National Gallery of Victoria

Developed in 1861 as a place where the public can enjoy and marvel at different masterpieces and magnificent artworks, the National Gallery of Victoria is currently a top tourist destination in Australia. To accommodate the increasing number of visitors and the growing collection of wonderful artworks from both the local and international community, the State Government of Victoria decided during the 90's to re-construct a second building and renovate the original gallery. As a result, the National Gallery of Victoria, commonly known as NGV, has now two major sites: the Ian Potter Center located at Federation Square and the NGV International which is located at St.Kilda Road. Each building is just a walking distance from each other, making the two NGV sites a popular tourist area among locals and foreign visitors.

The Ian Potter Center is the home of many local artworks with its collection ranging from colorful and vibrant indigenous artworks to contemporary masterpieces from talented Australian artists such as Joseph Brown and Thomas Harrison Milliner. To further enhance the exciting experience of the visitors, the NGV has created special programs, fascinating tours, inspiring talks and informative workshops that can be customized to suit the individual needs of the community. Fun and exciting activities made especially for kids include "curious quizzical activities", "Your mission is manga" which introduces kids to the fascinating world of Japanese Anime and "First Impressions" which is a program that focuses on the artworks greatly influenced by the concept of Australian Impressionism.

The second NGV building which is the NGV International located at St.Kilda Road houses many wonderful artworks from around the world. Just a few minutes away from the Ian Potter Center, the vast collection of NGV International includes artworks from Bollywood-inspired collections of India, masterpieces from China and other Asian countries, Japanese cartoons, amazing masterpieces from the world-renowned Guggenheim collection and contemporary artworks from artists Lucio Fontana and John Nixon whose creations seem to converse with one another, promoting the idea of a painting that becomes a part of a real space and not just an impressionist version of things. Activities, programs, tours, performances and film viewing sessions are also available so that travelers can make the most of their visits.

The NGV International and the Ian Potter Center are open everyday except Tuesdays, Christmas day and Good Friday. The galleries are open from 10am to 5pm except on Anzac Day (April 25) in which the galleries are open from 1pm to 5pm. The National Gallery of Victoria also allows sketching and note-taking under certain conditions. Animals are not allowed inside except for guide dogs for the blind.

Travelers going to the land down under should definitely not miss a tour at the National Gallery of Victoria as this experience not only exposes the visitor to many fascinating masterpieces, but it also helps preserve and promote the amazing artworks that have become part of the rich Australian history and culture for many generations to come.