Physical access and facilities

Free off-street parking at the Art Gallery

There are three dedicated accessible parking spaces onsite.

Two of the spaces are at the rear of our South Building. To access these spaces, drive down the service road (signposted ‘Deliveries’) off Art Gallery Road on the south side of the building, to the boom gate.

One of the spaces is in the loading dock in our North Building. To access this space, drive to 4 Lincoln Crescent to the security gate.

At either gate, press the intercom and our security staff will grant access if parking spaces are available.

Please note that availability is very limited. If you have particular needs, these should be discussed with us in advance .

On-street parking

There are three dedicated accessible parking spaces with access from the curb in front of our buildings.

Two of these spaces are at the front of our South Building. One is in front of our North Building and is available during Art Gallery opening hours.

Two more spaces are located next to the Woolloomooloo Gate entrance to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, near the intersection of Art Gallery Road and Mrs Macquaries Road.

General metered and timed parking is available on Art Gallery Road, Mrs Macquaries Road, Hospital Road as well as Lincoln Crescent and nearby streets in Woolloomooloo. Holders of mobility parking permits do not pay for parking and may park for longer periods; more information is available on the NSW Government website.

Car parks

Next to the Art Gallery, the Domain Car Park has accessible lifts and there is a bitumen path from its nearest lift to the rear access entrance of our South Building. The entrance to this car park is on St Marys Road.

The Wharf, Woolloomooloo Car Park in Lincoln Crescent has accessible lift and ramp access. See below for information about access to the Art Gallery from Lincoln Crescent.

Drop-offs

There is a drop-off zone in front of the Art Gallery. Vehicles are required to do a loop along Art Gallery Road and Mrs Macquarie Road to drop off in front of the South Building.

In some cases, drop-offs may also be made to the accessible rear entrance of the South Building. See Entering and leaving the Art Gallery.

There is improved universal access throughout the area around the Art Gallery with more improvements still to come.

The pedestrian crossing on Art Gallery Road in front of our South Building will be upgraded in 2023.

In 2023 there will be two lifts and an accessible pathway between Lincoln Crescent and the area where the Art Gallery’s buildings are located. In the meantime, pedestrian access from Woolloomooloo to Art Gallery Road, near the North Building, is via public stairs next to the Ausgrid substation on Lincoln Crescent, and disabled access is via a lift on Bourke Street to a pedestrian bridge behind the South Building; this includes a steep gradient.

South Building

The main entrance, on Art Gallery Road, can be reached via a set of nine stairs, or via a ramp on the left as you face the building. These doors are open during Art Gallery opening hours. Inside the vestibule, there is a set of two stairs or a ramp.

There is alternative entrance/exit at the rear of the building. This is accessed via the service road (signposted ‘Deliveries’) off Art Gallery Road on the south side of the building. At the boom gate, press the intercom if you are in a car or make your way to the rear door.

North Building

The main entrance, on Art Gallery Road, can be reached from the Welcome Plaza, which has a gentle gradient. There are no stairs. There are two sets of glass doors, with ample space in between them, to help control the environment within the building. These open and close automatically.

All public areas inside both buildings can be accessed by ramps and lifts, as well as stairs and elevators. The Entrance Pavilion in the North Building has a gentle gradient.

Work is underway to provide universal access to the stage in the Domain Theatre in the South Building, which we expect to complete in early 2023.

There are free cloaking facilities on the ground level of the South Building, near the welcome desk, and in the welcome hub between the two buildings, near the entrance to the North Building.

South Building

Wheelchair-accessible toilets are located on lower levels 1, 2 and 3. All-gender toilets are located on lower level 2. There are baby change tables on all these levels as part of the toilet facilities. A parents and carers room is located on lower level 1, near the cafe.

North Building

Wheelchair-accessible toilets and parents and carers rooms are located on lower levels 1, 2 and 4.

Changing Places

Accredited Changing Places facilities are located on lower level 2 of the South Building and lower level 4 of the North Building, for visitors with high support needs and their carers. Please ask any Art Gallery staff member or volunteer for assistance to access these facilities.

Seating is available throughout the Art Gallery. Portable stools can be borrowed without charge for use in the buildings – just ask at the welcome desk on the ground level of the South Building, at the welcome hub near the entrance of the North Building, or one of our friendly uninformed staff.

We have wheelchairs and mobility scooters available for use within the Art Gallery without charge. You’ll be asked for some form of ID.

For wheelchairs or mobility scooters: in the South Building, ask at the welcome desk on the ground level or at the rear entrance; in the North Building, ask at the welcome hub near the entrance.

Mobility scooters can also be booked in advance.
Tel 02 9225 1700
front.of.house@ag.nsw.gov.au

Handheld magnifying lenses are available for use within the Art Gallery without charge from the welcome desk on the ground level of the South Building.

Large-print or accessible labels are available for some exhibitions and displays, online via the exhibition pages on our website or as a printed booklet from the welcome desk on the ground level of the South Building.

In the South Building, an audio-induction loop is available in the Domain Theatre and Centenary Auditorium, and a hearing augmentation system is available in the Members Lounge and children’s art library.

In the North Building, hearing loops are available in Meers Hall, the Learning Studio and Media Lab.

General entry to the Art Gallery is free to all visitors. A carer or person who supports a visitor with disability or frailty is admitted free to paid exhibitions if they present their companion card at the welcome desk at the South Building or the welcome hub near the North Building.

We welcome guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs in the Art Gallery.