Museum of Contemporary Art MCA, Sydney - review by Rusty Compass
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Museum of Contemporary Art MCA, Sydney

| 17 Aug 2025
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Museum of Contemporary Art MCA, Sydney
140 George St, The Rocks - right by Circular Quay
Wednesday to Monday - closed Tuesday
17 Aug 2025

Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is one of Australia's premier galleries of contemporary art - painting, sculpture, drawing, photography and moving image. It's in a perfect location by The Rocks and the harbour.

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Sydney's MCA is the city's second outstanding major gallery in Sydney (Art Gallery of New South Wales in the Domain is the other - though small galleries are worth checking out too). This is the main contemporary art gallery in the city. Indigenous art features prominently in the collection of more than 4000 works.

Housed on the site of the former colonial-era Commissariat (demolished in 1939), the museum looks over Circular Quay to the Opera House. It opened in 1991 in its current art-deco premises - formerly government offices.

Museum of Contemporary Art - MCA, Sydney
Photo: Mark Bowyer Outside the MCA - Museum of Contemporary Art - MCA, Sydney

The MCA was extended in 2011. It's a large exhibition space with a diverse collection of work. Regular special exhibitions are a highlight - additional charges apply. Allow a few hours at least.

In 2025, the MCA introduced a $20 (adults) $16(children) admission charge. This will make things difficult as this is now the only major Sydney cultural institution charging for admission.

Disclosure
Rusty Compass listings are always independent. We list the places we think you should know about. That's it. We always disclose any commercial arrangements and we received no inducement of any kind for this listing.

Mark Bowyer
Mark Bowyer is the founder and publisher of Rusty Compass.
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