20 June to 11 October 2026

One of Geelong’s biggest cultural events of the year is now open at Geelong Gallery.

Discovering the Impressionists: Paul Durand-Ruel, Art Dealer Among the Artists brings more than 70 paintings to Geelong Gallery, with works from two generations of Impressionist artists. Many are from private collections in France and have never been seen in Australia before.

At the centre of the exhibition is Paul Durand-Ruel, the art dealer who backed the Impressionists when the art world was not quite ready for them. He supported artists who would go on to reshape the way people looked at colour, light, movement and everyday life.

The exhibition arrives during Geelong Gallery’s 130th anniversary year, with plenty nearby to turn a Gallery visit into lunch, dinner or a weekend in Geelong.

Get your tickets

Special events

Make a night of the exhibition with a line-up of special events running alongside Discovering the Impressionists.

After-hours sessions give you the chance to see the exhibition on selected evenings, with two ticketed sessions available from 5.30pm to 9.30pm.

There are also one-off experiences pairing the exhibition with local wine, dining and fragrance, including Oakdene wine masterclasses with dinner at Sociali, French wine and cheese with Archive Wine Bar and scent workshops with Aysha Hansen at Crowne Plaza Geelong.

The Arts Dialogue Series also brings curators, art historians and leading arts voices together for relaxed conversations over a glass of wine or beer, at Felix Restaurant on Little Malop Street.

See all special events

Eat and drink

Make a meal of it. Geelong Gallery is right near Little Malop Street, with restaurants, wine bars, cafés and late-night spots within an easy walk.

You can also stretch the visit across Geelong, from the waterfront and CBD to Newtown, Highton or out to The Bellarine.

For exhibition-inspired dining, look out for French flavours, special menus, wine events and after-hours experiences at places including Caruggi, Felix, Crowne Plaza Geelong, Sociali and Skyline Bar at Crowne Plaza and The Retreat.

Play, shop and visit

Add a little more to your visit. After the Gallery, check out a show at Geelong Arts Centre, Geelong Library & Heritage Centre, Boom Gallery, Platform Arts, the National Wool Museum or with the kids MoPA: Museum of Play and Art is the perfect stop.

You’ll also find local shops, makers, bookstores, flowers, antiques and art supplies close by.

Stay a little longer

Stay close to the Gallery and give yourself more time in Geelong. Crowne Plaza Geelong is the official hotel partner for the exhibition, sitting on the waterfront about a 9-minute walk from Geelong Gallery.

Turn it into a weekend with dinner nearby, a walk along the waterfront, a show at Geelong Arts Centre or more time in the city’s galleries, shops and laneways.

Getting to Discovering the Impressionists

Getting to Geelong to see Discovering the Impressionists: Paul Durand-Ruel is easy, with travel options by car, train, ferry or coach. The exhibition is held at Geelong Gallery, right in the heart of the city, at 55 Little Malop Street.

By Train

Jump on a V/Line service from Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station. It’s around an hour to Geelong Station, and just a short 3-minute walk to the Gallery through Johnstone Park.

By Car

Geelong is just an hour from Melbourne’s CBD via the Princes Freeway. There’s free two-hour parking sessions in 2P on-street spaces across Geelong, and free parking on weekends. Additional parking is available at the Civic Centre car park off Gheringhap Street.

By coach

Major coach services including V/Line run routes to Geelong from across Victoria. Most services arrive at Geelong Railway Station or the Moorabool Street Bus Interchange, both within walking distance of the Gallery.

By Ferry

Coming from Tasmania? The Spirit of Tasmania terminal is only an 8-minute drive from the city centre.

If you’re travelling from the Mornington Peninsula, you can bring your car across the bay with Searoad Ferries, operating daily between Sorrento and Queenscliff. Once you dock at Queenscliff, it’s a scenic 30-minute drive to Geelong’s CBD.

Getting around

Once you’re here, the city is compact and easy to explore on foot. Grab a coffee, visit a laneway bar, then stroll to the Gallery, all without needing your car.