Art Mania: Our Guide to an Artistic Adelaide Adventure
Adelaide’s art scene is worth exploring and celebrating! With world-class galleries displaying jaw-dropping artworks and festival art centers where premier performers set the stage on fire, Adelaide brims with imagination and creativity!
We also have libraries and art shops to nurture the artist in you. If you want to experience all these, our guide below can lead you to an unforgettable Adelaidean art odyssey!
Best Art Spots in Adelaide
Art Gallery of South Australia
Website:http://www.artgallery.sa.gov.au/
Address: North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8207 7000
Operating Hours: Daily – 10 AM to 5 PM
The Art Gallery of South Australia is a treasure trove of masterpieces. Our team’s art enthusiasts always have a grand ol’ time in this majestic haven of artistic work!
The museum’s architecture, thought-provoking galleries, and the heart-touching stories behind every piece attract casual onlookers and hardcore critics worldwide.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to check every nook and cranny of this spot, especially the attention-grabbing rooms containing traditional and modernist artworks—contrasting yet enticing masterpieces highlighting two of art’s most significant styles.
South Australian Museum
Website: http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/
Address: North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8207 7500
Operating Hours: Daily – 10 AM to 5 PM
The elegantly-designed South Australian Museum offers 5 floors overflowing with artistic marvels. This spot simply teems with all sorts of creations: Aboriginal relics, scientific sculptures, prehistoric mementos, and bizarre innovations, to name a few.
For a complete experience, we suggest trying our simple but proven-and-tested route: start from the first floor and don’t move to the next without checking everything the current floor offers.
Pro Tip: If visiting with kids, we recommend beelining to the room where the LEGO RSV Nuyina docks. The permanent LEGO piece oozes meticulous artistry and playful creativity—the perfect combination for kids and kids at heart!
Mortlock Wing, State Library Of South Australia
Website: https://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/mortlock-chamber-exhibition-bays
Address: North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8207 7250
Operating Hours:
- Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri – 10 AM to 5 PM
- Tue – 10 AM to 7 PM
- Sat to Sun – 12 PM to 5 PM
Mortlock Wing is a dreamland for bibliophiles like us. Filled with ancient tomes and literary classics, this spellbinding spot can make your mind wander in a labyrinth of knowledge!
The section to visit here depends on your preference, but if it were up to us, always start with books containing Australia’s rich history.
They’re exciting reads, surprisingly hilarious (sections about The Emu War and Hume and Hovell’s Frypan Fight had us in stitches!), and, of course, highly informative.
Pro Tip: Other collections that piqued the interests of our team’s bookworms include the haunting war tales of South Australians and the stories telling the daunting struggles Australian women overcame and still face.
Make sure to explore these books for a deeper understanding of our culture and history.
Jamfactory
Website: http://www.jamfactory.com.au/
Address: 19 Morphett St, Adelaide SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8410 0727
Operating Hours: Daily – 10 AM to 5 PM
JamFactory’s goal is simple and sublime: make ordinary objects overcome mundanity and become extraordinary art pieces. The top art exhibit here showcases the enthralling charm of everyday items like ceramics, glasses, and furniture.
Our favorite? The New Exuberance—a gallery that focused on turning everyday textiles into eye-catching fashion creations bursting with sharp colors and riddled with eclectic patterns. This one ran from May 13 to July 2, 2023.
Pro Tip: Jamfactory’s permanent exhibits of porcelain paintings are also worth a look, especially the pieces painted by Susan Hipgrave.
David Roche Foundation House Museum
Website: http://www.rochefoundation.com.au/
Address: 241 Melbourne St, North Adelaide SA 5006
Contact Details: (08) 8267 3677
Operating Hours:
- Tue to Sat – 10 AM to 4 PM
- Sun to Mon – Closed
David Roche’s impeccable 60-year collection never fades. His timeless art assemblage features an enchanting array of European furniture, ceramics, metalware, clocks, and paintings from the mesmerizing eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Roche’s collection also unveils pieces crafted by renowned designers and quirky artworks mirroring his fun, visionary, and charismatic personality!
Pro Tip: Try not to leave this museum without checking the Drawing Room, a French-inspired chamber sparkling with regal, golden undertones. The Italian Mars and Minerva paintings here are the crème de la crème of Roche’s European ceramic collection!
Tandanya – National Aboriginal Cultural Institute
Website: http://www.tandanya.com.au/
Address: 253 Grenfell St, Adelaide SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8224 3200
Operating Hours:
- Tue to Sun – 10 AM to 5 PM
- Mon – Closed
To learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and culture, we headed over to Tandanya!
This art space strives to foster deep understanding and appreciation for the cultural legacy of indigenous peoples.
The exhibit we enjoyed most here was the Wild Dog Installation, an artistic presentation that emphasized the importance of dingos—majestic and misperceived Australian cultural and wildlife icons.
This ran from July 15 to Aug 20, 2022. We’re hoping it makes a comeback!
Pro Tip: Tandanya has a gift shop offering a range of Aboriginal art, crafts, books, and souvenirs. We recommend supporting local artists and artisans by purchasing authentic and ethically sourced items that align with your interests.
Adelaide Festival Center
Website: https://www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/
Address: King William Rd, Adelaide SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8216 8600
Adelaide Festival Center is an all-in-one haven for the arts.
Our team joined the echoing applauses of an audience after watching the center’s heartrending BARBAROS, a multifaceted performance about civilization and barbarism that combined a poignant spectacle of dance, sound, poetry, and visual art.
Barbaros’ display of pure artistry ran from June 28 to July 1, 2023.
But if BARBAROS’ heavy theme isn’t your cup of tea, Jimmy Rees’ witty humor and irresistible charm might suit you best! You can watch him on September 21, 2023!
For families, we recommend popping by the fam-friendly light art exhibit—a room of illuminated delights perfect for all ages.
Pro Tip: The Adelaide Festival Centre hosts a wide range of performances, events, and festivals throughout the year. Before your visit, check the program online or at the center to see what shows or events are taking place during your trip here.
The Mill Adelaide
Website: http://www.themilladelaide.com/
Address: 154 Angas St, Adelaide SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8216 8600
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Fri – 10 AM to 4 PM
- Sat to Sun – Closed
The Mill Adelaide champions art’s limitlessness. The exhibits we found here were mostly experimental, with every artwork aiming to push the envelope.
The Flower Punk: Permaculture for Arts’n’Craft was a May 1 to June 16 exhibit that embodied The Mill Adelaide’s mantra. This avant-garde gallery showcased secondhand resources, fusing futuristic aesthetics with the allure of antique products!
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to check Peter Out the Obsolete, another trailblazing, permanent exhibit art connoisseurs shouldn’t miss!
This Astrid Pill display highlights photos of office chairs placed in concrete jungles and lush parks—a profound and compelling take on the beauty and irony of obsoleteness.
FELTspace
Website: http://www.feltspace.org/
Address: 2 Compton St, Adelaide SA 5000
Operating Hours:
- Sun to Tue – Closed
- Wed to Thu – 1 PM to 4 PM
- Friday – 1 PM to 7 PM
- Sat – 10 AM to 4 PM
FELTspace is another art organization promoting up-and-coming artists giving new styles a whirl!
One stand-out for us was Deborah White’s Everlasting Happiness. This whimsical film, which ran from May 31 to June 24, 2023, playfully explores the belief of love as a political idea, using humor and fantasy to captivate its audience.
Another exhibit that caught our eye was Ritual Slaughterer, a gritty and dark depiction of the not-so-perfect yet transformative relationship between spirituality and marginalized groups. This ran from May 31 to June 24, 2023, too.
Pro Tip: If you got ample time, try to attend opening nights or artist talks: FELTspace hosts opening nights for their exhibitions, where you can meet the artists and engage in conversations about their work.
Hillsmith Art Advisory
Website: http://hillsmithart.com.au/
Address: The Darling, Building Level 2/28 Franklin St, Adelaide SA 5000
Operating Hours:
- Sun – 10 AM to 4 PM
- Mon to Tue – Closed
- Wed to Sat 10 AM to 4 PM
Looking for an artwork that can make your living room look like a million dollars? If you’re nodding your head right now, you should consider swinging by Hill Smith Art Advisory (HSAA)!
HSAA has cultivated valuable relationships with contemporary artists, private galleries, and arts professionals for over 37 years.
Pro Tip: Feel free to ask them for help if you’re interested in buying a piece or planning to make one! The staff at Hillsmith Art Advisory are knowledgeable about the artworks they showcase and can provide valuable insights and information.
