National Gallery of Victoria

The National Gallery of Victoria was founded in May 1861 as the Museum of Art and took its present name in 1875, which makes it the oldest public art museum in Australia. Its collection of more than 76,000 works is the largest held by any gallery in the country, and it is shown across two buildings: NGV International at 180 St Kilda Road and The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Fed Square.

NGV International occupies the bluestone building designed by Sir Roy Grounds, which opened in 1968 and reopened in 2003 after a redevelopment by the Italian architect Mario Bellini. It holds the European, Asian, Oceanic and American collections and is on the Victorian Heritage Register. Two features are worth seeking out even on a short visit: the water wall at the entrance, which has also been used to display artworks, and Leonard French's stained-glass ceiling, one of the largest suspended stained-glass works in the world. A moat and fountains surround the building, and the sculpture garden at the back hosts an annual commission.

The collection is broad enough to reward several visits. Highlights include one of the world's largest groups of engravings and woodcuts by Albrecht Dürer and 36 of William Blake's 102 watercolours illustrating Dante. The Felton Bequest, which has paid for more than 15,000 acquisitions since 1904, explains much of the depth of the historical holdings. For Australian art, including a strong focus on Indigenous art, walk to the Ian Potter Centre at Fed Square, which opened in 2002 and holds around 25,000 Australian works.

General entry to both buildings is free, and both are open daily from 10am to 5pm, except Christmas Day, with a 1pm opening on Anzac Day. Major exhibitions are ticketed; the NGV Triennial, held every three years, drew more than a million visitors in 2023 and 2024. Selected galleries at NGV International may close temporarily while large exhibitions are being installed, so check the website if you have a particular room in mind.

Practical points: backpacks, large bags and umbrellas must be left at the free cloakroom, and photography without flash is allowed in most areas, though tripods and selfie sticks are not. Payment is by card or contactless only. Allow two to three hours for NGV International and another hour or so for the Ian Potter Centre. The gallery is also planning a third site, NGV Contemporary, scheduled to open in the arts precinct in 2028.