Mona, the Museum of Old and New Art, sits on the Derwent River at Berriedale, about half an hour upriver from central Hobart by ferry. It is open Thursday to Monday, 10am to 5pm, a non-Tasmanian adult ticket is $45, and most people are happiest giving it a good half of a day or more. Below you’ll find what it costs, how to get there with or without a car, what to expect inside, and how to fit it into a Hobart itinerary.
TL;DR
- Open Thursday to Monday, 10am to 5pm. Book ahead; Mona recommends it, and some days sell out.
- Adults pay $45 (non-Tasmanian), concessions $39, ages 12 to 17 $21. Under 12s and Tasmanians are free, though Tasmanians still need a ticket.
- Take the ferry from Brooke Street Pier. The catamaran takes around 30 minutes one way and Mona itself calls it the best way to arrive.
- Allow at least three or four hours, but a full day is the better plan once you add lunch, wine and the grounds.
- No car? No problem. A guided option such as our MONA & Hobart City Tour combines the museum with the city.
Table of Contents
- What Mona actually is
- Tickets, opening days and prices
- How to get to Mona from Hobart
- How long to spend at Mona
- What to see and do on site
- Mona with kids
- Accessibility
- Building a day around Mona
- Book Mona and more with Aussie Loop
- When to go
- FAQ
- Sources
What Mona actually is
Mona is a museum, but not the quiet, hushed kind. By its own description it holds old art, new art, a library, wine, beer, restaurants and music, all built into a sandstone cliff above the river. The permanent collection is the private collection of founder David Walsh, who is also the owner. ABC News reported in November 2025 that Walsh is still building, with a new gallery wing and library extension under way.
The idea behind it is a space of wonder and experiment, and the guide you carry is a device called The O, which tells you about each work near you, with no wall labels to read. You wander, you tap, you decide what you think.
That is also why the question “is Mona worth it?” splits people. If you love being told what is important, you may feel adrift. If you like to stumble down a dark staircase into something strange, you will probably be talking about it for weeks. Mona is open about this itself: it can be dark, noisy and sometimes smelly, and it says that is part of the journey.
One piece of recent history is worth knowing, because you may hear about it. In April 2024 a tribunal found that the “Ladies Lounge” exhibit was discriminatory for excluding men, and the museum was required to change its access policy. It is a good example of how Mona sits in the news as much as on the riverbank.
Tickets, opening days and prices
Mona’s published visitor information is the place to confirm anything before you go, because hours and fees do change. As it stands now, the Visit page lists:
| Visitor | Entry |
|---|---|
| Adult (non-Tasmanian) | $45 |
| Concession | $39 |
| Ages 12 to 17 | $21 |
| Ages 0 to 11 | Free |
| Tasmanians | Free, but a ticket is still required |
Opening days are Thursday to Monday, 10am to 5pm. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday, which catches out a surprising number of visitors who have planned a mid-week Hobart stay around it. A $3.50 transaction fee applies to most advance bookings, with some exclusions.
Mona also runs the venue cashless, so bring a card or phone rather than notes.
Book before you travel
Mona recommends booking, and on peak summer weekends and during festival season a walk-up visit can mean waiting or missing your preferred time. If you are planning a Tasmanian summer trip, which runs roughly from December to February, lock in your Mona day early and plan the rest of the trip around it, not the other way round.
How to get to Mona from Hobart
There are three realistic ways. Which you choose depends on whether you want the experience of the journey, the flexibility of your own car, or a day where someone else handles everything.
By ferry from Brooke Street Pier
Mona says the best way to get there is the ferry from Brooke Street Pier. The high-speed catamarans take around 30 minutes one way, and the schedule is published on the Mona website. You glide past the Derwent’s working waterfront, under the Tasman Bridge, and arrive at Mona’s own jetty, from where you climb up to the entrance. It feels like arriving at an island with a secret.
Brooke Street Pier is a short walk from Salamanca and the main waterfront hotels, so if you are staying in the CBD you can walk to your boat. Check the ferry timetable before you set the day, because the last boat back matters if you plan to linger over a long lunch.
By car
Yes, you can drive. Mona says parking is limited, and it also provides on-site accessible parking and a drop-off area. The drive from the city is short, but if you plan to drink at the winery or the bars, the ferry or a guided tour is the more sensible option.
By guided tour, no car needed
If you are travelling without a car, a tour is the simplest way to get there and see more of Hobart on the same day. Our MONA & Hobart City Tour pairs the museum with the city, so you are not working out ferries and walking routes on your own. Check the tour page for what is included, current times and what ticketing covers before you book.
If you would like a city overview without the museum, our Hobart Highlights Day Tour is the better fit, and it works nicely for people who plan to do Mona independently on another day.
How long to spend at Mona
Mona says visitors could speed through in three or four hours, but it recommends making a day of it. We agree, with one nuance: how long you need depends on what you are there for.
- Three to four hours: you want the highlights, you are on a short Hobart stay, or you are visiting with an itinerary tour.
- Five to six hours: you want to take your time in the galleries, have a proper lunch and walk the grounds.
- A full day: you plan to taste wine and beer, catch live music on the lawns and not watch the clock.
Part of the time goes on the building itself. Mona runs over several subterranean floors, there is a lot of walking, and the grounds are hilly, so you cover more distance than you expect. Wear comfortable shoes, and keep your pace unhurried.
What to see and do on site
You do not need a plan, but a few things help you get the best from the day.
- Download The O before you arrive. It gives you the guide and also content warnings about potentially confronting works, which is useful if you are visiting with others who have different tolerances.
- Start at the bottom. The architecture takes you down into the rock, and the sense of descent is part of the effect.
- Break up the art with food. There are restaurants, bars and a winery on site, plus hot chips on the lawns, which is an unfussy and popular choice on a sunny day.
- Spend time outside. Grounds and river views are part of the visit, and on summer days live music adds to the atmosphere.
- Leave room for the unplanned. The best moments at Mona tend to be the ones nobody pointed you toward.
Mona with kids
Families visit Mona regularly, and entry for ages 0 to 11 is free. Mona says some art can be confronting, so it is worth looking at The O’s warnings and deciding as a family which areas to skip. Useful on-site extras include a children’s library, a play area, hot chips on the lawns and a parent and carer room on level B3, all listed on Mona’s visit page.
A practical tip: for younger children, shorten your goals. Choose a couple of galleries, then spend the rest of the time outside. A tired child in a dark gallery is no one’s idea of a good day.
Accessibility
Mona is mostly accessible. According to its accessibility page, it has an accessible entrance via tunnel, lifts and accessible toilets, most of them with change facilities. Supportive time slots with accessibility-trained staff are offered, and assistance and guide dogs are welcome.
Some areas are not accessible with mobility aids: the Pausiris chamber, parts of the Round House and certain artworks, including James Turrell’s Unseen Seen. If any of these matter to you, contact Mona before booking so you can plan around them.
Building a day around Mona
Mona can be a full day on its own, but most visitors to Hobart have a few days and want to see the broader region. These are sensible ways to fit it in.
A relaxed Hobart weekend
Because Mona is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, plan around the Thursday to Monday window.
- Day one: the city, waterfront and Salamanca. Our guide to things to do in Hobart beyond Mona will help you fill out the list.
- Day two: Mona by ferry, with lunch on site.
- Day three: a day trip out of town, such as Bruny Island by cruise or the Port Arthur Historic Site from Hobart.
A short stay or cruise ship day
If you only have a day in Hobart, such as when a cruise ship is in port, choose between Mona and the city rather than trying to do both at a sprint. Mona is best at a slow pace. A guided half-and-half such as the MONA & Hobart City Tour is built for exactly that situation, and it removes the risk of missing the last ferry back to the ship. Check the tour page for timing before you commit, and allow a buffer for boarding.
Across the water
If you want something on the water that is not an art museum, consider a harbour cruise. We list the City Sightseeing Cruise and the Private Twilight Sailing & Dining on Hobart Harbour for evenings, while the Cape Raoul Cruises Day Tour from Hobart heads for the dramatic sea cliffs of the Tasman Peninsula.
Continuing north
If Hobart is the start of a longer Tasmanian trip, a one-way day tour is a neat way to move between cities while seeing the coast. The Hobart to Launceston via Wineglass Bay tour runs south to north, and the Launceston to Hobart via Wineglass Bay One Way Day Tour goes the other way. Both save you a day behind the wheel.
Book Mona and more with Aussie Loop
Every tour on Aussie Loop is handpicked by locals and vetted for safety, value and local ownership, with no paid rankings. If you would rather skip the logistics, browse our Hobart day tours or start with the Hobart city guide, which lays out how the museum, the waterfront and the surrounding day trips fit together. For wider ideas, our Tasmania day tours page covers the rest of the island.
When to go
Mona is open through the year, and the right time depends on what you want from Tasmania.
- Summer (December to February): longer days, outdoor music and the ferry at its most pleasant. This is also the busiest time, so book ahead.
- Autumn: crisp weather, fewer crowds and wine at its best on site.
- Winter: a good season for the museum’s dark, atmospheric spaces, with cold evenings made for a long lunch indoors.
- Spring: variable weather, so pack layers and keep your plans flexible.
Whatever the season, dress for the river, not just the galleries. The ferry deck and the grounds can be breezy, and Hobart weather turns quickly.
FAQ
Can you drive to Mona in Hobart?
Yes. Mona has limited parking, plus on-site accessible parking and a drop-off area. The museum itself says the ferry from Brooke Street Pier is the best way to arrive, and it is the easier choice if you plan to drink.
Is Mona worth visiting?
For most people interested in art, architecture or something genuinely different, yes. It is not a traditional gallery, so expect darkness, confronting works and a lot of walking. If that sounds like a good day out, it is among the most distinctive things to do in Tasmania.
Who owns Mona in Hobart?
Mona was founded by David Walsh, who ABC News describes as its owner. Walsh has also said he wants his wife, Kirsha Kaechele, to continue running the museum in the future.
How much does Mona cost?
Adult tickets for non-Tasmanians are $45, concessions $39 and ages 12 to 17 $21, according to Mona’s visit page. Under 12s and Tasmanians enter free, although a ticket is still needed, and a $3.50 fee applies to most advance bookings.
How long do you need at Mona?
Mona says you could do it in three or four hours, but recommends making a day of it. Plan on at least half a day if you want to eat on site and see the grounds.
Sources
- Visit Mona | Mona
- About | Mona
- Accessibility | Mona
- Mona has lost $408 million since it opened in Tasmania but founder David Walsh doesn’t mind | ABC News
- MONA loses bid to exclude men from its Ladies Lounge | ABC News
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by human for inaccuracies. We recommend verifying important details with official sources or contact us before making any decisions.
