Following a year of building upgrades, the Brett Whiteley Studio has reopened to visitors in Sydney. Located in Whiteley’s final home and studio in Surry Hills, the Brett Whiteley Studio offers an intimate and unfiltered encounter with the life and practice of Brett Whiteley (1939-1992), one of Australia’s most influential contemporary artists.

Revitalising a piece of Australia’s art history

Delivered by award-winning Australian architectural firm Tonkin Zulaikha Greer (TZG), which is no stranger to heritage buildings, the upgrades meticulously revitalise the building to meet contemporary museum standards while maintaining the unique character of Whiteley’s environment. Without losing the essence of the studio, TZG carefully updated the building’s environmental controls and accessibility, introducing a lift, new staircase, accessible and ambulant amenities, and a library.

The building exterior has also had a refresh, with a new purpose-built roof and façade extension encasing acoustically treated plant and mechanical equipment, ensuring a controlled interior environment for the ongoing preservation and management of the collection.

Once the building works were complete, the museum was reinstated with Whiteley’s artworks, objects and ephemera just as he left them. By keeping the space as it was, the studio allows visitors to step into Whiteley’s world and experience his art first-hand in the space where it was created.

Unlocking Whiteley’s world for future generations

“The Brett Whiteley Studio is unlike any other site managed by the Art Gallery,” says Maude Page, Art Gallery of New South Wales director. “It reveals the intensity, curiosity and ambition of Whiteley’s practice, offering visitors direct insight into how he lived and worked. Its reopening deepens our connection to Sydney’s artistic and cultural history, and reinforces Whiteley’s enduring influence.”

Wendy Whiteley – gardener, cultural icon, arts patron and the former wife and muse of Brett Whiteley – says the reopening honours the late artist’s legacy while keeping the space alive.

“The Studio carries Brett’s presence in every room. I’m grateful that it has been cared for so thoughtfully and not preserved as a museum relic, but as a living place of creativity that continues to inspire artists and visitors,” says Wendy Whiteley.

The meticulous renovation was funded by the New South Wales Government in association with the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Brett Whiteley Foundation, and Tim Fairfax AC and Gina Fairfax AC.

The Brett Whiteley Studio is open Thursday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm and entry is free.

Top image: Brett Whiteley at his Raper Street studio, Surry Hills, 1986. Photo: © Gerrit Fokkema.