Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition | Art Gallery of South Australia | 11 Jul – 8 Nov 2026
Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition is a major Australian-exclusive exhibition at the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), running from 11 July to 8 November 2026 in Adelaide.
Featuring an extraordinary collection from the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio, USA, this landmark exhibition showcases works by some of the most influential European and American artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. See masterpieces by celebrated Impressionists, including Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, alongside iconic works by modern art pioneers such as Henri Matisse, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, and Robert Rauschenberg.
Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition traces one of the most revolutionary periods in art history, exploring how artists challenged convention and reshaped the future of art. Journey through movements including Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism, discovering the bold ideas that transformed modern art.
This is the first time the Toledo Museum of Art’s renowned collection of modern paintings has travelled outside the United States as a complete exhibition, making Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition at AGSA a truly unmissable cultural event in Adelaide.
Is Monet to Matisse worth visiting?
Yes! This is an incredible opportunity to stand just metres away from artworks you may only ever have seen in books, documentaries or online. Rather than travelling halfway around the world to visit major international museums, you can experience some of the most celebrated paintings of the 19th and 20th centuries right here in Adelaide.
If you enjoy art, history or simply seeing world-famous paintings up close, this exhibition is a must-see. It isn’t often that a collection of this calibre travels to Australia, let alone Adelaide, making it a genuine once-in-a-generation opportunity for South Australians. Even if you’re not an art expert, there’s something quite special about seeing the texture, brushstrokes and scale of these iconic works in person – details that simply can’t be appreciated through a screen or a printed image.
What can you see at Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition?
- 57 world-renowned masterworks from the Toledo Museum of Art, many never-seen-before in Australia, complemented by outstanding paintings and works on paper from AGSA’s own collection.
- An iconic 2-metre-wide painting by Claude Monet, Water Lilies, c.1922, depicting the artist’s famous water lily pond in Giverny, France.
- Painted in the weeks before his death, Vincent van Gogh’s Wheat Fields with Reaper, Auvers, 1890, an expressive and vibrant painting regarded as one of van Gogh’s final masterpieces.
- A luminous work by Berthe Morisot, the first female French Impressionist, that captures the intimate lives of women in a changing society.
- Rarely-seen examples of American Abstraction and Expressionism including works by Josef Albers, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Rauschenberg and Grace Hartigan.
- Works by renowned artists including Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Piet Mondrian.
- As the exhibition moves into the 20th century, you’ll also discover rarely seen American modernist works by artists including Josef Albers, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Rauschenberg and Grace Hartigan.
- Select works from AGSA’s own collection enrich and complement the exhibition experience.
How much are tickets to Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition?
Ticket prices vary depending on your age and the type of ticket you purchase, with discounts available for children, students, concession card holders and families. If you’re planning to visit on a weekend or during school holidays, it’s a good idea to book ahead, as this is expected to be one of Adelaide’s most popular exhibitions of 2026.
Timed: Adults $30 | Concession $25 | Member $20 | Youth (12-17) $15 | Under 12 Free | Family $75 | Group of 8+ $25
Flexi: Adults $40 | Concession $35 | Member $30 | Youth (12-17) $25 | Under 12 Free | Family $85 | Group of 8+ $35
Season Pass: unlimited entry $85
Timed Tickets are valid for single entry, only for the date and time nominated on your ticket.
Flexi Tickets are valid for single entry only (unless otherwise specified) during regular opening hours, and are not restricted to a particular date or time of entry.
All children aged 11 and under must be accompanied by a paying adult.
While You’re Visiting the Art Gallery of South Australia
If you’re visiting with friends, The Bar is the perfect spot for a sip of Taittinger Champagne, an Aperol Spritz, Campari and soda, or a carefully crafted gin cocktail, accompanied by a selection of bar snacks, or plan ahead with a dining event at The Bistro.
If you’re visiting with kids, The Deli in the Courtyard offers coffee, pastries, soup, baguettes and drinks. Walk-ins welcome.
What’s on at the Art Gallery of South Australia
The Art Gallery of South Australia also offers a fantastic range of free, family-friendly and youth-focused programs and experiences throughout the year, including Start at the Gallery, Neo and The Studio.
The Studio
Start at the Art Gallery
Neo
School Bookings – MORE INFO HERE
AGSA Education is generously supported by the Department for Education as such school ticket prices are available for K-12 students.
TICKETS:
- Children under 11 years can visit the exhibition for free if accompanied by an adult.
- Family Group tickets are available for a discounted price.
- To save money, timed tickets (set times) are cheaper than the flexi tickets (that can be used at any time), saving approximately $10 per ticket.
READ OUR REVIEW OF THE ART GALLERY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
CLICK HERE TO BOOK TICKETS
Paul Gauguin, born Paris, France 1848, died Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia 1903, Street in Tahiti, 1891, oil on canvas, 115.5 × 88.5 cm; Purchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey, Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio, United States of America
Berthe Morisot, born Bourges, France 1841, died Paris, France 1895, In the Garden at Maurecourt, 1884, oil on canvas, 54.0 x 65.1 cm; Purchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey, Toldeo Museum of Art, Ohio, United States of America
EXPLORE NORTH TERRACE IN ADELAIDE
For more information and all enquiries please visit the AGSA website.
What: Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition
When: 11 July – 8 November 2026 | Open daily 10am – 5pm
Where: Art Gallery of SA | North Terrace, Adelaide (Galleries 22, 23 & 25)
Who: Everyone
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
Image Source: Art Gallery of SA (detail Claude Monet, born Giverny, France, 1840, died France, Giverny 1926, Water Lilies, oil on canvas, 200.7 x 213.4cm; Purchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey, Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio, United States of America)
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