Art Gallery of Ballarat
Art Gallery of Ballarat
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
An interesting and dynamic regional gallery where there is always lots to see. Upstairs, the gallery collection is definitely worth a visit, as the Gallery holds one of the best regional collections in the country and is always looking for interesting, thought-provoking ways of displaying it. Downstairs there are temporary exhibitions, with at least four open at any one time.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • Gr_Taylor
    Adelaide, Australia188 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Superb regional Gallery
    We went for the Ballarat International Foto Biennalle which, as usual, was very special. Much of the main program was displayed in the Art Gallery and the way it was curated was exemplary. Then went up to see the more permanent collection on the first floor. Very interesting. The staff were exceptionally helpful so highly recommend.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 17 September 2023
  • David Hourigan
    Melbourne, Australia22 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Delivers a great deal more than I expected from a small regional gallery!
    Punches above its weight. It may be a regional gallery, but it is fantastic! The building itself is lovely, the art collections are great, but the curation is really the standout. Clever themes for exhibitions give a real variety to what you experience, and the captions to works give a real sense f why they are displayed and what sort of collection the gallery has built up over 140 odd years. A real highlight of my trip to Ballarat.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 9 January 2024
  • Maryann B
    Basel, Switzerland302 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must visit when in Ballarat
    We were not expecting such a wonderful art gallery outside of the big Australian cities. We were lucky enough to time our visit with the free guided tour which was very enjoyable and informative. We learnt a lot about both the art works and the history of the local area. The staff were all extremely helpful. One can easily spend 2+ hours here if exploring all the exhibits. And it's all for free!
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 14 February 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles705 reviews
Excellent
490
Very good
185
Average
24
Poor
6
Terrible
0

Maryann B
Basel, Switzerland302 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Couples
We were not expecting such a wonderful art gallery outside of the big Australian cities. We were lucky enough to time our visit with the free guided tour which was very enjoyable and informative. We learnt a lot about both the art works and the history of the local area. The staff were all extremely helpful. One can easily spend 2+ hours here if exploring all the exhibits. And it's all for free!
Written 14 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

David Hourigan
Melbourne, Australia22 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
Punches above its weight. It may be a regional gallery, but it is fantastic! The building itself is lovely, the art collections are great, but the curation is really the standout. Clever themes for exhibitions give a real variety to what you experience, and the captions to works give a real sense f why they are displayed and what sort of collection the gallery has built up over 140 odd years. A real highlight of my trip to Ballarat.
Written 9 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jennifer S
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Friends
Great collection, very informative guided tour. Would highly recommend this regional gallery, an unexpected find.
Written 13 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gr_Taylor
Adelaide, Australia188 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Friends
We went for the Ballarat International Foto Biennalle which, as usual, was very special. Much of the main program was displayed in the Art Gallery and the way it was curated was exemplary. Then went up to see the more permanent collection on the first floor. Very interesting. The staff were exceptionally helpful so highly recommend.
Written 18 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roz K
Niddrie, Australia23 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Couples
The gallery was excellent, and was great to visit over a few days. I stayed nearby and had quite a few things booked here and there, and found myself spending time in the gallery between activities.
Written 18 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Simon255093
Verdun, Australia85 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Couples
This is the best regional art gallery we have been to. Exhibits, staff and building are all outstanding. The pre-raphelite exhibition added to an already great morning.
Written 17 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

markandrich
Sydney, Australia5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Couples
A unique and hidden gem - who would have thought one bloke about 130 years ago had the foresight to create such a lasting brilliant space for the community. The people that look after this should be commended a truly wonderful place to go
Written 5 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Traveller
Melbourne, Australia15,759 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023
My wife and I visited this Gallery recently during our holiday in Ballarat.

The Art Gallery of Ballarat is the oldest and largest regional art gallery in Australia. Established in 1884 as the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, both the building and part of its collection is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and by the National Trust of Victoria.

The most important of the founders of the Gallery was undoubtedly James Oodie, known at the time as the 'Father of Ballarat'. He was one the first gold diggers to arrive in Ballarat and stayed to make a fortune as a real estate agent and a banker.

He remained a major benefactor of the Gallery throughout his life, gifting over 100 artworks. Oodie believed in the power of art to inspire the people of Ballarat, to educate and lift them up in their everyday lives - a philosophy that continues to guide the Gallery today.

The Art Gallery of Ballarat collection is arguably the best outside the state capitals. The collection numbers over 11,000 paintings. works on paper, ceramics, sculptures and furniture from the 1800 to today. The Gallery can only display 2% of the collection at any one time and will be changing regularly to bring more works to light and show them in new contexts.
Written 24 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

wendymN7106QY
Kobe, Japan11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023 • Couples
Fabulous, friendly and informative. Well worth the hour or so to go through. It's free as well! Certainly should include a visit if you're going there.
Written 20 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Swisshen
Perth, Australia2,323 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 • Solo
This is the second time I have visited this Art Gallery and still found this I had missed the first time. You should start in the Original Gallery which exhibits paintings purchased at the time of the museum’s opening. Then’Place Gallery, ‘Country Gallery and finally the ‘Disruption Gallery.
There is Norman Lindsay’s Sitting Room and some of the families works on display downstairs.
The current exhibition’Beating About the Bush’ is a mix of old and modern take on ‘Impressionist Art’.
Sadly the cafe closed during the pandemic and never reopened. The gift shop is well stocked with lots of goodies.
Written 27 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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ART GALLERY OF BALLARAT: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Art Gallery of Ballarat

Art Gallery of Ballarat is open:
  • Sun - Sat 10:00 - 17:00