Things to see in Adelaide
Attractions
State Library of South Australia
Founded two weeks after the passing of the South Australia Act by the British Parliament in 1834, the State Library of South Australia exhibits a catalogue of books and artefacts dating back to the 1800s. The library regularly houses temporary exhibitions and offers an audio tour of various Adelaide neighbourhoods and the library itself, available via an app (guides.slsa.sa.gov.au) you can download to your phone.
Address: , North Terrace & Kintore Avenue, Adelaide, 5000Telephone: +61 8 8207 7250.
Opening times:
Mon-Wed 1000-2000; Thu-Fri 1000-1800; Sat-Sun 1000-1700.
Website: http://www.slsa.sa.gov.auAdmission Fees:
No.
Disabled Access: NoUNESCO: No
National Wine Centre of Australia
Adjoining the Adelaide Botanic Garden, the National Wine Centre of Australia is a striking architectural delight. Its Cellar Door eatery with courtyard offers cheese and wine tastings, as well as seasonal menus featuring wood-oven breads, Carpaccio, slow-cooked lamb shoulder and market fish.
The centre also hosts the Wine Discovery Journey, an interactive exhibition on Australia’s world-respected wine industry. Track the lifespan of the grape, from planting to glass-swilling.
Lovers of the drop can also embark on wine-appreciation classes, featuring worldly vintages and new releases. The Wine Centre recently started a new event series, City Cellar Door, which celebrates local Australian wineries as well as local produce in a setting “reminiscent of a mini-festival experience.”
Address: , Corner of Botanic and Hackney Roads, Adelaide, 5000Telephone: +61 8 8313 3355.
Opening times:
Daily 0900-1800.
Website: http://www.wineaustralia.com.auAdmission Fees:
Yes (for some events).
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Art Gallery of South Australia
Fronted by iconic Rodin sculptures, the Art Gallery of South Australia boasts one of the best collections in the country. Fittingly, it is the host of the Adelaide Biennial too, as it features nearly 40,000 pieces including Australian, European, Asian and North American collections, charting art from Aboriginal cultures, past Renaissance greats, through colonial styles to today's avant-garde.
Exhibitions regularly draw some of the most sought-after collections from across the globe, such as the recent exhibit of Saatchi's best-known pieces. The gallery's cutting-edge smartphone App, with a detailed audio tour, keeps visitors connected to artists and critics' insights for a truly engaging experience. The gallery hosts a vast range of events catered for all ages and tastes.
Address: , North Terrace, Adelaide, 5000Telephone: +61 8 8207 7000.
Opening times:
Daily 1000-1700.
Website: http://www.artgallery.sa.gov.au/agsa/homeAdmission Fees:
No (apart from some exhibitions).
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Adelaide Botanic Garden
The city’s beautiful green oasis showcases tree-lined avenues, rose gardens, palm houses, herb gardens, lily ponds, duck ponds, and rare and endangered plants. The striking Bicentennial Conservatory protects rare lowland tropical plants that would otherwise be at risk. Climb the upper walkway to filter through the tree canopy and view the forest floor below.
The Amazon Waterlily Pavilion contains the precious Victoria amazonica waterlily, while the recently developed First Creek Wetland contains about 20,000 plants, many native. Snake your way through the wetlands via viewing platforms, learning how this habitat offers life to plants, birds, reptiles, insects and fish through a comprehensive water-filtering process. Wander down Australia’s oldest and prettiest avenue of Moreton Bay fig trees to capture dreamy photos.
Address: , North Terrace, Adelaide, 5000Telephone: +61 8 8222 9311.
Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0715-1900, Sat-Sun 0900-1900 (Dec-Jan); Mon-Fri 0715-1830, Sat-Sun 0900-1830 (Feb-Mar and Oct-Nov); Mon-Fri 0715-1800, Sat-Sun 0900-1800 (Apr and Sep); Mon-Fri 0715-1730, Sat-Sun 0900-1730 (May and Aug); Mon-Fri 0715-1700, Sat-Sun 0900-1700 (Jun-Jul).
Website: http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/botanicgardens/homeAdmission Fees:
No.
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
South Australian Museum
One of the most visited museums in Australia, the South Australian Museum houses a collection of national and international significance. It is also a top research facility that is famous for its Aboriginal heritage collections. Visitors can check out artefacts from the South Pacific Islands, contemplate Egyptian antiquities, and learn about local plants and wildlife in the Biodiversity Gallery.
Address: , North Terrace, Adelaide, 5000Telephone: +61 8 8207 7500.
Opening times:
Daily 1000-1700.
Website: http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.auAdmission Fees:
No.
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute
This is an Aboriginal-owned gem, housing local and national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork in various galleries. Pieces are showcased from established and emerging artists displaying multimedia and traditional works. Indigenous experts are on hand to talk about the current artworks.
The institute runs film events, dance performances and cultural presentations, while travelling exhibitions keep this gallery energetic and renewed. Don’t miss the inventively shelved shop offering arts and crafts, as well as clothing, books, music and authentic didgeridoos.
Telephone: +61 8 8224 3200.
Opening times:
Mon-Sat 1000-1700.
Website: http://www.tandanya.com.auAdmission Fees:
No (except for cultural performances).
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Adelaide Zoo
Adelaide’s Noah’s Arc aims to save rare and endangered species from extinction. It has a furry, scaled, winged and finned community of over 3000 animals. Many are natives, as well as exotic species from across the globe.
Wang Wang and Fu Ni, the two pandas that arrived from China in 2009, are the only pair of giant pandas to reside permanently in the southern hemisphere. They can be seen at close proximity in their enclosure. On your travels, find Tasmanian devils, echidnas, potoroos and tree kangaroos as well as Hamadryas baboons, Sumatran tigers and Malayan Tapirs.
Animal-feeding and keeper talks feature daily, with a thrilling blue and gold macaw free flight show to challenge camera shutter lag. Free half-hour Walkabout Tours are offered daily.
Address: , Frome Road, Adelaide, 5000Telephone: +61 8 8267 3255.
Opening times:
Daily 0930-1700.
Website: http://www.adelaidezoo.com.auAdmission Fees:
Yes.
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Haigh’s Chocolate Factory
Established in 1915 by Alfred Haigh, this is one of the few chocolatiers in the world to create chocolate straight from the raw cacao bean. It’s Australia’s oldest family-run chocolate manufacturer, managed by fourth-generation family members.
Take a free tongue-tantalising tour of their factory and follow the life of the bean. Journey from when it is picked, through how cocoa nibs are ground into liqueur, to when it arrives in your mouth. There are even some deliciously sinful tastings. Watch the talented chefs in the factory, hand-dipping, hand-marking and hand-wrapping their chocolate treasures. Tea and coffee is provided.
Address: Parkside, 154 Greenhill Road, Adelaide, 5063Telephone: +61 8 8372 7070.
Opening times:
Mon-Thu 0800-1900, Tue 0830-1750, Fri 1000-1700, Sat 0800-1750
Website: http://www.haighschocolates.com.auAdmission Fees:
No.
Disabled Access: NoUNESCO: No
The Migration Museum
An intimate museum that tells the tale of early Australia and the mass migration from Britain. A story of courage, heartache and happiness, this sensory museum, the only one of its kind in the country, contains a priceless assemblage of personal stories and belongings, colonial costumes, bric-a-brac and toys that arrived with the white settlers.
Among the hundreds of old relics, see Colonel Light’s plan of Adelaide, and private items belonging to the early explorer, John McDouall Stuart, the first European to trek the continent on foot. The building was once an Aboriginal boarding school and a destitute asylum for the homeless, sick and elderly.
Address: , 82 Kintore Avenue, Adelaide, 5000Telephone: +61 8 8207 7580.
Opening times:
Daily 1000-1700.
Website: http://migration.history.sa.gov.au/Admission Fees:
No (except for tours).
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
National Railway Museum
Step back in time at this interactive railway museum, the largest of its kind in Australia. Examine the rolling stock of yesteryear by stepping inside charming carriages and peering into steam engines. Take a ride around the grounds on a train that chugs along the 457mm gauge railway.
Discover intriguing railway memorabilia, such as old cutlery used in the Trans Australian passenger trains and timeworn staff uniforms, or view a coffin cart from the 1880s, used to transport coffins. A highlight is the interactive Tea and Sugar Train carriages, which traversed the continent to deliver provisions to outback communities.
Address: , 76 Lipson Street, Port Adelaide, 5015
Telephone: +61 8 8341 1690.
Opening times:
Daily 1000-1630
Website: http://www.natrailmuseum.org.auAdmission Fees:
Yes.
Disabled Access: NoUNESCO: No
Tourist Offices
Adelaide Visitor Information Centre
Address: , 9 James Place, off Rundle Mall, Adelaide, 5000Telephone: +61 1300 588 140.
Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0900-1700; Sat-Sun 1000-1600. Holiday hours 1100-1500.
Website: https://www.cityofadelaide.com.au/explore-the-city/city-information/visitor-information/Seek expert advice on exploring Adelaide by friendly staff that can offer sightseeing tips, issue maps, and make reservations on your behalf.
Tourist passes
Adelaide Sightseeing (www.adelaidesightseeing.com.au) offers a variety of packages for full day and half day tours. These range from a full day tour of Barossa’s Food and Wine culture to a half-day “Adelaide City Highlights” tour.
