VICTORIA has a striking new cultural destination, the new home of the Shepparton Art Museum, affectionately known as SAM.
The landmark building, designed by architects Denton Corker Marshall, opens on November 20.
The design was unanimously selected from an architectural competition in 2017.
Denton Corker Marshall has an impressive cultural portfolio that includes the Australian Pavilion in Venice, the Melbourne Museum, the Stonehenge Exhibition and Visitors Centre and the Museum of Sydney.
The building is extruded vertically over five levels to generate the distinctive "small-and-tall art museum", with panoramic views across the surrounding lake and red gums lining the Goulburn River.
Artistic director Rebecca Coates said the building was "about hope and aspiration with a range of welcoming spaces and places".
It includes the art museum housing more than 4000 works, four main gallery spaces with a dedicated Kids Space and workshops; visitors information centre; Kaiela Arts Aboriginal community arts centre; an outdoor amphitheatre and Art Hill; and cafe and 150-person event space and terrace.
The past few months have seen the museum undertake the huge task of relocating its collection of artworks from its old site to the new facility.
Today it houses one of Australia's most important collections of historical and contemporary art with a focus on contemporary and Indigenous Australian works.
Recent acquisitions include work by Vernon Ah Kee, Patricia Piccinini, David Noonan, Tracey Moffatt, Dale Frank and Fiona Foley.
While in the region, discover the many public art displays in nearby townships including the popular Moooving Art cows. The wide range of public art varies from graffiti art to mosaic work.
The museum, in Wyndham Street, will open seven days a week from 10am-4pm.
(03) 4804-5000, sheppartonartmuseum.com.au
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