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The Art Lover’s Guide to the Art Gallery of South Australia

| Last Updated: July 2025

My friends and I made a group with other art enthusiasts to see artworks on the weekends. One time, we went on a graffiti walk. In the next one, we’ll go to the Art Gallery of South Australia!

I made a to-do list in preparation. The list has our commute routes and which gallery sections we will see.

If you, too, want to visit with fellow art aficionados (or just by yourself is fine too!), I’m sharing the guide below for you to check out.

The Art Gallery of South Australia, also shortened to AGSA, was founded in 1881. It later moved to North Terrace, Adelaide, in 1990. It’s home to many outstanding European, Asian, and Australian artworks. 

AGSA also recognises the importance of cultural art, such as its first collection of Aboriginal art in 1939. It has also curated an array of art from the First Peoples since the 1950s. 

Moreover, starting in 2015, AGSA holds the Tarnanthi festival to celebrate contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. 

AGSA has also been hosting art contests, such as the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art since 1990, and the Ramsay Art Prize for youth contemporary artists, established in 2017. 

Address: 490 North Terrace

Contact: +61 8 8207 7000

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.agsa.sa.gov.au/

Operating hours: Open every day except on Christmas Day, from 10 am to 5 pm, and until 9 pm only on the first Friday of every month

Parking: The gallery has limited and paid parking only for accessibility. These are located at Wilson Parking at North Terrace level 1, U-Park at Gawler Place, and the Adelaide University. 

Accessibility: The gallery lends free wheelchairs to visitors in need. To reserve one before a visit, dial (08) 8207 7000 and choose option 6. The gallery also allows guide dogs in its vicinity, and has an access lift at Gallery 6, Elder Wing.

Washroom: There are washrooms near the front entrance, on the Courtyard Level, the Atrium, and the Vestibule. These washrooms are disability-friendly. They also have facilities to accommodate diaper-changing and breastfeeding.

Decorum: The Art Gallery of South Australia requests its visitors to refrain from smoking, touching art, eating, and drinking. Visitors are also advised to leave their baggage and umbrellas at the cloakrooms near the main entrance.

Admission: Admission is free, except on select special exhibits and events the gallery may host.

How to Get There

By bus: You can get to the gallery through bus routes G1 or G3 via the north side. You can also ride T2 from the south side of North Terrace.

By train: Get off at the Adelaide Railway Station, North Terrace stop. It’s a central terminal station, so all lines pass by here and can get you to the gallery.

By tram: Tram rides going to the gallery can be found at Rundle Mall and the University of Adelaide.

By taxi: Taxi rates going to the gallery depend on the tariff, flagfall, distance, and time of day. Flagfall rate starts at $3.90 with a distance rate of $2.19 per kilometre.

Learn about local culture through the Australian Art Collection

Media Credit: agsa.adelaide

Our art enthusiast group is composed of loud and proud Australians. But we also have foreign tourists who want to know more about our country! The Australian Art Collection is the perfect way to acquaint ourselves with Australia’s past and present.

For example, I suggest we see displayed items in Gallery 6, such as a painted jar titled Emu Dreaming from the 1990s. This piece is from Bluey Roberts, born in Meningie, Coorong. 

It’s just one of the many pieces we plan to see. Another is the charcoal artwork by South Australian artist Rita Hall in The Atrium. These are gifts to the gallery from the artist, and we are interested in their creative process! 

Go global with the European and Asian Art Collection

Media Credit: agsa.adelaide

Many of our foreign members are from Europe or Asia. They want to visit the gallery, since they heard it has art from their continent too. They might even find unique items here!

A member from India aims to check out a watercolour painting in Gallery 20 called Battle Scene from the Mahabharata epic. He’s doing research work, and this piece is his focus. He said it’s an intriguing depiction of the climactic battle scene between the Pandavas and Kauravas.

Meanwhile, another member says we should also see French sculptor Auguste Rodin’s works in Gallery 12. She’s an aspiring artist who found inspiration in the sculptor’s pieces. This is a wonderful opportunity for her to study his art!

Immerse in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art

Media Credit: agsa.adelaide

We can’t call ourselves creative connoisseurs if we don’t view Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pieces! The oldest piece from this collection is said to be more than 55,000 years old!

One piece we are looking forward to is the wood carving Gumurrwaymi in Gallery 1. This is from Mawalan Marika of the Rirratjingu clan in the Northern Territory. Its English translation is “The woman of Bremer Island,” and it gives us insight into the place and its culture.

In the same gallery, we also want to see Liva-liva by Minimini Mamarika of the Anindilyakwa clan. It’s made out of natural bark, illustrating people in a canoe.

Living in the “now” with Contemporary Art

Media Credit: agsa.adelaide

The Art Gallery of South Australia has pieces from every art movement in history, including contemporary art.

An example is Julie Fragar’s Goose Chase: All of Us Together Here and Nowhere, on display in Gallery 16. We read that the artist made this piece after searching for her ancestor in Portugal. Visitors such as us can study how her family tree’s story is immortalised through art.

Special Events and Exhibits

The staff mentioned to us via online inquiry that the gallery hosts special events, such as the annual Tarnanthi festival. The festival will mark its 10-year anniversary this year in October!

We learned that the name means “come forth” in the Kaurna people’s language. It’s a suitable title for an event honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists! We can also purchase directly from the artists to support their careers and communities.

At the moment, we can check out the Dangerously Modern exhibit. It tells of Australian women’s lives, art, and their role in global modernism. This paid event is open from May 24 to September 7, so we still have time to book online!

Dining in AGSA_eat

Media Credit: agsa.eat

Operating hours: Open daily except on Christmas Day, 10 am to 4:30 pm

Contact: 08 8471 2400

Email: [email protected]

After a long day of walking and being awestruck by artworks, we plan to eat and rest. 

Luckily, the gallery has a restaurant named AGSA_eat at The Atrium by the Courtyard! It has a scenic outdoor garden seating plan. 

They have snacks, drinks, and lunch menus, including allergen-free options, so everyone can eat here without worries. 

One snack we want to try is their signature cheese board with kumquat jam!

Media Credit: agsa.store

Operating hours: Open daily except on Christmas Day, 10 am to 5 pm

Contact: 8 8207 7029

Email: [email protected]

Right next to the restaurant is the store and souvenir shop. So, when we’re done eating, we can buy homeware, books, and jewellery here! We can also get a 10% discount for in-store and online purchases if we sign up as members.

The store also partners with local creatives. They put on sale unique pieces not found on their displays. The partnership also helps artists receive monetary support for their careers!

One souvenir I am eyeing is a tote bag featuring the oil painting Circe Invidiosa by British artist JW Waterhouse. It’s made with waterless printing and polyester. I can use this for work or groceries, adding more art to my life!

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