The 19 best art exhibitions to see in Australia in 2026

Right up there with the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City, the Qin dynasty’s Terracotta Warriors aren’t just one of China’s greatest cultural treasures – they’re a wonder of the world. Now, Aussies have a chance to see part of the 8,000-strong army with a blockbuster museum exhibition that is the largest ever staged in Western Australia, featuring eight of the original Qin dynasty’s Terracotta Warriors.

Where: Boola Bardip Museum, Perth 

When: Until February 22, 2026

Price: $15 for kids, $30 for adults

We bet you’ve never played mini-golf like this before. Brisbane Powerhouse’s new immersive exhibition, Swingers - The Art of Mini Golf, doubles as a mini‑golf course – but one where each hole is also a work of art. The iconic arts precinct has been transformed into an interactive nine-hole course of feminist rebellion, exploring the game’s subversive history and the untold obstacles along its path. Each hole is designed by visionary female artists, including Kaylene Whiskey, Miranda July, Saeborg and Nabilah Nordin.

Where: Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane

When: Until March 1, 2026

Price: $28 for adults, $15 for children (off peak)

No one paints pop culture quite like Kaylene Whiskey. A proud Yankunytjatjara woman and one of Australia’s leading contemporary Aboriginal artists, she’s renowned for her vibrant, joy-filled landscapes that celebrate traditional Aṉangu culture alongside depictions of her self-envisaged heroes – Cher, Tina Turner, Wonder Woman and of course, Dolly Parton. This summer, you can brush shoulders with Whiskey’s star-studded icons at her first major solo exhibition, Super Kaylene Whiskey, at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra. Drawn from both public and private collections, it will bring together works from the artist’s colourful 15-year career, showcasing paintings, video work, installation and a newly commissioned portrait. 

Where: National Portrait Gallery, Canberra

When: Until March 6, 2026

Price: $18 for adults, free for mob and kids 

One of the largest, boldest exhibitions ever presented by globally renowned, Italian-born contemporary artist Paola Pivi has landed in Perth. This show features major works from her 30-year career, each blurring the line between reality and fantasy. Prepare to witness life-size animals and objects in surreal scenarios, including the undisputed highlight: multicoloured, feathered polar bears, three specially commissioned for AGWA.

Where: Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth

When: Until April 26, 2026

Price: Free

This surreal and showstopping exhibition is Melbourne-born artist Ron Mueck's largest ever in Australia, bringing together a stunning selection of his hyperreal human sculptures from around the globe. The life-like and scaled-up sculptures aim to challenge perceptions by offering a profound and observational look at the human experience. Grounded in realism, the captivating figures tenderly embody themes such as birth, death, alienation and togetherness. 

Where: Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

When: Until April 12, 2026

Price: $35 for adults, $18 for children

Born just a year apart, Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo (the visionary behind Comme des Garçons and Dover Street Market) couldn’t have come from more different worlds – but both knew how to tear up the fashion rulebook. Their designs dismantled ideas of beauty, gender and taste – and now Melbourne gets a world-first chance to see their radical vision side by side. Westwood | Kawakubo is a showcase of more than 140 boundary-breaking designs. Many are drawn from the NGV’s own holdings – an extraordinary cache of 300-plus Kawakubo pieces and more than 100 by Westwood, making this one of the most important showcases of their work anywhere in the world. 

Where: NGV, Melbourne

When: Until April 19, 2026

Price: $40 for adults, $18 for children

Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson has made waves in the art world for his ephemeral and thought-provoking immersive installations, including transporting melting Arctic ice from glaciers to major European cities and creating an immense 'sun' inside London's Tate Modern. In 2026, Brisbane is getting an exclusive Eliasson exhibition that will feature large-scale sculptures and a vivid photo series, inviting people to wander through light, colour and otherworldly environments. Expect a shimmering rainbow that you can touch, a recreated riverbed and a continuously evolving Lego city. 

Where: Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane

When: Until July 12, 2026

Price: $33 for adults, $14 for children

Taking over the Art Gallery of NSW's wild underground tank, this surreal, playful and deeply interactive exhibition has been ranked as one of the world's top attractions in 2026 – and for good reason. Created by NZ-born artist and professional disruptor Mike Hewson, this playful and surreal exhibition is like an Australian child’s fever-dream utopia, packed with a weird wonderland of interactive art pieces. There’s a working steam room and sauna, a recording studio and five fully operational public barbecues waiting for Sydneysiders to get grilling. For intrepid kids, you’ll find monkey bars looping through concrete columns, towering climbs, giant swings, slides and rushing waterfalls to run through. The floor is soft, recycled rubber, so parents can breathe easy. And yep, it’s all totally free. 

Where: Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

When: Until August 23 2026

Price: Free

Acclaimed New Zealand-born, Australian-based artist Rosalie Gascoigne made a name for herself back in the '70s for her otherworldly object creations, becoming the first Aussie woman to represent our nation at the Venice Biennale. Taking things like soft-drink cases, salvaged timber and road signs, Gascoigne would transform them into highly sculptural works reminiscent of textiles. In 2026, 20 of her key works will be on show at the gorgeous Bundanon art museum on NSW's South Coast, exploring a deep connection to rural Australian and Shoalhaven natural landscapes. Sky Earth Water will also feature new commissions by leading contemporary First Nations women artists Lorraine Connelly-Northey, Janet Fieldhouse and Glenda Nicholls.

Where: Bundanon, NSW South Coast

When: March 7 – June 14, 2026

Price: $18 for adults

At the start of the year, Time Out's global team curated the ultimate list of art and culture worth travelling for in 2026 – and this city-wide showcase in Sydney claimed the top spot. On display during the 25th Biennale of Sydney across five venues, Rememory invites artists from around the world to reconstruct marginalised narratives, share untold stories and inspire audiences to rethink how memory shapes identity and belonging. The Biennale also centres on Aboriginal voices, with dedicated programs for young audiences designed to be passed down through generations. 

Where: Five galleries across Sydney: White Bay Power Station, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney and Penrith Regional Gallery

When: March 14 – June 14, 2026

Price: Free

It’s the face that stops the nation. Australia’s favourite portrait prize is back for 2026, and as always, it's a delight to see which famous faces have made it into the mix of painterly interpretations. Every year, just shy of 1,000 paintings are submitted, and you can peruse the 50-or-so finalists at the Art Gallery of NSW, after which they’ll ship off around the country.

Where: AGNSW, Sydney, followed by a regional tour (Shepparton, Moree, Griffith, Bathurst & Penrith)

When: Until August 16, 2026, then touring regionally from September 5, 2026 – June 27, 2027

Price: $30 for adults, $10 for kids

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, and it appears the NGV International is quite fond of them too, with the world-class gallery announcing its blockbuster 2026 Winter Masterpieces exhibition will chart the evolution and artistic legacy of revered jewellery house, Cartier. That's right – a glittering collection of more than 300 gorgeous jewels, tiaras, necklaces, brooches, timepieces and even design drawings will be on display, direct from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. Cartier is an exclusive Melbourne event, and the largest exhibition the brand has ever staged in the country – with many of the pieces having never even travelled to Australia before.

Where: NGV International, Melbourne

When: Until October 4, 2026

Price: $43 for adults, $19 for children

Sydney’s non-profit White Rabbit Gallery is home to one of the world's biggest collections of 21st-century Chinese art – and now, it’s heading to the Gold Coast. In an exclusive seven-month takeover, the White Rabbit is bringing 35 of its most daring and experimental artworks to HOTA. Inspired by the 2009 poem titled ‘This Moment’ by Chinese experimental poet/musician Yan Jun, this exclusive exhibition features works from 25 artists created over the last 25 years. Expect mesmerising light-based installations, powerful video art, large-scale sculptures and striking paintings – each challenging history and leaving its mark on your psyche.

Where: HOTA, Home of the Arts, Gold Coast

When: Until October 11, 2026

Price: Free

In a world-first, art appreciators can experience the full, monumental suite of 20 tapestries by renowned Australian artist Arthur Boyd. On display at the National Gallery of Australia in a completely free exhibition until October 18, these exquisite 2.5 by 3.4-metre masterpieces have been woven at a scale more than 20 times larger than the Victorian-born artist’s original pastel drawings. Each tapestry contains between four and 8.5 million meticulous stitches – ranking as the most complex creations the renowned Manufactura de Tapeçarias de Portalegre has ever made. You need to see these works up close to truly appreciate their scale!

Where: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

When: Until October 18, 2026

Price: Free

Acclaimed First Nations artist Tony Albert’s major solo exhibition, Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir, has opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). The exhibition explores the commodification and misrepresentation of Aboriginal people and culture – both historically and today – while also celebrating survival, resilience and cultural pride. Bringing together Albert’s photography, sculpture, painting and installation works, the exhibition draws inspiration from the MCA’s location on Sydney Harbour and The Rocks, an area shaped by early colonial contact and now closely tied to tourism and souvenir culture.

Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney

When: Until October 19, 2026

Price: $35 for adults, free for kids

It's not every day that Adelaide becomes home to world-famous pieces of priceless art, but come July 2026, things are changing. For the first time ever, Australians will get the chance to see 57 incredible paintings by giants of American and European art in the 19th and 20th centuries on home soil. We're talking the likes of Monet, Matisse, Van Gogh, Degas, Cezanne and Picasso, plus many prolific others, all coming together in one mammoth exhibition in South Australia. 

Where: Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide

When: Until November 8, 2026

Price: $40 for adults, $25 for youth

Taking place on Larrakia Country (Darwin), the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA) have been celebrating the vibrant spirit and creativity of Australia’s most exceptional Indigenous artists for more than 40 years. With a total prize pool of $190,000, you can expect to see diverse works from both well-known and emerging talents in what is now the longest-running and most significant award of its kind nationwide. 

Where: Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin

When: Until January 2027

Price: Free

The undisputed "mother" of Australian modern art is getting the spotlight she deserves in this new landmark exhibition arriving in Melbourne this spring. As the first Margaret Preston retrospective in more than 20 years, it will offer fresh perspectives on the iconic artist’s bold floral still lifes and strikingly modern woodblock prints. Within the exhibition, you’ll be able to admire more than 200 of her stunning paintings, prints and sculptures spanning a phenomenal seven-decade career.

Where: The Ian Potter Centre: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

When: September 4, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Price: $35 for adults, $17 for kids

Take a trip down memory lane or introduce the next generation to the icons of your childhood in Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company. This playful puppetry exhibition celebrates the incredible 70-year legacy of the geniuses behind Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and The Dark Crystal. Exclusive to Brisbane, it features hundreds of nostalgic artefacts – from puppets and props to costumes and original drawings. You can say hi to the instantly recognisable residents of Sesame Street, including Big Bird, the Cookie Monster and Elmo, before wandering through the set from the Emmy Award-winning television series Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock.

Where: GOMA, Brisbane

When: September 12, 2026 – April 18, 2027

Price: $42 for adults, $22 for kids