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MAMA is giving visitors to its upcoming Sidney Nolan exhibition the chance to own one or more of the famous artist's photographs.

The exhibition features the full set of 61 photographs taken by Nolan as he toured far northern Queensland in 1952. He was commissioned by Brisbane's Courier Mail newspaper to record his impressions of the worst drought in Australia's history.

The images were never published, deemed too horrific and confronting. Nolan put the negatives away in a tin, where they remained until discovered during a clean-out of his manor house in 1996.

The black and white photographs will be on display at MAMA in the Maurice Chick and MacLeod-Miller Adamshurst Gallery from 21 April and 29 May 2016.

Complementing the photographs will be a collection of mixed media drawings and paintings by Nolan as well as photographs from MAMA's permanent collection.

MAMA Curator, Bianca Acimovic, says it will be the first time that Nolan's 'lost' photographs will be exhibited outside a capital city.

"We're very excited to be exhibiting these images together with the Nolan paintings, which capture a significant period in Australia's history."

"We're also presenting a unique opportunity for collectors and interested people to purchase either a limited edition set of all 61 photographs, or individual photographs which will be available for sale."