Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)

The Museum of Contemporary Art is located on the Sydney Harbour foreshore at West Circular Quay.

It is Australia's only museum dedicated to exhibiting, interpreting and collecting contemporary art from across Australia and around the world.

With a continually changing program of exhibitions there's always something new, exciting and inspiring to see at the MCA .

The Museum of Contemporary Art was officially opened in 1991, primarily to display the bequest of Australian expatriate John Power (1881-1943) who left his personal fortune to the University of Sydney.

The traditional owners of the land on which the MCA building is situated are the Eora people of the Gadigal band. This site also marks the landing place of the First Fleet in Port Jackson in 1788.

The Building

In the 1930s the commissariat stores and taxation building were demolished to make way for a new Maritime Services Board (MSB) building (the previous MSB offices were displaced by the Cahill Express Way and Circular Quay railway development).

Government architect W.H. Withers began work on the building plans in 1939. Work resumed in 1944 under government architect W D H Baxter after a postponement of four years from 1940 due to Australias involvement in World War II.

Builders were appointed in 1946 but difficulties in securing labour and material due to post war shortages delayed construction. The foundation stone was laid in 1949 and in 1952 the MSB building opened.

With the relocation of the MSB to larger premises in 1989 the building was gifted by the NSW State Government to the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Funded by the University of Sydney and the Power Bequest, restoration and refurbishment of the building commenced in 1990 under the direction of Andrew Anderson of Peddle Thorpe/John Holland Interiors and in November 1991 the Museum of Contemporary Art officially opened.

Guided Tours

Free guided tours of exhibitions are conducted daily by MCA Volunteer Guides.

Weekdays:

Weekends:

Access:

Street level access is located at 140 George Street, The Rocks. Visitors with restricted mobility can enjoy all public areas of the Museum, including galleries and function areas.

Accessible Parking:

Parking is available on George Street outside the Museum for vehicles approved to use designated public parking spaces.

Wheelchairs:

Can be borrowed at no charge from the Information and Cloaking desk situated in the Level 1 Circular Quay foyer.

Nestled between Sydneys busy Circular Quay ferry terminal and the historic Rocks precinct it is close to all forms of public transport: bus, train and ferry.