Over the years, the Sydney Opera House has accumulated this collection of Australian artworks, much of which relates to the performing arts or to the site.
Most works are on view within the public spaces of the building's interior.
While some were donated or bequeathed to the Sydney Opera House, other works were commissioned. Among the most significant pieces in the collection are two large murals. John Olsen's Salute to Slessor's Five Bells can be found in the northern foyer of the Concert Hall, while Michael Nelson Tjakamarra's Possum Dreaming is located in the Northern Foyer of the Opera Theatre. The mural was painted specifically for its current location, an area suspended above Sydney Harbour. Five Bells tells the story of an artist who disappeared one night when travelling on a harbour ferry.