Sight guide · Hobart · Australia
Visiting Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
TMAG occupies a group of buildings beside Franklin Square, including the city's oldest surviving building, the 1808 Commissariat Store.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: File:Franklin Wharf 2015.jpg : Michael fromholtz derivative work: Georgfotoart, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is a museum in Waterfront and CBD, Hobart. Allow 2 hours; it is free. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Museum
- Area
- Waterfront and CBD
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- free, rainy day, history and kids
- Best months
- August–October
About Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
TMAG occupies a group of buildings beside Franklin Square, including the city's oldest surviving building, the 1808 Commissariat Store. Galleries cover Tasmanian Aboriginal culture, colonial art, Antarctic exploration and natural history, including the thylacine.
Tip: Head first to the thylacine displays and the palawa gallery, then leave time for the colonial art upstairs.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 2 hours.
- Cost: Free — no ticket needed for the main area.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Waterfront and CBD, fishing docks, ferry piers and the compact grid of the city centre.
Best time to visit Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:
- August: 13°C (55°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, very quiet crowds.
- September: 15°C (59°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds.
- October: 17°C (63°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, moderate crowds.
When to visit Hobart has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Our 3-day Hobart itinerary visits Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery on day 2, together with Constitution Dock and the fish punts, Mawson's Huts Replica Museum and Theatre Royal.
- No. 7 of the 16 sights in our Hobart things-to-do list.
- Day 2 of the 2-day plan.
- Day 2 of the 5-day plan.
- Listed in free things to do in Hobart.
- One of the picks in historic sites in Hobart.
- A family favourite in Hobart with kids.
Near Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Also in Waterfront and CBD, so you can walk between them:
- Constitution Dock and the fish punts — 1 hour, low cost
- Mawson's Huts Replica Museum — 45 minutes, low cost
- Farm Gate Market — 1 hour, free
If you like Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
- MONA – Museum of Old and New Art — Berriedale, 3–4 hours
- Salamanca Market — Salamanca, 2 hours
- Salamanca Place — Salamanca, 1 hour
- Battery Point and Arthur Circus — Battery Point, 1–2 hours
Staying near Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Stay in Waterfront and CBD ($$$) to walk here: fishing docks, ferry piers and the compact grid of the city centre. All areas to stay in Hobart.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery?
Plan 2 hours. With Constitution Dock and the fish punts nearby, it fits a half-day in Waterfront and CBD.
+Is Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery free?
Yes, it is free to visit.
+When is the best time to visit Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery?
August–October, the wettest months, when an indoor sight is most welcome. Head first to the thylacine displays and the palawa gallery, then leave time for the colonial art upstairs.
+Do I need to book Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.
+Is Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery good for kids?
Yes, it is one of our family picks in Hobart. Hobart is compact and relaxed for families, with free museums and gardens, markets with food stalls and wildlife sanctuaries close by.