Pop to Present: American Art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts celebrates and amplifies the plural artistic voices of the United States.
Opening with an iconic 1948 drip painting by Jackson Pollock and closing with a poignant sculptural assemblage by the Alabama-based artist Thornton Dial, this landmark presentation of 52 compelling works from the world-renowned Virginia Museum of Fine Arts offers a comprehensive overview of the principal themes and styles shaping American art since 1945.
A major cultural event for Aotearoa New Zealand, this special exhibition includes high-quality examples of Abstract Expressionism, Pop and Minimalism along with richly textured paintings by Pattern and Decoration artists, hyper-detailed canvases by 1970s Photorealists, and contemporary figurative pieces that explore questions of identity, power and representation. Showcasing 28 works by women and African American and Indigenous artists, Pop to Present places well-known names in conversation with figures from diverse backgrounds to provide a more inclusive account of recent American art.
Artists featured in this broad and nuanced survey include Benny Andrews, Roslyn Drexler, Elaine de Kooning, Willem de Kooning, Helen Frankenthaler, Sam Gilliam, Philip Guston, Barkley L. Hendricks, Norman Lewis, Roy Lichtenstein, Virgil Ortiz, Howardena Pindell, Martin Puryear, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Mark Rothko, Kiki Smith, Clyfford Still, Cy Twombly, Andy Warhol and Jack Whitten.
Pop to Present is organised by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia. The exhibition is presented in association with Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival 2026, and proudly supported by Auckland Art Gallery Foundation, Omnigraphics, Rova and Stuff.
Tickets
Pricing
Adults (New Zealanders) $29.50
Adults (International tourists) $34.50
Members – FREE
Seniors and Community Card holders $25.50
Students (with Student ID) $25.50
Children 12 and under FREE
Please note, all children 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
How to book
Tickets are now on sale and are available for purchase online and onsite from the Gallery’s information desk on our Ground level.
Please note, we’re operating a timed-entry system for this exhibition with entry available every 15 minutes. Your ticket gives you entry to the exhibition once and you may arrive up to 5 minutes after the time you have selected. Entry after this time will be at the Gallery’s discretion. There is no limit to the length of time you spend in the exhibition. The Gallery closes at 5pm daily.
If needed, you can change the date or time of your booking for free using the link sent with your online ticket purchase. Alternatively, you can call our Gallery team for assistance on +64 9 307 7700.
If you have pre-booked your ticket online, you can head straight to the exhibition on Level 1 to validate your ticket for entry.
More information
Prices include GST. Online credit card fees are additional to the admission price.
There is no entry charge for children aged 12 or under, however you will need to select a free child ticket type when booking in advance online. Please note all children aged 14 or under must be accompanied by an adult.
Auckland Art Gallery Members go free. Please choose the free Member ticket type when booking in advance online. Alternatively, present your membership card at our information desk on the day of your visit and you will be issued with a ticket to the exhibition.
Join us as a Member on the same day as your visit to A Century of Modern Art and we’ll refund the price of your exhibition ticket. Members receive a range of benefits, including free unlimited entry to paid exhibitions, invitations to Members-only events, access to the Members lounge, and discounts in our shop and café. Ask us for more information while on your visit to the exhibition.
Visit
Groups
For groups of more than 10 people, please book at least two weeks in advance of your visit to secure entry to this exhibition. To make a group booking, please complete our online booking form.
Discounted entry is available for groups who book in advance:
Adults: $27.50
Seniors and Community Services Card Holders: $23.50
Please note, discounted entry only applies for groups booked two weeks in advance. Unbooked groups are charged standard admission prices.
Primary, Secondary, Tertiary group bookings
Please book at least two weeks in advance of your visit to secure entry to this exhibition. Advance booking is essential to guarantee entry and very large groups may need to be admitted into the exhibition in smaller groups. We reserve the right to add extra staff to supervise large groups. To make a group booking, please complete our online booking form.
Discounted entry is only available for groups who book in advance:
Primary school group students: No charge
Secondary school group students: $10
Tertiary group students: $10
Separate charges may apply for accompanying teachers and adults.
Teacher/adult-to-student ratios apply:
Years 1-4 / Ages 5-9 – 1:6
Years 5-7 / Ages 10-11 – 1:7
Years 7-10 / Ages 12-15 – 1:10
Years 11-13 / Ages 16-18 – 1:30
We are offering a dedicated 50-min tour of this exhibition for secondary students. Book now using our online booking form, subject to availability.
FAQs
Pop to Present: American Art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is on show at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki from Saturday 8 November 2025 – Sunday 15 March 2026. The exhibition is open during normal Gallery hours, 10am–5pm daily.
Pop to Present is located on Level 1.
Tickets are available to purchase online and onsite from the Gallery’s information desk on our Ground level.
Please note, we’re operating a timed-entry system for this exhibition with entry available every 15 minutes. Your ticket gives you entry to the exhibition once and you may arrive up to 5 minutes after the time you have selected. Entry after this time will be at the Gallery’s discretion. There is no limit to the length of time you spend in the exhibition. The Gallery closes at 5pm daily.
Yes, we have an online rescheduling system that allows you to easily change the date or time of your booking. Alternatively, you can call our Gallery team for assistance on +64 9 307 7700.
In order to help manage capacity inside the exhibition, it is necessary to book tickets for an allocated time slot. If you are unsure of when you would like to visit, you are welcome to book a ticket for a future date or time and reschedule your booking later using the online rescheduling system linked in your order confirmation email. Alternatively, you can call our Gallery team for assistance on +64 9 307 7700 or email tickets@aucklandartgallery.com.
Yes. Children aged 12 and under are FREE. Please note that children aged under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Tickets allow single entry to the exhibition. However, you are welcome to spend as long in the exhibition as you need. The Gallery closes at 5pm daily.
Yes, if you are a Gallery Member, entry to Pop to Present is FREE.
You can secure your free Member tickets in advance online. You may also secure your free ticket from our information desk on the Ground level or at the exhibition entry on Level 1 on the day of your visit, exhibition capacity allowing.
If you visit us on one of our busier days and times, there may be a wait for entry to Pop to Present. Our busier times are generally between 10am and 2pm, and our busier days are weekends, public holidays and school holidays. Please note, if you purchase your tickets online in advance, you do not need to check in at the Gallery's information desk on Ground level. Head straight up to Level 1 for exhibition entry.
For online tickets, our standard terms and conditions apply.
Your ticket price contributes to the costs involved in mounting an exhibition of this scale and calibre and of bringing international objects on loan to Aotearoa New Zealand.
Unless sold out prior, you can book tickets online at any point up until the session begins.
Tickets may also be purchased from our information desk on Ground Level on the day of your visit.
We recommend allowing 60 minutes to view Pop to Present. The Gallery closes at 5pm daily.
Visitors will be asked to self-identify as either a New Zealand resident or an international tourist when purchasing tickets. Proof of identity will not be required.
Yes! We encourage and welcome families with children of all ages to visit Pop to Present. Children aged 12 and under go FREE.
You can secure your free child tickets in advance online. You may also secure your free child ticket from our information desk on the day of your visit.
After viewing the exhibition, extend your visit with a trip to Te Aka Matua | The Creative Learning Centre.
Please note we don't allow food or drink in the exhibition and ask that you don't touch the artworks.
Yes, photography without flash for personal use is permitted. Where there are exclusions, 'no photography' signage will be on display. View the Gallery's full photography policy here.
Please resist the temptation to touch as the artworks as oils and dirt from fingerprints can cause damage over time. Working together to care for and protect the artworks ensures that future generations can enjoy them.
Yes. Bookings for groups (including adult education groups) of 10 or more people should be made by completing our online booking form. Please book at least two weeks in advance of your visit to secure entry to this exhibition.
Booked groups will be prioritised.