The single most extraordinary thing in Tasmania, and one of the most important private art museums in the world. MONA's collection spans ancient Egyptian sarcophagi, mummies, and Greek coins through to confrontational contemporary installations — Wim Delvoye's faecal-producing machine Cloaca Professional, Anselm Kiefer's lead-and-ash wall-sized canvases, a real preserved tiger shark by Sidney Nolan. The architecture by Nonda Katsalidis is as much the attraction as the work: three subterranean storeys carved into the cliff, reached by a tight spiral staircase, with daylight kept almost entirely out.
Plan for at least half a day. The ferry from Brooke Street Pier is part of the experience — bring sunglasses, sit on the top deck, and let Hobart drift away as you approach the strange angular building rising from the water. The on-site Source Restaurant and the Moorilla winery are both excellent. In June, MONA hosts Dark Mofo; in January, MONA FOMA — both festivals are run by the museum and are unlike any other cultural event in Australia.