Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)
Time Out says
Once the administration offices of the Maritime Services Board, this waterside museum was overhauled head to toe (well, almost) in 2011 and re-opened in March 2012 with light, airy, uncluttered interiors, more floor space and a boxy new facade. It's not just good looks, either: the rooftop café and sculpture terrace, high-tech education centre, and 120-seat lecture theatrette and forecourt are all worth checking out.
And the original sandstone heart is still there. “We wanted to keep the old building but provide something next to it that says immediately that this is a contemporary building,” says MCA Director Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE.
Inside, the galleries themselves are clean, logical and open – with long vistas to entice and draw you in further. While the design of the exterior is about drawing attention, the opposite is the case for the interior. “The most important thing is the art,” says architect Sam Marshall. “In the perfect gallery there would be no architecture visible. For most of the MCA’s exhibitions they install walls, change colours and put different surfaces in. That requires a really simple space with a really simple circulation system.”
Details
| Address: |
140 George St The Rocks Sydney 2000 |
|---|---|
| Contact: | |
| Opening hours: | Mon-Tue & Thu-Sun 10am-5pm; Wed 10am-9pm |
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ArtGuan Wei
Beijing-born Guan Wei is one of the most provocative and distinctive artists making work in Australia today, about both China and his adopted homeland, and the connection between the two nations. He first left China for Australia in 1989, following the...
Until Sunday February 9 2020 Free -
ArtMCA Collection: Today Tomorrow Yesterday
The MCA's collection hang is where you go to get an overview of Australian contemporary art – and it's less daunting than it sounds. The last time they curated the hang was in 2012 (MCA Collection: Volume One), for the launch of the re-designed building,...
Galleries Until Sunday March 29 2020 Free -
ArtPrimavera
Each year, the Museum of Contemporary Art invites an artist or curator to take the reins of Primavera, an exhibition for emerging artists under 35. The brief is simple: showcase artists from across Australia who they feel represent current trends or styles...
Galleries Until Sunday February 9 2020 Free -
ArtLights on Later
The Museum of Contemporary Art stays open until 9pm each Wednesday night with a program of live music on the terrace, discussions, performances, talks and workshops, to complement the exhibitions. The indoor-outdoor MCA Cafe, on the Sculpture Terrace, also...
Digital and interactive Wednesday October 23 2019 - Wednesday December 18 2019 Free -
ArtMCA Artbar
The Museum of Contemporary Art's party series used to be held once a month, but as of 2019 is only taking place four times a year. But it's still the same basic idea: a night curated by a different artist or collective each edition, featuring art, performance...
Digital and interactive Friday November 29 2019