Day Trip Guide: MONA Tasmania + Hobart Ferry to MONA

For one of best day-trips in Hobart, MONA Tasmania has got to be at the top of your list!

In this guide I answer all your questions – Is MONA worth it? How to catch the MONA ferry from Hobart? How much does MONA cost? And plenty more!

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Is MONA Museum Tasmania worth visiting?

Quick Answer: Many consider it controversial, and for that very reason MONA Museum Tasmania is definitely worth visiting – not to mention the stunning architecture and sprawling grounds. See it for yourself and make up your own mind!

Whenever the MONA Museum Tasmania gets mentioned in our Facebook Group, it is inevitable that someone will ask the question – “Is MONA worth visiting?“.

Every. Single. Time.

And I totally get it!

MONA Museum Hobart – or to use its full name, the Museum of Old and New Art – is not everyone’s cup of tea.

In fact, I don’t know that I’ve come across such a divisive attraction anywhere in Australia.

Some people absolutely swoon at the very mention of this weird, dark, and wonderful temple to the bizarre (yes, guilty).

Others? You couldn’t pay them enough to ever set foot in Walshy’s concrete and steel backyard ever again!

The answer lies in what you hope to get out of the experience.

If you are tight for time and want a guaranteed ‘puppies and rainbows’ kind of day, you might want to walk on by.

But for anyone else who is remotely curious as to what all the fuss is about, I can’t encourage you enough to push your boundaries and give it a shot.

Even if you don’t end up liking the art, just about everyone who visits can’t help but admire the incredible architecture, the stunning views of the Derwent River and Mt Wellington from the MONA ferry, and the wonderful foodie experiences also available on site.

When deciding whether to visit or not, it’s worth thinking about this quote by Cesar Cruz:

“Art should comfort the disturbed, and disturb the comfortable.”

Of course, not everyone wants to be ‘disturbed’ on their Tassie holiday – and that’s completely understandable.

But on the other hand, it doesn’t matter who you are or what your ‘art’ preferences might be, among all the oddities scattered throughout this post-modern megalith I can guarantee you will find at least one piece of art that you will never forget – in a good way!

Something that lifts your spirit, opens your eyes to a new and exciting point of view, stimulates your senses, or simply reaffirms what you always suspected.

At the same time, no matter how liberal-minded you might be, there is going to be something that makes you wince. Something that hits you deep in the feels in an uncomfortable and unforgettable way.

This is what I love about art, and whether you choose to include Hobart’s MONA museum in your Tasmania itinerary or not, I think we can all agree that Tasmania is very privileged to be the home of this world famous attraction.

To help plan your visit to MONA I have structured this guide to provide you with:

• all the info you need on how to get to MONA Tasmania
• plenty of answers to the most common questions I get asked by travellers about MONA
• an easy-to-follow MONA day trip itinerary showing you how to plan your entire day!
• an overview of the foodie options at MONA
• best places to stay for easy access to MONA

How to Get to MONA

How to get to MONA from Hobart

Don’t stress if you are wondering how to get to MONA from Hobart, because there are six great options and I provide detailed information for each further down:

1. MONA Ferry – Your best and most fun option. Accessible friendly as well, but let them know on the ferry so they can assist on arrival at MONA, as you will need to use the lift.
2. Car – Saves you the cost of a ferry or bus, and you have ultimate flexibility – however parking is limited.
3. Tour – Most expensive option, but everything is all planned out – no fuss.
4. Bike – A fun way to get to MONA, following the Derwent River from the Hobart waterfront and exploring Hobart’s northern suburbs.
5. Bus (public) – Cheapest option, but limited by bus frequency.
6. Taxi/Uber – A more expensive option, but flexible with timing.

It’s worth noting that an express bus used to be available from Hobart for visitors, but it seems to have ceased operation. It’s worth checking their website (here) just in case it returns. It used to be cheaper than the ferry but didn’t leave or return as often.

FAQs

I get sooooo many questions about MONA, so I thought I would include the most popular ones here!

If there is anything missing, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and I’ll add it to the list.

Day Trip Itinerary

Hobart MONA Museum Day Trip Itinerary

A Hobart MONA Museum day trip is the perfect way to spend your time when visiting Tasmania’s bustling little capital city – nestled between the mountain and the River Derwent.

Planning your day trip to MONA isn’t hard, but the timing and order in which you do things can make a big difference to your experience and making the most of your time.

My wife and I recently revisited MONA, and our itinerary ended up working out perfectly – so I thought I would share it with you!

I also have an alternative itinerary in my Hobart Day Trip Planner (eBook), that you shows you how to combine a day at MONA with many of Hobart’s other attractions – click here to learn more.

9:00-10am: Breakfast

There are plenty of amazing breakfast options throughout Hobart, so I have no doubt you will find one near your accommodation.

Some of our favourites include Harbour Lights Cafe (waterfront), Machine Laundry Cafe (Salamanca), Berta (CBD), and Born in Brunswick (North Hobart). Vegetarians will love Straight Up Coffee and Food (CBD).

If you are keen to hit MONA as soon as possible then you could start breakfast a little bit earlier, skip a separate coffee stop, and aim to catch the 10:15am ferry.

10-10:30am: Coffee!

We always like to start our day with a hot brew, especially from somewhere we haven’t tried before.

This time, we discovered a little gem in Hobart Coffee Roasters – Franklin Wharf Chapter. It’s a bit of a mouthful of a name, but their espresso is literally the best I have found in Hobart, and they are also just a few minutes’ walk from Brooke Street Pier.

10:30-11am: Browse Brooke Street Pier

In addition to being the place where you can buy your MONA ferry tickets, Brooke Street Pier is also a great place to spend some time and pick up a souvenir, especially if you don’t have long in Hobart.

It is a huge floating structure containing many of Tasmania’s most iconic businesses all under one roof, such as:

• Brooke Street Larder
• McHenry Distillery
• Grandvewe Cheeses
• Naturally Millie Ma
• Island Tastings
• Aloft Restaurant
• The Glass House
• And plenty more!!

Entry is free, and many of the foodie options provide tastings as well.

11:15am: Catch the MONA Ferry

Catching the MONA Ferry is an experience in itself – don’t forget to look really closely at the camouflage boat design for a ‘cheeky’ surprise…

There are two catamarans – MONA ROMA I and II – that cruise the River Derwent between Brooke Street Pier and the MONA Museum, with departures from each end scheduled roughly hourly (as per the schedule below).

These catamarans are super stable, and the river is sheltered, meaning you don’t need to worry about getting motion sickness at all.

You could go for the cheapest option and pay for a regular ticket ($30pp return) that gets you access to all common areas, including the bar – but my wife and I wanted to take things to the next level, treating ourselves to ‘Posh Pit‘ tickets instead!

The Posh Pit ticket costs a little extra ($65pp return), but if you love your food and drink then the splurge is well worth it. Here’s what you get:

• VIP queue, getting you on board the ferry with a minimum of fuss
• Private lounge, bar, and front-facing deck (for your very best Leo+Kate impression)
• Complimentary drinks, including a great selection of Moorilla Winery wines and Moo Brew beers (non-alcoholic options are also available) – the mimosas were proving very popular on our trip in the morning
• Complementary plates of delicious tapas – the lightly seared tuna with sweet corn and salsa was amazing!

Pro Tip: The total cruise time from Brooke Street Pier to MONA is about 25 minutes, and because of all the food and drink inclusions it is easy to run out of time to explore the boat (including an obligatory photo of yourself riding on the sheep).

The best time to go for a quick wander is after finishing your welcome drink, before the first plates of food are served (or save it for your return journey).

Tickets can be bought from the MONA outlet inside Brooke Street Pier on the day, but a lot of other visitors will have the same idea meaning you are going to be queuing for ages.

The better option is to buy your tickets online in advance, and you can head straight downstairs to the waiting area. All you need to do is to present your digital tickets on your phone at the time of boarding.

12pm: Lunch at FARO Restaurant

As a pair of massive foodies we were more excited about our lunch at FARO Restaurant than MONA itself to be honest.

Every few months they mix up the theme at this quirky restaurant, and for our visit we enjoyed an absolutely amazing Japanese degustation, complete with ridiculously fun entertainment throughout!

My wife and I normally cringe at typical ‘lunch and a show’ type of experiences…but honestly, we couldn’t stop laughing right from the start at how ridiculously over-the-top and quintessentially Japanese it all was.

Can you remember the last time a giant pink thingabob invaded your lunch? Or when a giant mushroom from Mario Brothers was thrashing out some insane riffs from stage left?

Yeah, me neither…

The entertainment was fantastic, but the food was even better.

Refined. Amazing texture and flavour combinations. Not too stingy on size either.

At $175pp for the Chef’s tasting menu it isn’t cheap, but this is one foodie experience we will never forget! A la carte is also an option, if you prefer to choose your own dishes.

As part of your lunch you also get to visit one of the mind-blowing James Turrell artworks that is hidden away from regular museum visitors.

FARO lunch slots are available on the half hour from 12pm through to 3pm.

The 12pm sitting times in nicely with the ferry arrival at around 11:40am, giving you time to casually make your way through the grounds to the restaurant. With lunch finishing around 2pm you will have a half-day to explore MONA afterwards.

The 2:30pm lunch option can also work, but to have enough time to see the MONA Museum you would need to get one of the very early ferries at 9:15am or 10:15am.

Dinner at FARO wasn’t going to going to be possible for us on the day, but it is the best way of having the most amount of time possible to see the MONA Museum, as long as you don’t mind waiting half an hour between the museum closing (5pm) and the first available dinner seating at 5:30pm.

FARO Opening Hours

• Lunch – Friday to Monday, 12 – 4 pm
• Dinner – Friday to Sunday, from 5:30pm

FARO Cost

• Multi-course set menu – $175pp
• Deluxe Dinner (incl. more dishes, rare and vintage wines and other beverages, and complementary entry to numerous James Turrell artworks) – $375pp

2-5 or 6pm: Explore MONA

With lunch finished, it is time to go exploring the MONA Museum itself!

The first thing you will notice about MONA is the architecture. Its exterior is all about contrasts in textures and angles – rusty carbon steel, futuristic reflections, lush grass, and harsh concrete.

These themes continue as you descend into the bowels of the earth, but with a shift away from the light toward dark corners, eery tunnels, spotlights, rough-hewn sandstone and a disconcerting maze of platforms and gangways.

It can be disorienting, but with plenty of time on your hands the best way to start is to choose a direction and simply wander to your hearts content. It won’t take long and you’ll start to get a feel for how the museum is laid out.

A cocktail from Void Bar isn’t a bad idea to get you settled in either.

Don’t forget to download your copy of the ‘O’ app before you arrive.

Not only will ‘O’ help you find your way around, but it has plenty of information and narrated stories about all the exhibits you will encounter around MONA right at your fingertips. You can also use it to rate your favourite (and not so favourite) exhibits.

In pre-covid times you would receive a pair of headphones and a little device pre-loaded with the app, but these days in the interest of public health you simply download the app to your phone and bring your own headphones or ear buds.

There is something for everyone in this museum, but when you step back and look across all the exhibits you start to see recurrent themes emerging around death, love and lust, the human body, and some pitch black humour.

Who knows what David Walsh’s true intentions are with this very expensive hobby horse… but for me it feels like he is encouraging us to explore what it means to be human. Challenging us to strip back our protective layers and acknowledge that no matter where we come from, what language we speak, or which footy team we support (unless it’s Port), when it comes down to it there is more that brings us together than keeps us apart.

In saying that, don’t be fooled into thinking that MONA is all morbidly depressing and ‘deep’. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I can’t remember laughing so much, feeling such awe for the incredible artists and their crazy ideas that have actually become a reality, or feeling such a sense of optimism for our future.

As you can probably tell, I love MONA. And I hope you will too!

MONA Tasmania Opening Hours:

• Friday to Monday (closed Wednesday and Thursday), from 10am to 5pm
• During Dark MOFO opening hours can extend to 6pm

MONA Tasmania Cost:

• An online booking is essential for all visitors (no walk-ins allowed)
• Tasmanians – Free entry ($5 deposit, refunded after you visit)
• Non-Tasmanians – $39pp (adults) or $33 (concession)
• Non-Tassie Children Ages 12-17 – $17
• Non-Tassie Children under 12 – FREE
• Exploring the grounds is FREE
• Some exhibitions and collections require an additional fee (bookable online)

5pm or 6pm: Catch the Ferry Back to Hobart

The two best ferry options to get back to Hobart are the 5pm (year-round) and 6pm (summer/peak season only) options.

It was summer when we visited, meaning the 6pm ferry option was perfect. It allowed us to explore MONA right up to closing time at 5pm, and then grab a drink at the Moorilla Wine Bar to relax and process everything we had just seen, heard, smelled and felt – all while watching the crowd build up for a Midnight Oil concert being held on the grounds that night.

If you are visiting outside the summer season and you also want to go to FARO for lunch, then I suggest getting the 9:15am or 10:15am ferry to MONA to give you 2-3 hours of time in the museum in the morning. You can then return to the museum after lunch, as your ticket allows entry all day.

If you bought a ‘Posh Pit’ ticket then you will again receive some small dishes of food (sweets this time) and access to their complementary drinks list for the return journey to Hobart.

We found the return journey to be a lot quieter than in the morning, making it ideal for going for a wander around the ferry.

8pm: Dinner in Hobart

Hobart has gone through a food revolution over the last 10 years, and there are so many sensational options available to you.

My wife and I have eaten at nearly every restaurant in Hobart, and some of our favourites within walking distance of the Hobart waterfront include:

• Aloft (pan-Pacific cuisine, stunning water views)
• Landscape Bar and Grill (showcases Tasmanian produce)
• Da Angelo (Italian, never-fail option, short walk to Battery Point)
• The Drunken Admiral (renowned for their chowder, family friendly)
• La Sardina Loca (Spanish tapas in historic stables)
• Mures (iconic seafood restaurant, lower-deck is family-friendly, upper-deck more exxy)
• Dier Makr (ultimate degustation)
• Urban Greek (great value, family friendly, short walk to CBD)
• Flippers (fish punt, fish and chips)

If you need help choosing, or are looking for something more specific, please don’t be shy to ask over at our Lap of Tasmania Facebook Group.

Where to eat and drink at MONA

There are six places you can grab a feed at MONA, with menus and budgets to cater for all types of traveller:

• FARO Bar and Restaurant – Set menu, available for both lunch (Fri-Mon) and dinner (Fri-Sun). Includes a performance as well – the theme changes every few months.
• Dubsy’s Food Truck – Specialising in burgers, but with a range of other quick and tasty options as well.
• The Source Restaurant – High end dining. Lunch only (Fri-Mon).
• Moorilla Wine Bar – Share plates, seasonal treats, breads, pastries, and an extensive list of beverages. Open Friday to Monday from 9am until close.
• Void Bar – Cocktails, wines, beers, pizzetas, sweets and snacks. Located inside MONA, so you will need a ticket.
• Cellar Door – Wine tastings available from Friday through to Monday, 12-5pm.

Where to stay near MONA

The absolute best place to stay near MONA is on the grounds of MONA itself at MONA Pavilions. It isn’t cheap, but I don’t know that you would find a better place to stay anywhere in Tasmania!

Each pavilion is perched on the cliffs of the Derwent River, where you can relax in your bath and soak up the incredible views. Being on-site, you also have the freedom to explore the MONA Museum grounds after hours, without all the crowds, to your heart’s content!

You will also love these options near the Hobart waterfront, with nearly all being just a few minutes walk to Brooke Street Pier and the ferry:

• Campers and caravanners – Discovery Parks Hobart (less than 15 mins drive from both Brooke Street Pier and MONA – Use the LAPOFTAS code for 20% OFF
• Families on a budget – Edinburgh Gallery B&B
• Couples on a budget – Alabama Hotel
• Great value for families and couples – RACV/RACT Hotel
• Storytelling experience for couples – MACq 01
• Ultimate luxury for couples – The Tasman

Final thoughts on MONA Tasmania

Whether it is the awe inspiring architecture, the weird and wonderful exhibits, or simply a case of insatiable curiosity… I hope I have helped convince you to put MONA Tasmania onto your Tassie itinerary!

Yes, it is controversial, but Tasmania is all the better for having such an exceptional global icon right on its doorstep, and I have no doubt that an exploration of this subterranean temple to the bizarre will create memories that last a lifetime.

If you enjoyed this guide to MONA then I’ve got a feeling you might also find these articles helpful in continuing your holiday planning:

• Hobart Day-Trip Planner (eBook)
• 14-Day ‘Ultimate’ Tasmania Itinerary – Where to stay, things to see and do, travel times and distances, and lots more
• Discounts and exclusive deals – Save money on your Tassie holiday
• Car Hire in Tasmania – Everything you need to know, and how to save money
• Campervan and Motorhome Guide – Compare all the options
• Hobart Accommodation Guide – My favourite places to stay

Happy and safe travels!

Andrew.