Situated within the Moorilla winery in Tasmania, Australia, MONA stands for the Museum of Old and New Art. Being the country’s biggest privately funded museum, it houses antiquities as well as contemporary and modern art from the collection of David Walsh. Built by Hansen Yuncken, and designed by Melbourne architect Nonda Katsalidis, MONA has three levels.
The museum was officially opened to coincide with the MONA FOMA festival in 2001. The opening ceremony featured performances by The Cruel Sea, Health, Wire, The Scientists of Modern Music and True Live.
The collection here features more than 400 works of David Walsh. MONA’s inaugural exhibition showcased notable works such as Sidney Nolan’s Snake, The Holy Virgin Mary by Chris Ofili, “on the road to heaven the highway to hell” by Stephen Shanabrook, a machine which turns food into excrement, Cloaca Professional by Wim Delvoye and Monanism.
A distinctive element of the museum is the way it captures the personality of its collector. Unlike any ordinary museum, instead of putting labels on the walls, MONA’s visitors get to carry around iPod devices which offer information on each art work by picking up your location.
An unspoilt and charming destination, Tasmania is home to a range of other attractions as well. Travellers can explore its wildlife sanctuaries, experiencing up-close and personal encounters with native Australian animals. Keep an eye out for endemic birds, pademelons, wallabies and wombats, not to mention the popular Tasmanian devil! This destination is also known for having an exceptional range of cultural attractions. Almost one half of this island is protected as reserves and parks. Also be sure to stop by roadside stalls where you can pick up a bottle of bubbly, savour Belgian truffles, buy oysters brought fresh from the sea and taste lush berries too!
Travellers looking for Hobart accommodation can be assured of a pleasurable stay at Somerset on the Pier Hobart which boasts some of the best serviced apartments Hobart has to offer. Occupying an alluring location, it offers a host of modern facilities coupled with excellent service, ideal for both leisure and business travellers visiting the region and looking to truly experience its rich cultural and natural allure.
