The Potter Museum of Art is the University of Melbourne's art museum. Founded in 1972, it has been located in a number of spaces across the Parkville campus. The current Swanston Street building first opened in 1998, and will reopen in 2025, following the completion of extensive renovations. The Potter’s exhibition program has supported a multitude of artists, curators, writers and academics over the past fifty years, making a significant contribution to the cultural and social life of the University. During this time, it has drawn together a diverse and actively engaged community of students, the local arts sector, the general public, and national and international visitors.
The University of Melbourne Art Collection holds work spanning antiquity to contemporary art. Highlights include Indigenous art and material culture, works by leading Australian artists of the 19th and 20th centuries, and significant works by international artists. Notable for its breadth, the Collection – now numbering some 18,000 objects – is uniquely connected to the University’s history. In recent years the development of the Collection has extended beyond this foundation to reflect the interests of the broader community and the University’s central role in Melbourne’s cultural life.
Embracing research, intellectual curiosity and discovery, the Potter is committed to its extensive participation in the University’s interdisciplinary degree structure. We aim to make art central to teaching and learning, and actively contribute to curriculum development across all faculties through meaningful engagement with art, objects and issues across our collections, exhibitions and programs
A space that encourages active dialogue and respectful debate, the Potter is uniquely placed to make a difference in the lives of our audiences. Within the University, to make the experience of art and the role of creativity relevant, enjoyable and of value to the next generation.
