Foundation Hall, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
A grand, light-filled ballroom with soaring ceilings and a terrace overlooking Warrane / Sydney Cove
10am–4pm
About the building
Constructed on a culturally significant site for the Gadigal people, the Foundation Hall is within the heritage building of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA). William Henry Withers designed the building for the Maritime Services Board in 1938. Impacted by wartime labour and materials shortages, it was completed in 1952 by Withers’s successor, WDH Baxter. A fusion of Art Deco and mid-20th-century design, the grand reception hall is where Sydneysiders came to renew their boat licences.
In 1990, the NSW Government gifted the building to the fledgling Museum of Contemporary Art, founded the year before. The building was restored under the direction of Andrew Andersons of Peddle Thorp & Walker, and with the visionary bequest of Australian expatriate artist John Power and additional funding from the University of Sydney. The MCA opened in November 1991, delivering the ‘museum’ aspect of Power’s desire to bring international contemporary art to Australia.
The Foundation Hall has since been sympathetically refurbished using traditional materials, including scagliola stone pillars and terrazzo flooring, which emphasise its mid-century design features. It now serves as a venue for performances, public programs and events, the proceeds of which support the MCA’s artistic and engagement programs.
Talks, tours and more
Built
1952
Architect
William Henry Withers
WDH Baxter
Alterations
Peddle Thorp & Walker, 1990; Anthony Gill Architects, 2024
Find out more about this building here
Foundation Hall, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
Heritage Building Entrance on the Circular Quay side
Entry details
Foundation Hall foyer and ballroom
10am–4pm
3.30pm
Talks, tours and more
Need to know
Accessible featuresThe Foundation Hall is on the ground floor of the MCA and is fully accessible for those using wheelchairs or other mobility aids. Accessible toilets are available
Toilets availablePhotography allowedFood and drink availableMCA Cafe at Tallawoladah
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