Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) in Hobart offers a comprehensive journey through the island’s rich natural and cultural heritage. Combining Tasmania’s oldest museum and the state’s premier art gallery, TMAG houses collections that reflect Tasmania’s unique history, indigenous cultures and extraordinary biodiversity. Whether interested in colonial history, Antarctic exploration or Tasmania’s art scene, TMAG provides a varied experience that appeals to all visitors.

Established in 1846, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is one of Australia’s oldest museums. It occupies several historic buildings on Hobart’s waterfront, including the Commissariat Store, built by convicts in 1808, and the Bond Store, dating back to 1824. Together, these buildings represent some of Hobart’s earliest architecture. TMAG’s collections have grown over the years to include art, natural history and anthropology, reflecting Tasmania’s unique position as an island with distinct flora, fauna and cultural narratives.

A significant part of TMAG’s mission is to tell the stories of Tasmania’s Aboriginal communities, whose culture and history extend thousands of years before European settlement. Through displays of artefacts, storytelling and artwork, TMAG highlights the enduring connection of the Tasmanian Aboriginal people to the land, emphasising both resilience and continuity.

The museum also plays an important role in documenting Tasmania’s environmental history. As a hub for research, TMAG contributes to the understanding of Tasmania’s ecosystems and the impact of human activity on this unique environment.

What to see at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

The museum’s diverse exhibits cover a wide range of interests, from natural history to fine arts.

The museum’s Aboriginal exhibits showcase traditional and contemporary works, giving insight into Tasmanian Aboriginal history and culture. Displays include stone tools, shell necklaces, bark paintings and textiles, offering visitors a glimpse of traditional crafts as well as modern artworks that address ongoing cultural narratives.

The natural history collections explore Tasmania’s unique wildlife, both extinct and extant. Displays include mounted specimens, fossils and artefacts, as well as an exhibit on the now-extinct thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger. The thylacine is one of the museum’s focal points, symbolising the impact of European settlement on Tasmania’s ecosystems.

Tasmania’s role as a gateway to Antarctica is highlighted through TMAG’s Antarctic exploration exhibit, which features artefacts from polar exploration, including equipment used by Australian explorers. This exhibit provides a glimpse into the harsh conditions faced by those who ventured south and showcases Tasmania’s historical role in Antarctic expeditions.

The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery’s art collection spans colonial to contemporary works, with an emphasis on Tasmanian artists. Colonial paintings depict early European settlers’ perceptions of the Tasmanian landscape and contrast with modern works that often highlight environmental themes. The gallery also features exhibitions by prominent Australian and Tasmanian artists, including painters, sculptors and photographers, offering a blend of traditional and contemporary art forms.

Temporary exhibitions at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

TMAG regularly hosts temporary exhibitions, showcasing travelling collections or contemporary artists. Current and planned exhibitions include:

Written in Wood: Kevin Perkins Inspired by Richard Flanagan
This exhibition (until 30 March 2025) presents five sculptural works by Tasmanian artist and furniture-maker Kevin Perkins, each inspired by a novel by Richard Flanagan. Perkins uses the natural forms of timber to shape his designs, contrasting organic textures with precise geometric surfaces. His detailed carvings include naturalistic elements and carefully inscribed text. The works respond to Flanagan’s novels, exploring themes of history, memory and place through the material qualities of wood.

Rex Greeno: Memories through Sea Stories
This exhibition (until 27 April 2025) presents drawings by Tasmanian Aboriginal Elder Rex Greeno, reflecting his connection to culture, family and the sea. A fisherman and maker of traditional Tasmanian Aboriginal canoes, Greeno draws on his experience to depict life on and by the water. His work explores traditional watercraft and the passing of ancestral knowledge. Born on Flinders Island, Greeno has canoes in national and state museum collections across Australia.

On Island
On Flinders Island, “on island” means being physically present, while “off island”refers to anywhere beyond it. This exhibition (until 21 September 2025) explores artists’ connections to Lutruwita/Tasmania’s 334 islands, drawing on works from the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery collection. Themes include the impact of invasion, environmental concerns and climate change. Some artists live on the island, while others have visited or moved away. Their work reflects both local histories and broader global influences.

Visiting the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is in the city centre close to Hobart’s waterfront. It is close to many other points of interest in central Hobart and it is also convenient to the ferry to MONA. The IXL Tasmanian Art Gallery, the Maritime Museum and the Mawson Huts Replica Museum are all within a five-minute walk.

The museum is open throughout the year and admission is free of charge, although there is an entrance fee for some temporary exhibitions.

TMAG is wheelchair accessible and visitor facilities include a cafe and gift shop. Its location in the city centre also means that there is a great variety of places to eat and drink nearby.

Plan to spend around 2–3 hours exploring the museum.

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Dunn Place, Hobart TAS 7000
Website tmag.tas.gov.au
Admission free, admission fees apply to some temporary exhibitions
Open 1 Jan–31 Mar 10am–4pm daily; 1 Apr–24 Dec Tue–Sun 10am–4pm; 26–31 Dec 10am–4pm daily