The Art Gallery of New South Wales occupies a neoclassical building at the edge of The Domain, overlooking the harbour. Its collection spans Australian and international art from the colonial period to the present, and it holds one of the world's most significant collections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art — a dimension of Australian culture that most visitors know little about before they arrive. The gallery receives over two million visitors a year and admission to the permanent collection is free.
The main building opened in 1885 and has been extended several times. A major new wing — the Sydney Modern Project — opened in 2022, connected to the original building by an underground walkway and adding significant new gallery space for contemporary and First Nations art. The rooftop of the new wing offers views across the harbour and is worth going up to regardless of what's on the walls. Free guided tours run daily.