About Newcastle Art Gallery
Newcastle Art Gallery is a major public art gallery located at 1 Laman Street in Cooks Hill, Newcastle, New South Wales. Established in 1945 and opened in its purpose-built building in 1957, it was the first regional gallery built in New South Wales. It holds a nationally significant collection of over 7,000 works, including Australian painting, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, Japanese ceramics and modern works, and presents changing exhibitions and public programs.
Visitors guide
Visitors can expect a public art gallery set beside Civic Park in central Newcastle, housing a large permanent collection and temporary exhibitions across painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography and ceramics. The building includes exhibition galleries, a shop and public program spaces. As of 2024-2025 the gallery is temporarily closed for a major expansion and redevelopment, with off-site programs and pop-up exhibitions offered while construction is underway. Check the official website for current access and reopening updates.
Key highlights
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Nationally significant collection of over 7,000 works of Australian art
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Strong holdings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art
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Notable Japanese ceramics collection
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Works by major Australian artists including William Dobell, Brett Whiteley and Margaret Olley