Samstag Museum of Art

Samstag Museum of Art is a contemporary art museum in Adelaide’s CBD, located in the Hawke Building at Adelaide University’s City Campus on North Terrace. It presents a changing program of contemporary visual art from South Australia and around the world, alongside selected art from the past that remains relevant to audiences today. The museum describes its program as innovative, educational and intended for a broad public community, making it a useful stop for visitors who want to spend time with current artistic ideas rather than simply view a permanent collection.

The exhibition program is the main reason to visit. Upcoming exhibitions listed by the museum include Jemima Wyman’s *Deep Surface* and Ida Sophia’s *Patience and Penitentia*, both scheduled from Friday 26 June to Friday 18 September 2026. Previous projects have included moving image, mixed-media installation and commissioned work, including Archie Moore’s *Dwelling (Adelaide Issue)*, created with Samstag and the Adelaide Film Festival. The museum is also known nationally for its support of creatives working with moving image, adding a strong focus to its broader contemporary visual arts program.

Samstag has its roots in a university gallery established around 1977 and has developed through several institutional changes. It opened as the Samstag Museum of Art in 2007, named in recognition of Anne and Gordon Samstag, whose bequest supports opportunities for Australian artists to study overseas through the Samstag Scholarships. The museum also manages the university’s art collection and presents publications and public activities alongside its exhibitions. In 2026, following the amalgamation of the University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide, it became part of the new Adelaide University.

Admission is free, and the museum welcomes everyone. It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm, so it can work as a focused solo visit, a cultural stop while exploring the city, or an accessible outing for groups interested in contemporary art. Families and first-time gallery visitors may appreciate the free entry and educational emphasis, while students, artists and regular gallery-goers will find connections to university culture, Australian art practice and international exhibitions. Samstag also acknowledges the Kaurna people as the traditional custodians of the land on which it stands, and its exhibition seasons refer to Kaurna weather patterns with approval from Kaurna Warra Karrpanthi.