ABSTRACT
Before entering an art museum, we are aware of the authority that it, as an institution, has on us; we are aware of its authorial presence. Many national and state museums are constructed with flights of stairs leading to their entrances, or they may be set back from the street, in parklands or in prominent positions in the city. In Sydney, some museums, including the MCA, are wide buildings made of sandstone, a material which connotes authority, at least in Sydney, as it has been used for many other stately buildings such as courthouses, the State Parliament House, gaols and libraries. As we approach the museum, then, we are already positioned emotionally and attitudinally from our initial impressions of the museum’s façade (White, 1994: 4).
