Visit Us

Things to Know Before Your Visit

We are small but the experience is rich! The average visit lasts between 30 and 90 minutes. While we can only show 1% of our collection at a time, visitors regularly say they leave feeling inspired and in awe. There is a reason visitors call us a Charlottesville gem!

When many Americans think about Indigenous Australian art, they imagine art that is at least a few hundred years old, probably made with natural materials. Not so! Our collection mostly dates from 1940 onwards and we always have cutting-edge contemporary Indigenous art on view.

 

Free, 30 minute tours are offered every day we are open at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm, led by a Volunteer GuideClick here to make a tour reservation. If you are visiting with a group of more than 10 people, please fill out our tour request form and we’ll be in touch as soon as we can!

The museum is ADA accessible; please call the museum at 434-243-8504 when you arrive or in advance to let us know how we can best accommodate you. Click here for a full list of our accessibility measures.  Service animals are permitted in all public spaces of the museum. There is a baby-changing table in one of the public restrooms.

Yes! Ask for a self-guided gallery activity appropriate for ages 3 – 12 at the front desk. Spend some time in the breezeway, where we always have colored pencils and markers to draw in response to the art on view. Explore the touch station of common materials used by Indigenous Australian artists. Ask for the tree map at the front desk and explore the trees surrounding the museum. Peruse the children’s books authored or illustrated by Indigenous Australians in the library. There is a lot for kids to do here!

Yes! The museum has a small gift shop with books, jewelry, and housewares highlighting Indigenous Australian art and designs, as well as small paintings and sculptures. Our gift shop is fair trade; we only buy from Aboriginal-owned art centers and vendors that pay royalties directly to the artists and their communities. 

There isn’t a cafe on site. If you are in search of coffee before or after your visit, take a 10-minute stroll on paved trails to our neighbor Martha Jefferson Hospital, which has a local coffeeshop in the lobby.

For food, there are many restaurants on Route 250 and in Pantops Shopping Center, a mile away. There are eight locally-owned restaurants ranging from kebobs to sushi to diner-style cuisine and seven restaurant chains.

The paved trails surrounding the museum are beautifully landscaped with ponds, wildlife and sculpture. We highly recommend pairing your museum visit with a walk!

Darden Towe Park is a five-minute drive and has a playground, a dog park, soccer fields, softball fields, the Rivanna river and walking trails. 

The Downtown Mall, a pedestrian center with shops and restaurants, is 3 miles away. Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is 6.5 miles away, and if you are travelling from downtown or the west side of Charlottesville, we are a nice place to stop on your way to Monticello.

Free Admission

hours

Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Closed Mondays and major USA holidays

DAILY TOURS

Free, 30 minute tours are offered every day we are open at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. Reservations are encouraged but not required. 

group TOURS

If you are visiting with a group of more than 10 people, we’d love to schedule this formally and ensure you walk away with a fabulous experience that meets the goals of your outing. 

DIRECTIONS

400 Worrell Drive in Charlottesville, Virginia

Adjacent to Martha Jefferson Hospital on Pantops

Call us at 434-243-8504 or click the link below for detailed instructions.

We'd Love To SEe You

Free, 30 minute tours led by volunteer guides are available daily at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. Reserve your spot at one today!

Current Exhibitions

  July 14, 2024-December 8, 2024

  Kluge-Ruhe's Focus Gallery

Our Unbroken Line: The Griffiths Family

  March 21, 2024- January 12, 2025

  Cummer Museum

Mick Namarari Tjapaltjarri: Mysteries that Remain

  March 9, 2024 - March 2, 2025

  Kluge-Ruhe's Main Galleries

Shifting Ground

INFORMATIONAL EXHIBITIONS

These two exhibitions provide essential context for a deeper appreciation of Indigenous Australian arts and cultures. One charts our history as a museum, introduces you to six artists, and explains the idea of Country. The other elaborates on the concept of the Dreaming and presents key moments in First Nations Australian history, civil rights and racial justice. Indigenous voices are featured throughout, and various visiting Indigenous artists and curators have reviewed and participated in the curation.

Family friendly activities

When many Americans think about Indigenous Australian art, they imagine art that is at least a few hundred years old, probably made with natural materials. Not so! Our collection mostly dates from 1940 onwards and we always have cutting-edge contemporary Indigenous art on view in our rotating gallery.

browse Our fair trade Gift shop

The museum has a small gift shop with books, jewelry, and housewares highlighting Indigenous Australian art and designs, as well as small paintings and sculptures. Our gift shop is fair trade; we only buy from Aboriginal-owned art centers and vendors that pay royalties directly to the artists and their communities.