I visited the Museum of Contemporary Art – is it worth the admission fee?

Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art introduced an admission fee in January, but is it worth paying for?

For more than two decades the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) offered free access to the work of contemporary artists from Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. But as of January 31, visitors have had to pay a general admission fee of $20 to access the exhibitions on levels one and two, and there’s an additional $15 charge to access the major summer exhibition on level three.

Entry remains free for MCA Members, under 18s and Australian students though.

When the Art Gallery of NSW offers free general access, only charging for special exhibitions, many are asking: is the MCA worth it? I visited for the first time to find out.

A whistle-stop introduction to the MCA

On a gloomy Saturday afternoon, I headed down to The Rocks to find the waterfront gallery—is there a better rainy day activity than wandering around admiring art? I was shown around the gallery by Amy, who has worked at the MCA since 2022 and has built a fantastic knowledge over the years. She was clued up on every exhibition across the three floors and provided me with a great first-timer’s introduction to the gallery.

Referring to the introduction of the admission fee, she said “access is very important to us”. An interesting point to make, as adding a charge naturally alienates some visitors. Especially in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

Anyway, onwards.

Level one, where the front desk and gift shop are, is also where you’ll find the two most recent openings: The Intelligence of Painting and Warraba Weatherall: Shadow and Substance. The first is a one-room display of 14 paintings by Australian women painters, the most eye-catching of which is by Gemma Smith who used to be a guide at the MCA. The second exhibition is a poignant display by Aboriginal artist Warraba Weatherall, and is the artist’s first solo museum exhibition.

Level two is home to the permanent MCA Collection: Artists in Focus exhibition which, although permanent, changes regularly to spotlight different artists from the museum’s collection. It’s a vast space of interconnecting rooms, each of which is dedicated to a different artist or community. You’ll find all types of work here from photography and painting to installation and moving image.

Level three is where the major summer exhibition can be found. Julie Mehretu: A Transcore of the Radical Imaginatory is the first exhibition dedicated to the artist to be shown in the Asia-Pacific region and is only open for a few more weeks (to April 27), so you need to hurry if you’d like to see her intriguing abstract artworks. There is also a family space on this floor where free activities aimed at five-12-year-olds, themed around the exhibition on the same floor, are held each weekend.

Level four houses the sculpture terrace, where you’ll be greeted by a commissioned artwork (they change regularly) and a spectacular view of the Harbour Bridge. The museum’s new restaurant Canvas is also on this level. Serving a set menu, it’s an elegant space that seems like a great choice for a special occasion meal. A more budget-friendly food option can be found on the ground floor at the MCA Cafe at Tallawoladah, where you can buy coffee, tea, soft drinks, sandwiches and pastries. I’m not sure whether there has been a recent influx of new ground floor cafe staff, or it had just been a busy Saturday, but service could have been better. I was given the wrong items and so were a few other tables—but they were soon rectified.

My visit

All in all, I spent around two hours exploring all four floors of the gallery before planting myself in the ground floor cafe to refuel. On each floor, there are interesting gems to discover.

Art is subjective by nature and I personally prefer the Impressionist, Expressionist and Post-Impressionist eras. While they’re certainly on the more contemporary end of the spectrum, the MCA collection is even further along. Julie Mehretu’s abstract works, for example, are too ambiguous for me, however the way they are presented on the third floor made them far more accessible for me.

The large rooms off to the right of this exhibition, with their double-height ceilings, were a particular highlight for me. Mehretu’s artworks are monumental and the space gives them room to breathe. Paintings from her TRANSpaintings collection are laid on monofilament polyester mesh, presented on large industrial looking frames that you can walk around to see both sides (pictured above). It’s a fun change of pace, even if her style isn’t quite to your taste.

MCA Collection: Artists in Focus, which is included in the general admission cost, is a varied and interesting introduction to Australian contemporary art which is well paced in its curation. There are vast symbolic paintings, an eery installation by Joan Brassil and a dizzying display by Brook Andrew which seems to be a favourite with children (neon lights and zebra stripes painted across the walls; it’s easy to see why).

Level one is where I felt enlivened. The Intelligence of Painting was the exhibition I was most interested to see after reading the synopsis online, but it was actually Warraba Weatherall: Shadow and Substance that was the standout for me.

Through the 19th century and into the 20th, information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples and their cultures was collected and stored without their permission. The Kamilaroi artist considers how this knowledge was collected and conveyed by institutions. The result is a poignant display which is a complete tonal change to the rest of the gallery. It’s only a small display but it packs a punch across two rooms. Trace immediately catches your attention as you enter and is a major new co-commission between the MCA and the Hawai’i Triennial 2025. InstitutionaLies is also an incredibly emotive piece that dominates the space.

What’s coming up at the MCA?

Part of Amy’s tour included a little info about what’s coming up at the MCA later this year and there are two exhibitions she is particularly excited to see.

Cerith Wyn Evans is a major immersive exhibition by the Welsh artist that will take over the galleries on level three from June 6 until October 19. Monumental light sculptures will transform the double-height spaces and a significant selection of other major works, most of which have never been seen before in Australia, will also be shown. You’ll know when it’s opened as it’ll be all over your Insta feed. It’s one of those exhibitions.

Data Dreams: Contemporary Art in the Age of AI, meanwhile, sort of springboards off of the current commissions hanging in the entrance foyer. Diena Georgetti’s works which are currently on display are created using a combination of painting and AI-created prints. Data Dreams, as the name suggests, will dive into the world of AI and its use and impact on the contemporary artistic process. It’s the first of its kind to be shown in a major Australian museum and is presented as part of the Sydney International Art Series 2025-26.

Primavera will also return, though the date is still unconfirmed. It’s a calendar highlight that showcases the work of young artists aged 35 and under, providing them with a springboard.

Is it worth it?

This is the million dollar question. Or 20-35 dollar questions. Should you bother spending on a visit here when you can go to other Sydney museums and galleries for free?

In short, yes.

Sure, it’s annoying that there’s a fee now, knowing that just a few months ago it was free to enter. But what you get for your money is absolutely worth it. Remember, MCA Members, under 18s and Australian students all still enter free, so it’s just adult and concession tickets ($16) that you need to purchase.

There are tiers too; you don’t need to pay for the Level Three exhibition if you don’t want too. (Side note: if you’re intrigued by Julie Mehretu but aren’t sure if you want to pay the additional $15 to access her exhibition, a selection of her work is presented in the MCA Collection exhibition on level two. It’s a collaborative display created with Jessica Rankin).

Speaking purely about general admission, the access to three incredibly varied exhibitions spread across two floors, as well as the sculpture terrace for $20 per person is great value for money. And if you’re a lover of contemporary art, this probably isn’t even a question you’ve considered; it’s a given.

The museum has been very open about its critical financial troubles and its struggles to recover post-COVID. “We had hoped we could delay the decision with some wonderful ‘knight in shining armour’ but it just hasn’t happened, so it’s about being a grown-up and not putting our heads in the sand,” is what MCA director Suzanne Cotter had to say. It’s a last-resort measure for any cultural institution.

“We aren’t the only ones struggling; it’s a difficult time for arts across the country.” It’s part of a much larger conversation. The Art Gallery of NSW, for example, also warned of job cuts last year—but was saved by a boost of an additional $8 million in government funding.

Ultimately, the value for money is there. And with such exciting exhibitions planned for the year ahead, we can only hope that the MCA’s admission fee is a temporary measure. If you’re caught out by the rain and aren’t sure how to spend your day, I would urge you to consider the MCA. Whether you’re admiring the artworks or the harbour views out of the numerous windows, there’s so much to gain from a visit.

FAQs

How much is entry to the Museum of Contemporary Art?

General admission: adult $20; concession $16; MCA Members, under 18s and Australian students enter free.

Full access (including all exhibitions): adult $35; concession $28; MCA Members, under 18s and Australian students enter free.

Tickets can be purchased at the gallery or save time by booking online at mca.com.au.

What are the MCA opening times?

The Museum of Contemporary Art is open six days a week, Wednesday to Monday 10am-5pm. It is closed on Tuesdays.

How do I get there?

The Museum is a six-minute walk from Circular Quay, where public buses, trains, ferries and light rail services run regularly. For more information and to plan your journey, visit Transport NSW.

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