Have you ever walked past the Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA) in Perth and wondered what’s inside? Why don’t you take your little aspiring artists and excite them with the colourful, artistic art world?
AGWA is the public state art gallery part of the Perth Cultural Centre in Perth. It is small compared to others but still holds two floors of special exhibitions and even a rooftop gallery with a bar that promises a good view of the CBD!
Entrance to AGWA is free, so it is pocket-friendly to bring the whole family along, especially if you are stuck on ideas for rainy/ hot weather day activities.
Stepping inside, the quiet ambience filled the modern interior space. The stunning staircase provided a nice backdrop for a photo-worthy shot!
The gallery hosts exhibitions led by international, Australian, and First Nation artists, which change periodically, so there is always something new to see at AGWA.
Kids can take a seat and enjoy the artwork from a distance. Staff stationed around exhibitions will remind the kids if they get too close to the artwork.
The kids get to explore all the different mediums of artwork.
Gallery 09, in particular, hosts an artist-led participatory exhibition which welcomes families to interact with their interactive exhibitions.
It is also the kids’ favourite gallery as they get to play around and create their own artistic pieces.
The rooftop features a sculpture walk with different sculptures to see.
The kids enjoyed the spacious view and plenty of space to run about. They even spotted a helicopter landing in the nearby building.
The rooftop bar is currently closed for the season but will reopen for the summer months.
Guided tours are available, too, if you need one. In total, we spent more than an hour exploring all the galleries.
On our way out, we visited the Gallery Design Store on the ground floor, which sells innovative design pieces by local and international artists.
There is a café just beside the store with indoor and outdoor seating.
The gallery is pram-friendly with toilets and a parents’ room. Food and drinks are not allowed in the gallery and any big items will be ask to be stored in their cloakroom. Parking are available at the Perth Cultural Centre Carparks and it is also quite accessible with public transport.
Here are some of the questions to ask the kids when viewing the artwork:
-What do you notice about this artwork?
-What do you think the artist is trying to say?
-Do you like the colours?
-What would you have done differently?
Don’t try to correct them, as there are no right or wrong answers. You will be surprised by what their little creative minds can come up with!
Art Gallery of Western Australia
Perth Cultural Centre, Perth, WA 6000
Monday 10am – 5pm
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday 10am – 5pm
Thursday 10am – 5pm
Friday 10am – 5pm
Saturday 10am – 5pm
Sunday 10am – 5pm
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Mum of two girls and working as a registered nurse. Originally from Singapore, I have spent the last 17 years in Perth where I raised my beautiful girls. After being a mum, I find passion in exploring new places and doing new activities with my kids. Besides mummy duties, I find joy in pretty dresses and books.
