Mona

 Professional gambler and Hobart native David Walsh, first opened Moorilla Museum of Antiquities on the the Berriedale peninsula in 2001.  In 2007 it was closed to undergo a $75 million restoration and was reopened in 2011 as the Museum of Old and New Art, or MONA for short.  It is a major tourist attraction and is the largest privately funded museum in the Sothern Hemisphere.  To say it is fantastical is an understatement.  

We approached the museum by Mona Roma, a ferry that takes you to the bottom of 99 steps that lead you to the top of the museum entrance.  Upon entering your directed back down to the bottom of several levels to begin your adventure.  The modern works often take on a theme of sex and death while the antiquities tended to be ancient Egyptian.  The works are intermingled and also have several pieces of video art.  There are no windows which gives it an air of mystery.  It’s obviously cut into the rocks of the cliffs exposing the reinforced walls of the complex.  


Visiting the museum you wonder from room to room by both hallways and bridges that are exposed to the floors below.  Offshoots of hallways lead you to various adventures including a sound sensory tunnel which leads to another tunnel with an alcove with soft seating to take in your surroundings.









The art is often weird and modern and probably not everyone’s cup of tea.  It is very interesting and worth visiting at least once as the exhibits change depending on what David Walsh feels like displaying.  On the bottom floor during our visit a composing was spending the the day writing an original composition that was scheduled to be performed at 4 p.m.  We didn’t stay around long enough to hear it, but I’m sure it was as interesting and the surroundings.



We returned the the Salamanca district by return ferry.  While a city of only 250,000 people, the shopping district seems much larger with many of the chain stores we’re familiar with along with a smattering of local owned businesses.  Closer to our hotel is a more art themed area that we plan to explore tomorrow.

Tomorrow: Shopping and Packing

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