MAGNT Darwin
Set in a scenic location overlooking Fannie Bay, MAGNT Darwin on Larrakia Country is home to internationally renowned artistic, cultural and scientific collections and research programs.
Each year MAGNT presents a dynamic program of internally-developed exhibitions, carefully curated from the collection, and the best travelling exhibitions from around Australia.
MAGNT Darwin is also home to the annual Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA) —the most significant celebration of its kind in Australia.
Image: Colin Jack-Hinton Maritime Gallery. Photo: Shaana McNaught
MAGNT Darwin
19 Conacher Street
The Gardens, Darwin
Open daily: 10am – 4pm
FREE ENTRY*
P +61 8 8999 8264
E info@magnt.net.au
Closed New Year's Day, Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day
* excludes touring exhibitions
Please sign in on your Territory Check-In App upon arrival. Physical distancing and hygiene measures are in place to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
Please refer to the Northern Territory Government COVID-19 website for the latest COVID-19 advice.
Welcome to MAGNT Darwin
Getting Here
By public transport
Public buses in Darwin cost $3 for 3 hours or $7 for a day trip. Using Google Maps is the simplest way to find the next bus from where you are.
Number 4 Bus
The #4 runs from Darwin Interchange and from Casuarina Interchange.
It will drop you off on Gilruth Ave, a 10 minute walk from the museum.
Number 6 Bus
The #6 bus departs from the city regularly and will take you directly to the MAGNT entrance.
By bicycle or foot
MAGNT is about a four kilometre ride or walk from the Darwin city centre.
It is best to avoid walking during the heat of the day. Ensure you carry water, wear a hat and use sunscreen.
Opens 15 April 2023
Archie 100 : A Century of the Archibald Prize
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Archibald Prize, Archie 100: A Century of the Archibald Prize explores the rich history of Australia’s most prestigious portrait award.
Online
Virtual Gallery | 2022 Telstra NATSIAA
Showcasing the very best contemporary art from around the country, from emerging and established artists.
Ongoing
Cyclone Tracy
Learn about the day that changed the urban landscape and the lives of Darwin’s residents forever.
Opens Sat 28 Jan 2023
Montages: The Full Cut, 1999-2015
Montages: The Full Cut, 1999-2015 presents eight montage films created in collaboration between artist Tracey Moffatt and editor Gary Hillberg.
On now | MAGNT Darwin
Gumurr’manydji Manapanmirr Djäma
A photographic exhibition from the Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation (ALPA) celebrating 50 years of Yolŋu economic independence,
Croc in residence
Sweetheart the crocodile
Visit MAGNT's most famous resident, Sweetheart the saltwater crocodile!
On now
Tiny Territory
Tiny Territory makes large and wondrous the small, colourful and alien-like invertebrates of the Northern Territory.
On now | MAGNT Darwin
Collection Lab
Collection Lab provides an experience of an art storeroom where rarely seen works hang alongside popular favourites.
Ongoing
Colin Jack-Hinton Maritime Gallery
A stunning display of traditional boats and canoes, each imparting a fascinating seafaring story intertwined with human culture from the surrounding seas.
MAGNT History
MAGNT was founded in 1966, with the introduction of a Bill into the Legislative Council of the Northern Territory. Dr Colin Jack-Hinton was appointed the MAGNT's first director, taking up the position in 1970.
It was first housed in the renovated old Town Hall (originally known as the Palmerston Town Hall) in Darwin’s central business district
But on that fateful evening, Christmas Eve 1974, Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin, destroying the old Town Hall and damaging much of the MAGNT collection.
For the next few years both the staff and collection were housed in multiple buildings around Darwin, coming together for lunchtime lectures in the ruins of the Old Town Hall.
After deliberation, approval was finally granted for the construction of a new purpose-built museum and art gallery at Bullocky Point, on the site of the old Vestey's Meatworks. It was opened on the 10 September 1981.
Over the last few decades, MAGNT has grown to include six sites across Darwin and Alice Springs. MAGNT became an independent statutory body on 1 July 2014.