people -- the darkened empty wings of the building brought a sense of defeat that this gallery is struggling. "Art" is such a diverse and wonderful thing, guaranteed to prompt discussion and broaden minds. It would be an absolute tragedy for our state gallery to have to close down due to disinterest. So if you are wondering what to do, kids or no kids, over the weekend or on most week days, take the public transport in to town and go and check out our cultural centre, adjacent to Perth train station. You can choose from a variety of free venues: the Art Gallery, the Museum, the library, PICA, the Urban Orchard, Wetlands garden and the courtyard with the big video screen. Each of these buildings houses free exhibitions, every day. You never know what you might discover. And you might even have some fun.

The Art Gallery is part of Perth's Cultural Centre, which comprises of three very impressive buildings: the gallery, the State Library, and The Western Australian Museum. Like its fellows, the gallery is free, and well worth a visit. It has over 17,000 works on rotation, and is constantly showcasing new and well-established exhibitions. While the gallery itself is free, exhibitions usually cost around $20. My advice to any art lover? Become a volunteer. You'll only work behind the front desk for the most part, but it comes with one very awesome perk: free unlimited access to exhibitions. I also highly recommend the Centenary Galleries, which are housed in the converted Perth Police Courts. The collection features a range of 19th and 20th Century works, including the famous 'Down on his Luck' by Fred McCubbin. The Art Gallery's current exhibition is 'Princely Treasures: European Masterpieces 1600 - 1800 from the Victoria and Albert Museum', and in June 2012 will hold an exhibition I'm particularly giddy about - 'Picasso to Warhol: Fourteen Modern Masters'.

Having never been to the art gallery before I was really surprised that we were about to see live music in such a strangely shaped place. We were there for an ARTBAR event seeing The Preatures and, while more volume was required, it sounded really good. The crowd was generally much older than I would have expected for The Preatures so I'm not sure if I'm out of touch with their target demographic or it was due to the venue. I probably wouldn't rush back to see a gig there but I did have a good time.

Okay it's not the MOMA, Tate, the Met or the NGV, but this is Perth we are talking about. However in saying so, things are looking up for the AGWA as the new Perth director is chummy with MOMA so there should be more exciting exhibitions coming our way! The AGWA is a bit of a cement eyesore, but what's inside is a visual treat. Firstly it is air-conditioned and the perfect summer get away, daily tours, most of the exhibitions are free and its quiet which is good to let your mind wonder and soak up the artwork. The small issue I have with it, is the length of the exhibitions which are normally 6 months, which is a bit repetitive for regular gallery goers like myself and the gallery setup is not highly conducive for people to wonder and make their our journey through the exhibition at their own time and pace. However, it the last few exhibitions they are tried to make it more interactive and fun for all ages with an area to draw your portraiture, write notes to painters or take pictures to contribute to a collage. Along with this are the permanent collections of colonial paintings, Aboriginal artworks and realistic art. I wish they would mix it up a bit more and do something a bit avant-garde. Who ever said the art scene in Perth is dead, they are wrong. It is emerging slowly but surely and it'll come at its own pace. Just look at the Cultural Centre- the city of Perth are trying to recreate a more social community environment with the food vans, stalls and documentaries/mini movies played on the big screen near the steps.

Amazing art gallery, in a very central location. Lots of beautiful pieces laid out in a great structure. A must see place to visit!

It may not be as big or flashy as galleries in cities like Melbourne or Sydney, but Art Gallery of Western Australia holds an impressive collection of which Perth can be proud. The gallery has a diverse collection of art ranging across many genres and time periods. I especially enjoyed the indigenous art collection which included some tremendously interesting and thought provoking pieces of contemporary indigenous art. When we visited there was also kids activities happening in the foyer that looked like a lot of fun.

Went for a visit to check out the van gough, Dali and beyond exhibition. Worth getting the audio guide to get some background on the paintings which makes it a bit easier sometimes to work out the symbolism the painter is trying to express. The van gough that greets you as you enter the exhibition was fantastic but my favourite one was the the Picasso, violin and grapes. Was nice to see and hear about Dali's work but can't say that I am a fan personally. A solid collection of Australian work in the gallery too which was nice to see, McCubbin's 'Down on his luck' was the standout piece for me. Unfortunatly there were a few sections closed so missed seeing more, will have to visit again

I weep as I write this as I love visual arts and I love Perth. There is nothing better than travelling all around the world just to come back home and think " Hey we actually do it better in Perth" well that's not the case with the Art gallery of Western Australia. There are works here that haven't moved in 20 years! It is like walking back into my Aunties house after 20 years and it is exactly how you remember it. It is pretty uninspiring and the shop is well overpriced. I hope I have to eat my words one day and the next I come here it knocks me over with its amazing collection. I must admit and I'm sorry to say, but this is definitely somewhere I do not bring my overseas visitors to, I want them to have a good opinion of Perth. On a positive note. there is a massive collection of Aboriginal art that would surely impress some.

If you've got a free afternoon, the Art Gallery is always worth a wander round. Located in Perth's Cultural Centre, it's surrounded by sculptures, outdoor installations and good vibes - before you even walk in the front door you'll have already absorbed a healthy dose of culture. The gallery houses the State Art Collection, the highlight of which (in my opinions) is the incredible collection of Indigenous art. Exhibitions change regularly - currently you can see 'Princely Treasures', a collection of European decorative art on loan from the V&A in London (on until 9th January). I haven't been to it (I'm skint, ok?) but the gift shop that comes with it is AMAZING, selling everything from floral painted doors to nautical instruments.

Whenever a friend is visiting from interstate, I can always count on a trip to the Art Gallery of WA to impress them. I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of 'Princely Treasures: European Masterpieces' a couple of months back and I must say the gallery did a dandy good job of presenting some dusty old stuff in a gorgeous new light. With precise detail accompanying each and every piece, I realised just how serious they were about their fashion and lavish living back in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Regal clothing, accessories and homewares dating from 1600 to 1800 filled the upstairs gallery and it took a good hour to appreciate it all. And knowing the gallery can do such a good job with antique pieces, I can't wait to see what postmodern tricks it has up its sleeve for the forthcoming 'Picasso To Warhol: Fourteen Modern Masters' exhibition in June 2012.

The Art Gallery of Western Australia has really upped its game of late. Fantastic exhibitions like Princely Treasures European Masterpieces 1600-1800 from the Victoria and Albert Museum and the upcoming MoMA exhibitions means no artistic taste will be left unfulfilled. General entry is free and exhibitions are usually $20 which is fantastic value. The Year 12 Student Perspective exhibition is always guaranteed to wow me with the talents of WA`s youth so try and check that out too. The Galley's shop is fantastic but pricey. A small but interesting range of books, home wares and jewellery make it a great place to get gifts.

I'm an American recently moved to Perth and curious to learn more about the Australian artistic perspective. I felt the Art Gallary of WA gave a good start to my understanding. It isn't a large gallery, but does give a rather charming (and free!) review of mainly Australian art from the colonial days to the present. Most art shown in the US that is clearly identified as Australian is Aboriginal dot-art, so I hadn't seen much else and was delighted to broaden my sense of what Australian art looks like from both western and Aboriginal perspectives over the past two hundred years. Particularly liked the modern works and photography exhibits. Worth checking out, especially for foreigners.

I came here to see the Picasso to Warhol exhibition recently. It was an interesting display of 14 modern artists but next time I think it wise to get the headphone as this would provide more information that was displayed next to the paintings. Well worth a visit and very educational!

Great place to spend an hour or two i really like the old court house area down stairs

Considering it's the Art Gallery of Western Australia, one would assume that AGWA would be a little bit bigger. It's disappointingly small for an institution that houses the state art collection, and due to its location in Perth doesn't contain much else other than Australian art. Nevertheless, if you've a taste for Indigenous art or 20th Century Australian and British paintings and sculptures, you'll find an adequate collection here. I'm a fan of Tracey Moffat, so they do redeem themselves with her photographs. I added a star because their June exhibition featuring Picasso and Andy Warhol had me jumping up and down on my keyboard excitedly. It's worth going out of your way to visit, but do avoid disappointment don't compare it to other state galleries.