MONA (Museum of Old and New Art)
Tasmania
The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is an innovative and largest privately funded museum in the Southern Hemisphere, located on the Berriedale peninsula in Hobart, Tasmania, within the Moorilla winery grounds. Opened in 2011, MONA showcases a vast collection of over 1,900 artworks from David Walsh's private collection, spanning ancient, modern, and contemporary pieces. The museum is renowned for its provocative central themes of sex and death, deliberately challenging visitors' perceptions and emotions. Architecturally, MONA is unique, built primarily underground with labyrinthine display spaces accessed via a descending spiral staircase, creating an immersive and ominous atmosphere without windows, designed to surprise and engage visitors. The museum eschews traditional labels, instead offering an interactive mobile app called 'The O' that provides multiple layers of interpretation for each artwork. MONA also hosts the annual Mona Foma and Dark Mofo festivals, featuring large-scale public art and live performances, enhancing its cultural significance. Its collection includes notable works such as Sidney Nolan's "Snake" mural and Wim Delvoye's "Cloaca Professional". Operational costs are supported by on-site winery, brewery, restaurant, and hotel, with an entry fee applied to non-Tasmanian visitors. MONA also offers a unique "Eternity Membership" granting lifetime access and the option for members' remains to be housed on-site, reflecting its avant-garde spirit.
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Tip: Visit MONA during the Mona Foma or Dark Mofo festivals to experience large-scale public art and live performances. Approach by ferry along the River Derwent for a scenic arrival. Purchase tickets in advance, especially during festivals, and consider membership for benefits including lifetime admission. Entry is free for Tasmanian residents, while interstate and international visitors pay an entry fee. Allow time to explore the museum's labyrinthine spaces and use the interactive app 'The O' to enhance your visit.
Interesting facts
- •MONA is the largest privately funded museum in the Southern Hemisphere.
- •The museum's architecture is built mostly underground into cliffs, creating a windowless, labyrinthine experience.
- •MONA's collection includes a machine that replicates human digestion called 'Cloaca Professional'.
- •Visitors use a mobile app called 'The O' to access information and multiple interpretations of artworks instead of traditional labels.
- •MONA offers an 'Eternity Membership' allowing members to be cremated and have their remains housed in the museum's cemetery.
History
MONA originated from the Moorilla Museum of Antiquities, founded in 2001 by David Walsh, which closed in 2006 for major renovations.
The current museum opened in 2011, coinciding with the third MOFO festival, marking a new era in Tasmania's cultural scene.
Its underground design was chosen to preserve the heritage of existing buildings and to create a unique visitor experience.
Since opening, MONA has become a cultural hub hosting annual festivals and expanding its collection and influence in the art world.
Place Guide
Entrance and Spiral Staircase
Visitors enter MONA by descending a seemingly endless spiral staircase leading underground to the main exhibition levels, designed to evoke a sense of mystery and immersion.
Main Exhibition Levels2011
Three levels of labyrinthine galleries showcase over 1,900 artworks in non-chronological order without labels, encouraging personal discovery aided by the interactive app 'The O'.
Notable Artwork: Sidney Nolan's "Snake" Mural2011
Australia's largest modernist artwork, displayed publicly in Australia for the first time at MONA's opening exhibition 'Monanism'.
Notable Artwork: Wim Delvoye's "Cloaca Professional"
A machine that replicates the human digestive system, turning food into feces, excreting daily as a living artwork.
Contact
Phone: (03) 6277 9978
