Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso
Artworks from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
23 May - 20 September 2026
Spanning nearly a century of artistic innovation, Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso brings together 37 exceptional paintings and sculptures from the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki never before shown in Australia that capture the radical shifts in art from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century.
Audiences will embark on a journey tracing the major art movements of the modern era, from Impressionism and Post-Impressionism to Fauvism, Cubism, Surrealism and post-war abstraction, through works from icons of the age, including Pierre Bonnard, Georges Braque, Paul Cezanne, Salvador Dalí, Paul Gauguin, Barbara Hepworth, Fernand Léger, Henri Matisse, and Pablo Picasso.
This significant collection includes a major philanthropic gift from New York-based collectors Julian Robertson (1932-2022) and Josie Robertson (1943-2010) to Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki in 2023. Their generous bequest offers a rare glimpse into the vision of two passionate art patrons and their lifelong commitment to sharing and celebrating modern art.
From the sensual nudes and atmospheric brushwork of late 19th century Impressionism to the geometric intensity of Cubism and the dreamlike worlds of Surrealism, Facing Modernity traces how artists shattered conventions and reimagined the world anew.
Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso will be a ticketed exhibition.
Ticket bookings will open at 10am on Thursday 23 April 2026.
To register your interest for tickets, sign up to our mailing list below:
Extended museum hours during Facing Modernity
During Facing Modernity, SAM will be open 7 days a week—meaning whatever your schedule, we'll be here to welcome you to world-class arts experiences.
SAM will be open from 10AM-4PM daily, with extended hours to 7PM every Friday evening from 23 May to 20 September.
Ticketing: Prices, packages and concessions
Exhibition ticket prices
| Single ticket price | Double-pass ticket price (entry to Facing Modernity & Archibald Prize) | Multi-pass price (five entries) |
Adult | $24.00 | $48.00 | N/A |
Greater Shepparton residents Concession card holders | $19.00 | $38.00 | $80.00* *Available to Greater Shepparton residents only |
Friend of SAM member | $17.00 | $34.00 | $70.00 |
Teens aged 13-18 | $12.00 | $24.00 | N/A |
Children aged 12 and under | Free | Free | N/A |
Please note: A surcharge will apply to all payments made via credit/debit card.
Ticket types:
Single ticket: A ticket that grants the ticket holder timed entry to one exhibition on a specified date and time. Single tickets can be booked online and in person.
Double-pass ticket: A ticket that grants the ticket holder entry to both Facing Modernity and Archibald Prize 2026 during one visit on a specified date and time (valid between 5 September – 20 September 2026).
Multi-pass ticket: A flexible ticket available to Greater Shepparton residents and Friends of SAM members that grants the ticket holder five entries to paid exhibitions. The multi-pass ticket can be used across both Facing Modernity and Archibald Prize 2026 and is valid from 23 May to 1 November 2026.
Concession tickets are valid for:
- Full time TAFE and University students upon presentation of a valid student ID
- Pensioner Concession card holders
- Health Care card holders
- Commonwealth Seniors Health card holders
- Seniors card holders
- Veteran Affairs card holders (DVA gold card)
- Members of public galleries and museums throughout Australia
Ticketing: Prices, packages and concessions
Please note: A surcharge will apply to all payments made via credit/debit card.
Ticket types:
Single ticket: A ticket that grants the ticket holder timed entry to one exhibition on a specified date and time. Single tickets can be booked online and in person.
Double-pass ticket: A ticket that grants the ticket holder entry to both Facing Modernity and Archibald Prize 2026 during one visit on a specified date and time (valid between 5 September – 20 September 2026).
Multi-pass ticket: A flexible ticket available to Greater Shepparton residents and Friends of SAM members that grants the ticket holder five entries to paid exhibitions. The multi-pass ticket can be used across both Facing Modernity and Archibald Prize 2026 and is valid from 23 May to 1 November 2026.
Concession tickets are valid for:
- Full time TAFE and University students upon presentation of a valid student ID
- Pensioner Concession card holders
- Health Care card holders
- Commonwealth Seniors Health card holders
- Seniors card holders
- Veteran Affairs card holders (DVA gold card)
- Members of public galleries and museums throughout Australia
About the double-pass ticket:
Double-pass tickets will be available for visitors to view both Facing Modernity and Archibald Prize 2026 in a single visit from 5 September to 20 September. Each individual visitor wishing to view both exhibitions must purchase their own double-pass ticket — they cannot be shared between two people. Double-pass tickets can be booked online and in person.
About the multi-pass ticket:
Multi-pass tickets are designed especially for local Greater Shepparton residents and Friends of SAM members, enabling flexible entry to both Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso and Archibald Prize 2026 at any date or time from 23 May to 1 November 2026 for a total of five visits. Multi-passes can only be purchased in person at the Ticket Desk located on SAM’s ground level.
Your multi-pass will be validated by SAM Staff upon each use until your five admissions have been exhausted. A visit to Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso and Archibald Prize 2026 on the same date will count as two admissions on your pass.
Multi-pass tickets are non-transferable — they cannot be shared by multiple people.
Group bookings and school bookings
To enquire about a group booking for Facing Modernity, please get in touch with us via email at bookings@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au or call 03 4804 5000. When making an enquiry, let us know if you are planning a self-guided visit, or are seeking a guided tour.
For bookings of guided tours for school groups, please get in touch via email at education@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au.
Frequently asked questions
Plan your visit to Shepparton Art Museum
Plan your trip to Shepparton
Are you travelling to SAM from outside the Goulburn Valley? Head to our Plan Your Visit page to find out information on:
Elsewhere at SAM café
If you plan to visit our onsite café, Elsewhere at SAM, before or after you view the exhibition, we highly recommend booking a table ahead of time. To book a table and find out more information about Elsewhere at SAM, visit their website.
Selected artworks featured in Facing Modernity
Selected artworks featured in Facing Modernity
Artworks L-R:
1. André Derain, Paysage à l'Estaque (Estaque Landscape), 1906, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Julian and Josie Robertson through the Auckland Art Gallery Foundation, 2023; 2. Paul Cezanne, La route (Le mur d'enceinte)/The Road (The Old Wall), 1875-1876, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Julian and Josie Robertson through the Auckland Art Gallery Foundation, 2023; 3. Henri Matisse, Espagnole (Buste)/The Spanish Woman, 1922, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Julian and Josie Robertson through the Auckland Art Gallery Foundation, 2023
Location: Lin Onus Gallery, Level 1, SAM
Curator: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
