Ah MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart, Tasmania.

Where do we start with this one?

Judging by the reviews you will either love or hate this place but people will still part with their hard earned pennies to find out. And here at Triprovider, we did too!

CLICK TO BOOK YOUR MONA TICKETS HERE

Welcome to MONA Gallery Hobart!

David Walsh has created this underground behemoth to push the boundaries of what we perceive and take us to the darkest depths of alternative pop-art providing shock value and an experience you probably wouldn’t expect to find in a place like placid Hobart.

Michael Connor sums it up perfectly when describing MONA’s collection as “art for an exhausted and decaying civilisation, but presented with contemporary high fashion, design, architecture and cinema. It is expensive and tense decay.”

At the end of the day this is a fairly expensive day out for the average punter and when you get there you will see why. The design, location and architecture of the museum and surrounding grounds is simply stunning with so much detail going into creating something visually spectacular for the visitor.

This playground for well-heeled wannabes cost millions and everyone is cordially invited to visit and help recoup these expenses. The day to day running costs alone must be impressive because I’ve never seen so many staff at one tourist attraction.

How do you get to MONA Hobart?

Credit to them though, the whole operation is very well run and whether you do love or hate it, you definitely won’t forget it and you will tell your friends about it.

You can drive here from central Hobart but who does that when they have two fun high speed catamarans with camouflage exteriors leave the Hobart ferry terminal at regular intervals. The interiors resemble an Austen Powers movie set with plush seating, dimly lit bars and mirrored ceilings. The outdoor deck has sheep as seats and brilliant views of the Derwent River on this 25 minute trip to MONA. For an extra fee, you can partake as a member of the “Posh Pit” and get unlimited drinks and snacks.

MONA is beautifully perched on a peninsula north of Hobart with water views on one side and towering mountain terrain on the other. A stunning setting.

Ascending the stairs there are many other interesting artworks in the grounds which also lead through to a series of restaurants, bars and well manicured lawns where you can spread out and enjoy a frightfully expensive chardonnay or two. I’m not proud to announce that I procured a camel burger (yes, it’s that kind of place) for $A24 but I was hungry and nothing is cheap here!

For the art, enter the behemoth, scan your tickets and then take the plunge downwards via the lift or never ending spiral staircase. The cavern like level 2 houses a swanky bar and what a lot have termed as a “perverts paradise” in reference to the art you’ll see here.

Level 1 has more to see and has some really interesting room exhibits as well as hung art.

The gallery has an app called the “O” which has all the information needed on each art piece as there are no labels on the walls at all.

A lot of people go for a boat ride and a day out. It won’t be to everyone’s taste, but the endeavour is impressive nonetheless. We went, made a day of it and had a pretty good time! Book your tickets via our links.

Tips for Visiting MONA Hobart

How much time do we need to visit MONA? – Depends. We left at 11am and took the 5pm ferry back so basically made a day of it, just taking our time and enjoying the outside lawns as well. If you just wanted to view the art then leave, 2 hours would suffice.

Is the Posh Pit on the Ferry worth it? – It’s only a 25 minute boat ride so how much can you drink and eat in that time anyway? Up to you, we never considered it.

Can you come and go from the gallery? – Yes, you may want to grab a wine on the lawn and then come back into the gallery. They will re-check your ticket on return.