Looking for that perfect shot at Vivid Sydney? Here’s where you need to go.
Vivid Sydney 2026 is just around the corner, lighting up our harbour city from May 22 until June 13. At the centre of the multi-arts festival are the numerous light installations that pop up across the city and on the official Vivid Light Walk, which is completely free to enjoy.
If you’re looking to up your gram game, use this guide to help plan your evening out at Vivid Sydney 2026. Your camera roll will thank us later…
1. The Prism
Snap a selfie of you and your friends at The Prism, a pointed dome reflecting a rainbow of gentle light complete with pulsating LEDs. Not just a pretty face, The Prism is also an immersive chill-out space complete with cushy bean bags in the middle of Vivid Light Walk, so you can relax, recline and take in the huge installation for as long as you please. The coolest part? The Prism was originally created for Burning Man, coming to Sydney’s shores from Nevada Desert.
Where: Jessie Street Gardens, 29 Loftus Street, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: May 22-June 13, 6pm-11pm.
2. Koro Loko
Originally created for Burning Man, Koro Loko is a shimmering crystalline heart sculpture that makes the perfect backdrop for a photo with your bestie. The 11-foot-tall heart glitters in the daylight and comes alive at night with LEDs, creating a casade of iridescent colours moving across the tiles.
Where: Campbell’s Stores, 7-27 Circular Quay W, The Rocks, NSW 2000.
When: May 22-June 13, 6pm-11pm.
3. Dear You
A giant message in a bottle sits in Circular Quay, the backdrop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge making this the perfect shot. The wistful words, “Welcome to Sydney, where your story begins”, are lit up on an ancient piece of parchment. Who wrote it? We don’t know. But there is no better home for the bottle than Sydney Harbour, a place shaped by millions of beginnings, long before the First Fleet arrived in 1788; a place central to Eora fishing, culture and storytelling for countless generations.
Where: Campbells Cove, 4 Circular Quay W, The Rocks NSW 2000.
When: May 22-June 13, 6pm-11pm.
4. Pendulum
This huge installation, by Sydney studio Amigo & Amigo, sits just next to the Harbour Bridge at Hickson Road Reserve. Based on Newton’s Pendulum (those office toys where five spheres knock each other back and forth), this supersized version allows you to push a huge illuminated sphere at either end and watch the hanging installation burst with changing lights. Whether you’re snapping your pic with the backdrop of the Harbour Bridge or Sydney’s skyline, this is a must-visit work of art.
Where: Hickson Road Reserve, Circular Quay, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: May 22-June 13, 6pm-11pm.
5. Lighting of the Sails: Opera Mundi
What’s more iconic than a snap of the Sydney Opera House lit up with breathtaking art, which, this year, is created by renowned French multimedia artist Yann Nguema. The breathtaking original commission is an ode to landscape and nature: the earth , sea and the sky. Upgrade your Opera House photo by capturing it illuminated with this stunning projected artwork.
Where: Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: May 22-June 13, 6pm-11pm.
6. The Fringe of Infinity
With a name like “The Fringe of Infinity”, you already know this installation is going to deliver the drama. Watching Customs House transformed during Vivid Sydney is always a highlight, and the iconic Circular Quay landmark remains one of my favourite spots to photograph year after year.
This year, Spanish artist Javier Riera reimagines the façade with striking geometric projections inspired by patterns found in nature, from spiralling Fibonacci sequences to the hexagonal symmetry of honeycombs. Blending art, light, and mathematical precision, it’s set to be one of the most captivating displays at this year’s festival.
Where: Customs House, 31 Alfred Street, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: May 22-June 13, 6pm-11pm.
7. Laser Lightfall
This huge sweeping light installation has been labelled Australia’s most ambitious free outdoor laser spectacular. The choreographed laser show will cast a scatter of lights over Cockle Bay to a propulsive score by Sonar Music. Over seven minutes, the show starts with single colours before transforming into an increasingly intricate display in the sky. It will run each evening in Vivid for four sequences each hour between 6pm-11pm.
Where: Cockle Bay, 201 Sussex St, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: May 22-June 13, 6pm-11pm.
8. Molecule of Light
Standing 23 metres tall on three metal legs, this 6.5 ton sphere with a meteorite positioned at its centre sits above Barangaroo Reserve. The celestial laser installation, Molecule of Light, also vibrates with energy during the day, emitting a tone set at 528hz. Often called the “frequency of love”, it’s one of the strongest on the Solfeggio scale, an ancient set of frequencies believed to have healing properties. That means you can snap an incredible photo as lasers sweep across the reserve, while immersive sound frequencies create a deeply calming atmosphere.
Where: Walumil Lawns, Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo NSW 2000.
When: May 22-June 13, 6pm-11pm.
9. Mycelium Network
UK artist Stevie Thompson brings mushroom-inspired magic to Vivid Sydney with this living, breathing web of light. Found among the trees of Barangaroo Reserve, the glowing fibre-optic network twists, pulses, and shimmers like a bioluminescent ecosystem straight out of a fantasy world. It’s the kind of installation that feels almost otherworldly, and will look incredible through a camera lens.
Where: Walumi Lawns, Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo NSW 2000.
When: May 22-June 13, 6pm-11pm.
10. Laniakea
This epic, supergalactic light display will be projected onto Barangaroo House, dazzling passersby with its celestial beauty. For the perfect Instagram pic, book dinner at Barangaroo House and get a shot of you enjoying dinner or sipping from a glass of vino in front of David Moraton’s spectacular cosmic saga.
Where: Barangaroo House, 35 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo NSW 2000.
When: May 22-June 13, 6pm-11pm.
Check out the full Vivid Light program here
