Location Map:
Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Road, Sydney NSW 2000
Location: Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Road, Sydney NSW 2000
Dates: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays to Sundays, 10am to 5pm
Wednesdays, 10am to 10pm
Saturday 4 October 2025 to Sunday 23 August 2026
Except Wednesday 24 December 2025,
Thursday 25 December 2025 and
Wednesday 31 December 2025
Cost: Free – Book Tickets
Step into a one-of-a-kind immersive experience and make yourself at home in an underground art park at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
In one of Australia’s most dramatic exhibition spaces, the Nelson Packer Tank has been completely transformed by acclaimed artist Mike Hewson. Known for his bold, boundary-pushing approach to social sculpture, Hewson creates works that blur the lines between art, architecture, and everyday life—inviting people not just to observe, but to actively participate.
For this ambitious project, Hewson has reimagined the Tank as a sprawling, ever-evolving “art park”—a hybrid space that feels part playground, part construction site, part communal gathering place. The result is an anarchic yet welcoming sculptural neighbourhood where visitors are encouraged to meet, linger, explore, create, perform, and play.
Inside this interactive environment, you’ll discover an unexpected mix of features designed for both fun and relaxation. Swing from monkey bars, unwind on swings, or step into a fully functioning sauna and steam room. There’s even a dedicated water zone to cool off, along with working barbecues—so you can bring your own food and enjoy a truly social, outdoor-style experience in an underground setting.
Open to all ages and completely free to enter, the project has been developed in Hewson’s dynamic Sydney workshop and constructed using thousands of salvaged and repurposed materials. This emphasis on reuse and transformation gives the space a raw, tactile energy while highlighting themes of sustainability and regeneration.
More than just an exhibition, this art park is an evolving experiment in participation—a bold rethinking of what a museum can be. It challenges traditional ideas of art as something to be observed from a distance, instead offering a vibrant, inclusive space that invites everyone to engage, interact, and feel at home.
Entry is free—just step in and explore.
