Access programs

A group of visitors on a guided tour in an art gallery

Participants in a MOVE Gesture program with artist Sue Jo Wright (left) and Angie Goto (pictured beside Sue Jo on the right)

A ‘Welcome’ sign hanging on a door, while two people embrace in the softly blurred background

International Day of People with Disability workshop

Children playing with bowls filled with objects made of different materials.

Tactile and sensory tours and workshop

A group of people sitting with a sculptural installation mounted on a wall

Culture Dose Art for Wellbeing

Elderly individuals painting together at a table with food, art supplies and flowers

Creative Ageing workshop

Art and Dementia workshop

Audio-description program

Access workshop led by artist Cobie Ann Moore

Access workshop

Access tour of the collection

At the Art Gallery of New South Wales, we want to share our collection, exhibitions and events, and our passion for art.

Entry to the Art Gallery is free, including self-guided visits to our collection displays and most exhibitions. Our access programs are aimed at engaging diverse audiences.

On-demand paid group bookings

On-demand group booking are only available on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays at 11am or 2pm. Three weeks’ notice is required for access bookings.

Booking request

Before submitting your booking request

To help us plan safe and accessible programs for your clients, please ensure your organisation completes its own risk assessment prior to visiting the Art Gallery. When planning your visit, consider appropriate staffing levels and increase supervision where needed – for example, during wet weather, extreme heat, or when participants have higher physical or cognitive support needs.
Booking requests

Please note that submitting this form is a request only. Once we receive your request, our team will review it and contact you to confirm the availability of your preferred date, location and program theme.
Participant-to-staff ratio
Ensure your participant-to-staff ratio appropriately supports the needs of your group. Staffing levels should be determined by your organisation’s risk assessment.
The Art Gallery recommends:
- High to medium support needs: minimum 1 staff member to 4 participants (1:4)
- Low support needs: minimum 1 staff member to 8 participants (1:8)
If your group does not meet these minimum ratios, a service fee of $240 + GST will apply to cover the cost of additional Art Gallery staff required to support your visit.
Review of participant support and mobility needs
Low support needs (Day program)
Participants can independently navigate gallery spaces, use bathrooms and order lunch in the cafe.
Recommended staff ratio: 1 staff member to 8 participants (1:8)
Provisions of visit:
- Contact Art Gallery staff on arrival so we can greet your group at the bus and support entry to the campus.
- Phone 9225 1700 or 9225 1740 on arrival.
Medium support needs
Participants may use walkers (their own) or wheelchairs (available onsite). Lunch may be ordered as a group in the cafe.
Recommended staff ratio: 1 staff member to 4 participants (1:4)
Provisions of visit:
- Entry and exit must be via the access ramp to the Naala Nura (south building).
- Lifts must be used within the Art Gallery campus; escalators should be avoided.
Staffing levels must allow:
- Accompaniment of participants to bathrooms, and
- Ongoing supervision of the remaining group in gallery spaces.
High support needs
Participants require high levels of physical or personal support, including the use of walkers and wheelchairs. Lunch may be ordered as a group in the café.
Recommended staff ratio: 1 staff member to 2 participants (1:2)
Provisions of visit:
- Entry and exit must be via the access ramp to the Naala Nura (south building).
- Lifts must be used within the Art Gallery campus; escalators should be avoided.
Staffing levels must allow:
- Accompaniment of participants to bathrooms, and
- Continuous supervision of the remaining group to ensure participant wellbeing.
Provisions of visit

Access to and from the Naala Nura (South Building) is via the access ramp only. Participants must use lifts within the Art Gallery campus and avoid escalators.
The required participant-to-staff ratios must be maintained at all times, with sufficient staff available to escort participants to bathrooms while ensuring ongoing supervision of the remaining group in gallery spaces.
Risk assessment
The Art Gallery of New South Wales is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all visitors. To support this, we follow the requirements of the OHS Act and Regulation, which ask all community organisations to consider potential risks and put measures in place to keep everyone safe.
For groups visiting from aged‑care services, disability organisations, and community support programs, risk management ensures your organisation has made informed decisions to ensure the wellbeing of clients, support workers, staff and volunteers during the visit.
To assist community support coordinators in preparing their own risk assessments, the Art Gallery of New South Wales has prepared venue and safety information documents for school excursions to the Art Gallery and the exhibition Mike Hewson: The Key’s Under the Mat, which answer all questions required by the Department of Education and Training.
For more information read our Physical access and facilities page.

Programs on demand

Auslan-interpreters

Groups of visitors who are deaf who book at least three weeks in advance can be provided with Auslan interpreters free of charge.
Tactile and sensory tours

In Touch at the Gallery is our free program offering guided sensory tours for people who are blind or with low vision if booked at least three weeks in advance.
Take a journey through art and discover the stories and ideas surrounding unique objects. Experience the tactile qualities of bronze and marble, led by an experienced guide.
Selected sculptures in our collection are available to be explored through touch in our tour titled The human body in 19th- and 20th-century sculpture. There is also a sensory trolley of tactile materials and props, which is used to support audio-descriptions of other artworks, and tours can incorporate an art-making workshop.
Available for groups or individuals.
Audio-described tours

Audio-described tours of the permanent galleries and three weeks in advance.
Intellectual disability

Groups of visitors with intellectual disabilities are encouraged to contact the Art Gallery to discuss their needs. Tailored guided tours of the permanent displays are available free if booked at least three weeks in advance.
Dementia

A structured program is available for people living with dementia and their carers.
The Art and Dementia program provides opportunities for meaningful and interactive engagement with artworks from the Art Gallery’s collection. It offers intellectual stimulation and encourages self-expression with an opportunity for participants to articulate their opinions about what they experience and to connect with their carers and new people. A creative ageing program, it also promotes lifelong learning and aims to reduce the stigma around dementia.
The program is available free for groups on any Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays at 11am or 2pm. Three weeks’ notice is required in advance.
We are also able to undertake a limited number of outreach visits to eligible community organisations who cannot access the Art Gallery, with tailored presentations exploring selected artworks.
Find out more about our Art and Dementia program
Creative Ageing

The Art Gallery and our collection provide stimulating and inspiring experiences for seniors, including people with limited mobility and not‑for‑profit organisations that support people with disabilities.
Free, tailored guided tours of the permanent galleries are available for groups and encourage discussion, reflection, and connection through art. Tours must be booked at least three weeks in advance.
A limited number of Creative Ageing outreach visits are also available for eligible community organisations unable to visit the Art Gallery. These sessions feature tailored presentations exploring selected artworks, supporting engagement and lifelong learning in community settings.
Culture Dose Art for Wellbeing

Culture Dose Art for Wellbeing is a free art experience with wellbeing as its primary focus, offering participants dedicated time to engage deeply with artworks collections and respond creatively.
Each two‑hour session explores a shared theme through three artworks from the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Participants spend approximately 40 minutes viewing and discussing the artworks in a small group setting, followed by a facilitated art‑making activity for the remainder of the session.
Engagement with the arts can help people connect to their feelings, thoughts and imagination. It can promote empathy and help us to show compassion to others and ourselves. It can build self-confidence and resilience, as well as foster social connections and improve mental health and wellbeing. 
The program is available free for groups on any Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays at 11am or 2pm. Three weeks’ notice is required in advance.
Culture Dose has been informed through collaboration with the Black Dog Institute.
Starting with Art

Starting with Art is an inclusive and interactive creative program that connects primary and secondary students with disability or access requirements with art through the Art Gallery’s collections and exhibitions.