Sydney’s most dramatic exhibition space has been transformed into something completely unexpected. Beneath the Art Gallery of NSW, the Nelson Packer Tank is now an immersive, free underground art park — and it’s open to everyone.
Created by acclaimed artist Mike Hewson, this large-scale social sculpture blurs the line between artwork, public space and playground. The result is an anarchic, generous and surprisingly welcoming environment where visitors are encouraged to meet, play, linger, make and explore.
Art as a Place to Be
Hewson is known for award-winning public projects that double as places to gather, and this latest work is no exception. The Tank has been reimagined as a hybrid park, playground, construction site and commons, built from thousands of salvaged materials in the artist’s Sydney workshop.
Inside, you’ll find monkey bars and swings, a water zone, working barbecues, and even a sauna and steam room — all integrated into a sculptural environment that challenges traditional ideas of what an art gallery can be.
Bring food, bring friends, or just wander through and see what’s happening. Participation is not just encouraged — it’s the point.
A Radical Rethink of the Art Museum
This free exhibition is more than a playful installation. It’s an experiment in participation, reuse and regeneration, and a provocation about how cultural institutions can be more open, social and genuinely welcoming.
Visitors of all ages are invited to dwell rather than drift, to engage rather than observe, and to experience art as something lived-in rather than looked at from a distance.
Visitor Information
Exhibition: Underground Art Park by Mike Hewson
Location: Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Road, Sydney
Dates: Saturday 4 October 2025 – Sunday 23 August 2026
Opening Hours:
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Mon, Tue & Thu–Sun: 10am – 5pm
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Wed: 10am – 10pm
Entry: Free
Bookings: Ticket booking recommended
If you think you’ve seen everything the Art Gallery of NSW has to offer — think again. This is art you can move through, linger in, and make your own.
