Art & culture

Absorb some artistic flair amid the heritage ambience and creative dynamism in towns and villages all along the Mornington Peninsula.

Get a feel for the cultural energy created by the peninsula's splendour of sea, sky and diverse landscapes. Take in artistic and cultural experiences ranging from stunning fine art and heritage preservations to engaging community events celebrating an illustrious past and present.

Art in galleries and the outdoor inspiration

Track the works of renowned painters, sculptors, photographers and craftspeople at the peninsula's major galleries. Follow in their footsteps on a stroll along the Sorrento Portsea Artists Trail and other regional walks to discover the scenery that inspired their famed artworks. Delve deeper and browse collections in private galleries and be welcomed into the intimate world of artisan studios.

See contemporary exhibits and browse seminal works at the Mornington Regional Art Gallery – host of the Archibald Exhibition in 2013 and 2014. For a day spent indoor and out, take a walk around McClelland Gallery and Sculpture Park, Australia's premier sculpture park and home to the McClelland Sculpture Survey. Wander through the gallery and landscaped gardens and see works by more than 100 major artists, including Lenton Parr, Norma Redpath, Anthony Pryor and Clement Meadmore.

Museums of the famous and infamous

See where the European settlers first camped near Sorrento back in 1803 and learn about the famous and infamous residents that followed. Delve into early pioneer life at McCrae Homestead and Museum, which also displays works by artist, musician and diarist Georgiana McCrae.

Get a glimpse of old Europe on a wander through the collection of Napoleonic memorabilia at the 1840s Briars Historic Homestead.