In 11 of the 12 cities on this website we have confirmed at least one museum or gallery with free general admission. In the Gold Coast we could not confirm any. What is free is usually the permanent collection: special exhibitions may be paid for separately.
Everything was checked on 5 November 2026. Each list is in alphabetical order, with no rating. If the museum's website could not be checked, the table says so and names the other source. Opening hours change: check the website before you go. There are more places in museums and galleries.
Which museums are free in Sydney?
Six places in Sydney have free general admission, four according to their official website and two according to Destination NSW, the official tourism body.
| Place | Admission and hours | Source, 5 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Art Gallery of NSW | Free, except some exhibitions. Daily 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; Wednesdays until 10:00 pm | Official website |
| Australian Museum | Free, except special exhibitions | Destination NSW; we could not check its website |
| Australian National Maritime Museum | Permanent galleries free. Going aboard the ships is paid, according to Destination NSW | Official website |
| Chau Chak Wing Museum | Public museum free. Destination NSW asks for registration in advance | Official website |
| Museum of Contemporary Art | Free, except some special exhibitions | Destination NSW; we could not check its website |
| White Rabbit Gallery | Free. Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Official website |
Which museums are free in Melbourne?
Four places in Melbourne have free general admission, all according to their official website.
| Place | Admission and hours | Source, 5 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| ACCA | Always free. Tuesday to Friday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; weekends 11:00 am to 5:00 pm | Official website |
| ACMI | Permanent exhibition free; some events are paid. Daily 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Official website |
| NGV | General collection free at both sites. Daily 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Some rooms may close until 13 December 2026 | Official website |
| Shrine of Remembrance | Free, with a voluntary donation. 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Official website |
Which museums are free in Brisbane?
Three places in Brisbane confirm it on their official website, and we could not check the QAGOMA website.
| Place | Admission and hours | Source, 5 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Institute of Modern Art | Public gallery free. Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Official website |
| Museum of Brisbane | Free. Daily 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Official website |
| QAGOMA | Many exhibitions free and others paid | Visit Brisbane; we could not check its website |
| Queensland Museum Kurilpa | Free. SparkLab and some exhibitions are paid. Daily 9:30 am to 5:00 pm | Official website |
Which museums are free on the Gold Coast?
We have not confirmed any in the Gold Coast. The HOTA gallery warns of charges for its major exhibitions, but does not say whether the rest is free.
Which museums are free in Perth?
Four places in Perth and Fremantle have free general admission, according to their official website.
| Place | Admission and hours | Source, 5 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Art Gallery of WA | Free, with a voluntary donation. Daily 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Official website |
| PICA | Exhibitions always free. Tuesday to Sunday, 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Official website |
| WA Shipwrecks Museum | Free, with a suggested donation of A$5. Daily 9:30 am to 5:00 pm | Official website |
| Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre | Free. Galleries daily 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Official website |
Which museums are free in Adelaide?
Three places in Adelaide have free admission, two according to their official website.
| Place | Admission and hours | Source, 5 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Art Gallery of South Australia | Free, except some exhibitions. Daily 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Official website |
| MOD. | Free. Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Official website |
| South Australian Museum | Free. Daily 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | South Australia, tourism; its website does not give the price |
Which museums are free in Cairns and Darwin?
Three places have free admission in these two cities, according to their official website.
| Place | Admission and hours | Source, 5 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Cairns Art Gallery, Cairns | Free, with donations. Public Curators Building: Monday to Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; Sunday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | Official website |
| Fannie Bay Gaol, Darwin | Free. Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | Official website |
| MAGNT, Darwin | Free, except touring exhibitions and ticketed events. Daily 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | Official website |
Which museums are free in Hobart?
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is free according to Discover Tasmania, the official tourism body, because we could not check its website. It is open daily from January to March, and Tuesday to Sunday from April to December, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. More places are on the Hobart page.
Which museums are free in Canberra?
Five places in Canberra have free admission, two according to their official website and three according to VisitCanberra.
| Place | Admission and hours | Source, 5 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Australian War Memorial | Free and no ticket. Daily 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Official website |
| Museum of Australian Democracy | Free. Daily 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Some rooms closed for works | Official website |
| National Gallery of Australia | Free | VisitCanberra; we could not check its website |
| National Museum of Australia | Free | VisitCanberra; we could not check its website |
| National Portrait Gallery | Free | VisitCanberra; its home page does not give the price |
Which museums are free in Byron Bay and the Sunshine Coast?
There is one confirmed place in each area, according to their official website.
| Place | Admission and hours | Source, 5 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Landsborough Museum, Sunshine Coast | Free. Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm | Official website |
| Tweed Regional Gallery, Murwillumbah, near Byron Bay | Free. Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | Official website |
What we could not confirm
These places do not say on the page we opened whether general admission is free, or we could not check their website:
- Sydney: Justice and Police Museum, because we could not check Museums of History NSW.
- Melbourne: State Library Victoria, which does not make clear whether it is free, and Koorie Heritage Trust, which we could not check.
- Adelaide: Australian Space Discovery Centre, whose website did not respond.
- Canberra: National Film and Sound Archive and National Library of Australia.
- Byron Bay: Lone Goat Gallery.
- Sunshine Coast: Caloundra Regional Gallery and Noosa Regional Gallery.
Looking for outdoor activities? They are in free things to do by city.
Sources
All opened on 5 November 2026. Unless stated otherwise, they are each museum's official websites.
- Art Gallery of NSW, Maritime Museum, Chau Chak Wing, White Rabbit
- Destination NSW (official, tourism): free things to do, 12 free things to do and Chau Chak Wing
- ACCA, ACMI, NGV, Shrine, State Library Victoria
- IMA, Museum of Brisbane, Queensland Museum, Visit Brisbane (official, tourism)
- HOTA Gallery
- Art Gallery of WA, PICA, WA Shipwrecks, Walyalup
- AGSA, MOD., South Australian Museum and its tourism listing (official, tourism)
- Cairns Art Gallery, Fannie Bay Gaol, MAGNT
- Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Discover Tasmania (official, tourism)
- Australian War Memorial, Museum of Australian Democracy, National Library
- VisitCanberra (official, tourism): National Gallery, National Museum and National Portrait Gallery
- Tweed Regional Gallery, Lone Goat Gallery
- Landsborough Museum, Caloundra Regional Gallery, Noosa Regional Gallery