MoPA is expanding its “magic” into Melbourne, with a facility three times the size of the Geelong art museum on track to open in December.
“It’s huge!” said co-owner Tom Mahon, after he and wife Billie Georgieff sold their home to build the original $1 million Museum of Play and Art in Geelong.
Construction has continued on their new Sandringham venue, formerly an indoor sports centre, through the recent lockdowns with some delays for supplies.
Recently the multi-million-dollar project received a $277,000 federal arts grant, which Tom said had allowed them to hire more artists, craftspeople and sound and light engineers to add “more magic” at “a scale we never imagined”.
MoPA Geelong opened for 10 weeks before COVID-19 hit in March 2020. The venue has reopened sporadically since, attracting more than 100,000 visitors so far.
Tom hopes the COVID-19 situation will improve in time for the opening of the new venue.
“The true test will be in the next few months,” he said.
