When visiting Hobart, the very best thing you could do is a have a day out at MONA www.mona.net.au, aka the Museum of Old and New Art. Sadly my mobile and my netbook colluded in losing the majority of my photos but I’ll do my best to describe why I liked it so much with the few I have. It involves buying a few different tickets, which you’ll have to time carefully, but it’s completely worth the effort.
The first thing you need to buy is a ticket for one of the high-speed catamran ferries that leave Hobart Harbour.
You’ll find the pier on my Google map.
After the twenty-minute journey down the River Derwent, you arrive at their location in Berriedale which has fantastic views of the coast.
The first thing to appreciate are the big outdoor pieces of art, such as this lattice cast-iron truck with a cement mixer as its load. 
And this larger than life sculpture of a bee.
Walking around to the back of the musuem you come to the sound stage which has live music daily, giving this part of the site a festival feel. Click on the video.
My next stop (requiring another ticket) was a wine-tasting experience at Morilla, MONA’s winery, which was original inhabitant of the site, predating the museum.
To be honest this was the weakest part of the experience as the wines weren’t that exciting, but I did learn a lot from the somellier leading the tasting (eg which wineries to visit in the Yarra Valley near Melbourne).
Next I went to The Source, one of two restaurants in the museum. I didn’t have a reservation but they kindly squeezed me in for some snacks as it was early. The Bruny Island oysters I had were excellent…
… as was the Truffle Cheese Toastie with brioche, Comte cheese and Tasmanian summer truffles, which I must try to recreate one day.
After this I went to Faro, the museum’s second restaurant, which was one of the wildest restaurant experiences I’ve ever had, beginning with the entrance hallway which was liking being in the movie Tron. I lost my video but it will make a nice surprise if you do go.
I also lost my snaps of the set menu dishes I had, which were all beautifully crafted and presented. However I do have video of the in-house avant garde quartet who played live just opposite my table. Please click on it to hear a snippet of their performance which got quite wild at times!
After this I went to see the actual art collections. Again you’re supposed to book an entry time with your ticket, but I’m told that the staff are quite flexible if you finish other things earlier and want to enter at a different time. You’ll also need to download ‘The O’ app mona.net.au/museum/the-o which allows you to get more info on exhibits when you stand next to them, and to join virtual queues for visual installations. Much of the modern art is very radical.
Click on the vids.
There’s even an adults only section which is ptetty hardcore (not added here)!
By contrast, the old art section is a collection of early Christian art called ‘Heavenly Beings’ mona.net.au/museum/exhibitions/heavenly-beings which might not be to everyones taste.
I found it interesting that David Walsh, MONA’s creator and art collector is an atheist, as am I, but it seems we can both appreciate beautiful religious art.
Walsh is an interesting character because he is also a professional gambler who has worked out a system for successfully betting on horse racing and other sports, and he has completely bankrolled MONA from his winnings. I read an article from 2014 where he stated that the museum only takes $4 million a year, but it costs him $10 million to run! So a very altruistic benefactor indeed, athough he says it’s down to guilt for having so much money!
A superb museum, the best I’ve ever been to, so I urge everyone to go.
A bit of Hobart architecture next!