Become a tourist in your own town and explore Rockhampton’s Riverside Precinct, the cultural heart of our city.
Sitting beside the historic architectural beauty of Customs House is the modern and majestic contrast of Rockhampton Museum of Art (RMOA), the largest regional gallery in Queensland.
RMOA is home to one of the most nationally significant collection of works including artworks by Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd, Charles Blackman, Judy Cassab, Kenneth Macqueen, Lloyd Rees, Russell Drysdale and John Coburn as well as local artists Easton Dunne and Veronika Zeil.
Welcoming more than 125,712 visitors since opening in February last year, RMOA has proven to be a sought-after experience for locals and visitors and continues to be an iconic cultural attraction for our region.
According to Tourism Research Australia, art and cultural experiences account for more than 15.8 million trips in Australia per year, so we are proud to have this amazing attraction on our doorstep and welcome visitors to explore world-class exhibitions in our region.
RMOA is not just an art gallery, it is a modern institution and full cultural experience in one of the newest and advanced buildings in Rockhampton and features exhibitions for all different ages.
RMOA Director, Jonathan McBurnie has done a fantastic job in attracting diverse exhibitions to attract all ages and personalities to the museum, for example the ‘Wrestlemania’ exhibition, one of the 2022 highlights at RMOA proved a popular choice, even among those that may not call themselves ‘art enthusiasts.’
Current exhibitions include ‘Piinpi: Contemporary Indigenous Fashion,’ which features the work of First Nations artists and designers from the inner city to remote desert art centres, and has toured iconic destinations including Paris, France.
‘Piinpi’ highlights the strength and diversity of the rapidly expanding Indigenous fashion and textile industry.
‘Red Rag Press: Women’s Work’ utilises North Queensland’s decommissioned letterpress printing equipment and showcases the press’s finest editions from over two decades, many now found in major institutions in Australia and the world.
Upstairs you will also find ‘Collection Focus: Paper Planes’ brings together a selection of works on paper from the Rockhampton Museum of Art Collection to explore several different but related themes.
Along with a constant line-up of world-class exhibitions, RMOA also regularly host a series of workshops, events and children’s activities which you can book via their website.
You can also explore public art installations along the riverside as well as the East Street link behind RMOA including murals by local artists Masher Designs, Niloufar Lovegrove, Brandon Butler (Gaba Art) and members of Capricornia Potters.
Entry to RMOA is free and they are open seven days from 9am to 4pm.
Following your visit, grab a tea or coffee or some lunch from the Hummingbird Café, located within the museum.
Visit rmoa.com.au or follow facebook.com/RockhamptonMuseumOfArt or instagram.com/rockhamptonmuseumofart on Instagram for more information.
To find more art and cultural experiences in our region, visit explorerockhampton.com.au/Explore/Arts-and-Culture
