Discover Brisbane’s Vibrant Museums and Galleries

Brisbane’s museums look to the future as well as the past, with connections to cultural movements throughout the Asia-Pacific.

The city’s arts scene celebrates its thriving Indigenous culture alongside innovations in international arts. Additionally, niche historical museums delve into the ancient past, showcasing Brisbane’s convict history and the city’s critical role in WWII in the Pacific.

Museum of Brisbane: Best for Cutting-Edge Culture

Learn more about Brisbane at the award-winning Museum of Brisbane. This venue goes beyond traditional history displays, exploring music, fashion, and contemporary culture through its innovative programs.

Recent exhibitions have examined the impact of Bauhaus on Brisbane architecture, invited visitors to engage with graffiti art, and showcased Indigenous artist Dylan Mooney’s Blak Superheroes. The museum also offers a fantastic kids program and a gift shop featuring unique Brisbane-themed souvenirs crafted by local artists. It is conveniently located on the third floor of Brisbane City Hall.

Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art: Best for Landmark Art

Affectionately known as QAGOMA, Australia’s largest art museum spans two impressive buildings within the South Bank cultural precinct.

GOMA is renowned for its modern art exhibitions, housed in a striking building that lights up at night, exuding a vibrant atmosphere. The gallery features Michael Parekowhai’s life-size bronze elephant, The World Turns, dramatically poised in a face-plant position.

The exhibitions spotlight Australian, Asian, and Pacific artists, and the gallery boasts an impressive collection of works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Additionally, visitors can partake in Indigenous arts experiences co-created by Indigenous-owned Blaklash Creative. Rare films are screened multiple times per week at GOMA’s Cinémathèque.

Next, the prestigious Queensland Art Gallery showcases masterpieces by Australian luminaries such as Sidney Nolan, Margaret Olley, and William Dobell.

Queensland Museum: Best for Dinosaurs and Megafauna

Dinosaurs take center stage at the Queensland Museum at South Bank. This venue features impressive exhibits, including Queensland’s own 25-foot Muttaburrasaurus langdoni alongside iconic American dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops. Also on display are ancient megafauna such as giant kangaroos and massive frogs that once roamed Australia alongside woolly mammoths.

The onsite SparkLab Sciencentre aims to ignite young imaginations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Temporary exhibitions often highlight LEGO wonders or discussions about Queensland’s delicate Great Barrier Reef. A noteworthy installation, Science on a Sphere, projects digital datasets on a globe-like screen, making it an engaging experience.

Fortitude Valley and New Farm: Best for Small Galleries

Visit the creative hubs of Fortitude Valley and nearby New Farm to explore the best contemporary Queensland art scene. Notable small galleries include the Jan Murphy Gallery, Suzanne O’Connell Gallery, and Edwina Corlette Gallery.

Moreover, the Institute of Modern Art presents an array of media from sonic installations to First Nations fiber art. In New Farm, the Brisbane Powerhouse combines visual art, theatre, live music, and excellent dining options, all within a transformed power station.

QUT Art Museum: Best for Up-and-Coming Artists

Situated on the Queensland University of Technology campus near the Botanic Gardens, the QUT Art Museum showcases exciting works by art students and international guests, as well as pieces from its extensive contemporary art collection. Previous exhibitions have highlighted Australian women abstract artists and documentary photography inspired by local fringe-dwellers.

Birrunga Gallery and Dining: Best for Indigenous Connection

First Nations-owned Birrunga Gallery and Dining serves as a hub for Indigenous culture in Meanjin (Brisbane). This venue combines an art gallery, performance space, café, and wine bar, creating a welcoming atmosphere to connect with the local community. The café menu features native herbs and traditional bush tucker.

Macarthur Museum Brisbane: Best for World War II History

In 1943, Brisbane underwent a significant transformation as it became home to approximately 100,000 US troops, comprising a quarter of the city’s population at that time. The MacArthur Museum Brisbane offers visitors a glimpse into the historical impact of this military presence and the everyday tensions faced during wartime. Step into General Douglas MacArthur’s office, the supreme commander of the Allied Forces, where strategic military plans were formulated.

Commissariat Store Museum: Best for Convict History

For an insight into Australia’s colonial past, visit the Commissariat Store Museum, a convict-built storehouse established in 1829 and Queensland’s oldest operational building. This museum reveals the early penal settlement through a collection of unusual artifacts, including leg irons and a convict’s prosthetic foot.

Pillars Project: Best for Street Art

The Pillars Project is an engaging street art gallery located beneath the South Brisbane rail overpass. This space showcases 11 striking pieces, including a tribute by local street artist Fintan Magee to Brisbane’s devastating floods of 2011.