Artspace is spacey: its eternal quest is to fill the void with vigorous, engaging Australian and international contemporary art. Things here are decidedly avant-garde – expect lots of conceptual art, audio-visual installations and new-media pieces. It’s an admirable attempt to liven things up in Sydney’s art scene, experimenting with sometimes disturbing concepts. Disabled access is excellent.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Woolloomooloo Wharf

0.1 MILES

A former wool and cargo dock, this beautiful Edwardian wharf faced oblivion for decades before a 2½-year demolition-workers’ green ban on the site in the…

2. McElhone Stairs

0.14 MILES

These stone stairs were built in 1870 to connect spiffy Potts Point with the Woolloomooloo slums below. The steep steps run past an apartment block:…

3. Embarkation Park

0.17 MILES

The top deck of a multistorey navy carpark doesn't sound like a great place to hang out, but this beautiful park is a hidden gem, offering a secluded…

4. Art Gallery of NSW

0.2 MILES

With its neoclassical Greek frontage and modern rear, this much-loved institution plays a prominent and gregarious role in Sydney society. Blockbuster…

5. Speakers’ Corner

0.24 MILES

Recline on a patch of lawn in front of the Art Gallery of NSW and listen to religious zealots, oddballs, political extremists, homophobes, hippies and…

6. The Cross Arts Projects

0.29 MILES

This little commercial gallery stages interesting curated shows, including lots of Aboriginal art.

7. The Domain

0.31 MILES

Administered by the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Domain is a large grassy tract east of Macquarie St, set aside by Governor Phillip in 1788 for public…

8. Elizabeth Bay House

0.33 MILES

Now dwarfed by 20th-century apartments, Colonial Secretary Alexander Macleay's elegant Greek Revival mansion was one of the finest houses in the colony…