There are a lot of treasures to be found in Canberra galleries. Use our guide to create an itinerary that loops in everything from major institutions to intimate galleries.

Canberra galleries contain a lot of treasures. I know this because I’ve spent years ducking into artist-run spaces, studios and landmark institutions in the nation’s capital to better inform this guide to the best galleries.

From major galleries housing collections of national significance to smaller Canberra galleries locals recommend should be on my radar, this guide brings together the best Canberra galleries, with insider tips on how to experience them.

1. National Gallery of Australia

If you only had 72 hours in Canberra, the National Gallery of Australia is where you’d start. Opened on 12 October 1982, the gallery brings together Australian, Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander, American, European, Asian and Pacific art into one incredible collection. All up, there are about 166,000 works that make up the permanent collection. The gallery was established in 1967 by the Australian Government as a national public art museum.  Don’t miss the outdoor Sculpture Garden which showcases works by international and Australian artists.

Address: Parkes Pl E, Parkes, ACT

2. Canberra City Art Trail

The Canberra City Art Trail celebrates the artists who embrace brick walls as their medium. All up, there are about 350 murals painted around Canberra. Favourite places include Tocumwal Lane, a tourist attraction for its stylised Superhero-themed artworks by local artists such as Sprinkles, Josh Roy Barlow, George Rose and Anna Keightley. You will also see some of Canberra’s best street art along the Condamine Street Art Turner Trail that loops in works by local artists Happy Decay and Byrd. The entire PCYC building is considered a living canvas. Use Street Art Cities as a guide to map out your walking tour; it’s one of the best things to do in Canberra.

Address: See visitcanberra.com.au

3. The Gallery of Small Things

The art on show in Anne Masters’ backyard studio is wide-ranging. Masters runs Canberra’s tiniest walk-in gallery and showcases everyone from up-and-coming designers to established artists. The Gallery of Small Things is a great snapshot of Canberra’s creative talent, while also offering a platform for local artists. Anne transformed her 1960s laundry into a tiny gallery so she could realise her dream of starting up workshops to assist artists with business basics. Masters’ big idea, to celebrate all things small, continues to grow. Visit the Watson Gallery to find a carefully curated exhibition of works in textiles, jewellery, photography, paintings and print media.

Address: 27 Wade Street

4. Canberra Glassworks

Canberra Glassworks is both a glass studio and gallery where you can observe the art of glassmaking and purchase bespoke pieces. It is the largest professional facility dedicated to studio glass in Australia. Visit Canberra Glassworks – housed in the heritage-listed Kingston Powerhouse – to gain insights into the practices of artists working in contemporary glass art, craft and design. Peer into the Engine Room to see the artists in residence developing glass art that ranges from pendant lighting and wine decanters to experimental installations. The gallery also offers courses and workshops to members of the public.

Address: 11 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston

5. National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery houses a collection of significant portraits of famous and infamous Aussies from across the ages. Those featured are considered important in their field of endeavour or are people whose lives set them apart as individuals of long-term public interest. The NPG’s soaring structure opened in 1968. But it continues to move with the times, with everything from exhibitions to events, live-streaming activations and apps. Expect portraits of singer Nick Cave, surfer Mick Fanning and Truganini, one of the most well-known names in Indigenous history amid the 1400 portraits on display.

Address: King Edward Terrace, Parkes, ACT

6. Craft + Design Canberra

Develop your sense of wonder with a visit to this not-for-profit organisation that presents a significant snapshot of Canberra’s creatives. A stroll around Craft + Design Canberra offers visitors the chance to connect with emerging and up-and-coming artists at every stage of their careers. Browse the gift shop to buy unique contemporary art and crafts such as bespoke bowls by Caslake and Pedler, stoneware vases from Lea Durie and Votive Vessels by Fran Romano. Time your visit to coincide with the annual Craft + Design Canberra Festival, one of the best things to see and do in Canberra.

Address: Level 1, North Building, 180 London Circuit

7. Canberra Museum and Gallery

There’s a bit of crossover between what constitutes a museum and a gallery in Canberra. I’m drawn to Canberra Museum + Gallery because it ticks both boxes as places that document the country’s social history and celebrate its collection of art.  From stories honouring our First Nations people, to moving images and narratives around identity and belonging, it tells the story of the place chosen to be Australia’s national capital in 1909. CMAG is home to the Foundation Collection of Sir Sidney Nolan’s paintings, donated by the artist in 1974.

Address: Cnr London Circuit and Civic Square

8. Aboriginal Dreamings Gallery

Aboriginal Dreamings Gallery is a private, commercial gallery that has a collection of ethically sourced art that dates back from the 1970s to the present day. The ethically sourced Indigenous art has been selected from Indigenous communities and art centres from around the country. The exhibitions change every four to six weeks and there is a gift shop onsite. The gallery has an offshoot at Artworld ADG – Canberra City London Circuit, corner of Gordon Street

Address: 19 O’Hanlon Place, Gold Creek Village, Nicholls; Artworld ADG – Canberra City London Circuit, corner of Gordon Street

9. Grainger Gallery

Grainger Gallery is where I go to see works by emerging artists in Canberra. The space set up by Canberra artist Kacy Grainger features everything from pencil drawings to landscapes and photographs that look almost like abstract art. Grainger Gallery serves to establish a place for local artists to show their works. And walking around the Fyshwick gallery is akin to a master class in a new way of seeing. The collections on show here move through different moods in celebration of art and nature, and all that is changing and ephemeral.

Address: Building 3.3, 1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick

10. M16 Artspace

M16 Artspaceoperates on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people and is an inclusive gallery that supports Canberra’s arts community. The gallery has developed a program of classes and workshops that appeal to everyone from the complete novice through to those with experience who want to develop their creativity. M16 runs three gallery spaces, manages some 30 artist studios and houses various arts organisations that offer a diverse array of art classes. The gallery, established in 1985, also runs residency programs.

Address: 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith

11. Canberra School of Art & Design Gallery

My husband and I are drawn to the ANU School of Art & Design Gallery as a way to tap into the energy of the art school. The cutting-edge gallery presents exhibitions by students, graduates and visiting artists that have been curated by world-leading creatives. The gallery presents an ever-changing roster of exhibitions, public programs, performances and publications. It also presents the works of graduates and post-graduates in situ, which reflects the standing of the school on the international stage.

Address: The Australian National University, Canberra

12. Drill Hall Gallery

The Drill Hall Gallery is housed in an historic drill hall that was established in the 1940s as a place for soldiers in Canberra to train for the Second World War. Located on the campus of the Australian National University, it’s considered one of the best Canberra galleries for its works by some of Australia’s leading contemporary artists, collectors and curators. The scale of the space allows works to breathe and I often find myself spending longer here than I’d planned. Check the website for highlights of the current collections.

Address: Kingsley Street, Acton

13. Civic Art Bureau

A former Australian National University student has founded a gallery in Canberra’s city centre. Civic Art Bureau is an amalgam of all former art history and curatorship students, and practising artist, Adam Bell, who learned at ANU. Established as a gallery to provide opportunities for both artists and curators, Civic Arts Bureauwill feature a program of innovative presentations that reflect Bell’s experience curating music and sound art at Unsound festival.

Address: Upstairs in the Melbourne Building, 76 Alinga St

14. Belconnen Arts Centre

Galleries such as Belconnen Arts Centre rival some of the best in the country. This popular Canberra gallery honours mediums as diverse as dance, music, visual arts, theatre and more. The exhibitions at Belco Arts Centre are carefully curated to celebrate everything from the contribution of the Australian migrant population to nights of monthly live music. It’s one of the strongest suburban arts centres in the city, generous in scope and inclusive in tone. Fuel up while you’re in Belco, which has some of the best cafes in Canberra.

Address: 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen

15. Ainslie+Gorman

Ainslie+Gorman are twin centres located just 400 metres away in buzzy Braddon. While the Ainslie Arts Centre is the city’s new dedicated music hub, the focus at Gorman Arts Centre is more multi-disciplinary. Together, the two centres form one of Canberra’s most vibrant precincts. Ainslie Arts Centre is anchored by a restored concert hall hosting lunchtime concerts, while Gorman broadens the mix with poetry slams, experimental sounds, film and visual art. With dozens of resident artists and events running weekly, this is where to go to feel the city’s creative pulse.

Address: Ainslie Arts Centre, 30 Elouera Street; Gorman Arts Centre, 55 Ainslie Avenue