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The City: Museum and galleries

Immerse yourself in Brisbane’s fascinating history at The City’s premier museums and galleries. From outstanding contemporary collections housing authentic Queensland stories to playful and provocative public art on display, The City is a treasure trove for lovers of art, culture and history. Here’s six rich cultural experiences to be found in The City.

Museum of Brisbane, Brisbane City Hall 

Located on the third floor of the historic City Hall building, Museum of Brisbane (MoB) is one of The City’s best-kept secrets. With rotating exhibitions, workshops, tours, talks and special events that celebrate Brisbane’s fashion, music, art, cultural and design industries, it’s an interactive way to immerse yourself in our City’s past and present. Be sure to stop by the MoB Shop during your visit and browse a curated range of contemporary jewellery, ceramics, homewares, stationery, books and treats by independent makers.  

MacArthur Museum Brisbane, Edward St  

For those seeking a deep dive into little-known aspects of Brisbane history, the MacArthur Museum Brisbane in the heritage-listed MacArthur Chambers building is a fascinating visit. Dedicated to telling the stories of Brisbane’s involvement in World War II and the impact on the city and its people, the MacArthur Museum offers a poignant, powerful and informative look behind the front lines of our role in one of modern history’s greatest conflicts.  

Birrunga Gallery, Adelaide St  

Proudly Indigenous owned and operated, Birrunga Gallery was founded by celebrated visual artist and Wiradyuri man, Birrunga Wiradyuri. Alongside Principal Artist Birrunga, whose works explore the spirituality of the Wiradyuri people in historical and contemporary contexts, the gallery exhibits a diverse collection of original artworks by resident First Nations artists. Open to the public and free of charge, Birrunga Gallery also features an onsite café specialising in modern Australian cuisine with a Native twist.   

Commissariat Store Museum, William St  

Built by convicts between 1828 and 1829, the Commissariat Store is Queensland’s most significant and oldest habitable building. Housed within one of 11 heritage buildings that make up the Queen’s Wharf Brisbane precinct, The Commissariat Store is a niche museum showcasing Queensland’s history via a series of rotating exhibitions and a fascinating collection of models and artefacts – the most significant being the building itself.  

QUT Art Museum, George St  

QUT Art Museum and its sister gallery, William Robinson Gallery , are two of Queensland’s premier visual art institutions. At QUT Art Museum, you’ll find in-house curated exhibitions drawn from the university’s extensive art collection of more than 3000 objects, including paintings, sculptures and ceramics, chiefly by Australian artists. The William Robinson Gallery in the beautiful surrounds of Old Government House proudly celebrates the works of Australia’s preeminent landscape artist William Robinson, housing more than 300 objects. Both galleries are open to the public and free, and complemented by a year-round program of special events and educational experiences. 

Art Walking Trails, Various Locations  

Hidden down laneways, in public parks and on high-rise facades, The City is filled with incredible public art and perfect for an on-foot art adventure. Make your way through Brisbane City Council’s five public art trails , grouped thematically with unique experiences centring the Brisbane River, Brisbane’s contemporary art and architecture, and our City's cultural heritage.  

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What’s On

• Rearranged: Art of the Flower
• Making Place: 100 Views of Brisbane
• Artist in Residence
• All Exhibitions
• Clock Tower Tour

Brisbane City Hall Tour

• Language Other Than English
• Ekphrastic Writing Club
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• BYO Baby Tour
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Making Place: Explore the artworks

• Clay: Collected Ceramics
• Rearranged: Get to Know the Artists
• The Easton Pearson Archive
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• Stories of Place Audio Tour
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• Where I Belong Podcast
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Museum of Brisbane

• Level 3, Brisbane City Hall 64 Adelaide St, Brisbane 4000
• info@museumofbrisbane.com.au
• (07) 3339 0800
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Welcome to Museum of Brisbane

Museum of Brisbane is located on Level 3 of Brisbane City Hall in King George Square. Holding a significant place in the hearts of Brisbane residents as the ‘People’s Place’ City Hall is Brisbane’s premier heritage building.

Public Holiday Opening Hours

Museum of Brisbane is closed for Christmas Day (25 December), Boxing Day (26 December), New Year’s Day (1 January) and Good Friday (29 March).

Museum of Brisbane is open from 1:30pm on ANZAC Day (25 April).

Museum of Brisbane is open on all other Public Holidays from 10:00am–5:00pm.

• info@museumofbrisbane.com.au

Opening hours

Are you planning to visit.

Museum of Brisbane Level 3, Brisbane City Hall, King George Square, Brisbane. Entry is free.

Enter through the King George Square foyer of City Hall. Turn right and take the lifts up to Level 3.

Please note you cannot access the Museum via stairs.

Museum of Brisbane aims to accommodate for the needs of all visitors. Please see our Access page for information on our current services and programs. If additional assistance is required please contact Museum on +61 (0)7 2102 6856 to make arrangements before you arrive.

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Sensory Map and Social Story

Museum of Brisbane aims to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors.

Visitors are invited to view our Social Story and Sensory Venue Map .

Group bookings

If you book for a group of 10 or more, our Museum team will be on hand to make your visit as enjoyable as possible. Our team can personalise your tour,  introduce your group to the current exhibitions and museum facilities, highlight artworks and stories of interest and answer all of your questions. We can also provide you with exhibition brochures and related materials to use during your visit.

To book a group visit, please contact us between 10am-5pm Monday to Friday on [email protected] or (07) 3339 0800.

School visits

MoB Learn fosters the next generation of curious and creative thinkers through highly immersive programs and experiences.

EXPLORE MoB LEARN

Conditions of Entry

To ensure the safety of our artworks, and in consideration of other visitors, we ask that movement through the Museum be considerate. During your visit, please maintain healthy hygiene practices. We have taken extra measures as recommended by the Queensland Government to assist you with this, including increased cleaning frequency, handwashing and sanitiser facilities. For the safety of artworks and visitors, it is a requirement that visitors to the Museum accept and comply with these conditions.

• Group visits for 10 or more need to contact the Museum to arrange, [email protected]
• Please cover coughs and sneezes
• No touching of artwork
• No food/drink
• No backpacks, large bags, or helmets | Lockers available
• No umbrellas | Lockers available
• No selfie sticks
• No flash photography or as otherwise directed
• Mobile phones should be turned to silent mode
• Museum of Brisbane staff have the right to refuse over-sized bags such as suitcases due to limited space and safety in the Museum’s Cloakroom

Please stay at home if you are unwell. Museum of Brisbane has the right to refuse entry at our discretion.

Public Transport

There are a number of buses that stop along Adelaide Street and Ann Street as well as many services which stop in King George Square and Queen Street bus terminals, located a short walk from City Hall.

Museum of Brisbane is a 10-minute walk from Central and Roma Street train stations.

For more information regarding public transport in Brisbane contact TransLink on 13 12 30 or visit  www.translink.com.au

Private Transport and Parking

CAR PARKING

There is undercover paid parking available in King George Square car park with entrances on Adelaide Street and Roma Street.

For more information regarding parking in the city, visit Brisbane City Council’s website .

There are a number of bike paths and bike racks located in the city. For more information about bike paths and bike parking, visit Brisbane City Council’s website .

Museum of Brisbane has a small number of lockers where visitors can cloak their bags.

Please note, these lockers do not fit large suitcases and we are not able to mind these for you.  We recommend dropping suitcases off at luggage facilities near City Hall in Queen Street Mall.

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9 best museums in Brisbane: contemporary art, convicts, Indigenous culture and more

Nov 29, 2021 • 5 min read

Brisbane is a city that looks to the future as well as the past © Getty Images

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

The city’s arts scene celebrates its thriving Indigenous culture as well as innovations in international arts. Meanwhile, niche historical museums delve into the ancient past when dinosaurs and megafauna ruled the land, as well as Brisbane’s convict history and the city’s critical role in the WWII war in the Pacific. 

Museum of Brisbane: best for cutting-edge culture

Bone up on Brisbane at the award-winning Museum of Brisbane , which goes beyond dusty history to delve into music, fashion, and contemporary culture with its boundary-pushing program. 

Recent MoB exhibitions have unpacked the impact of Bauhaus on Brisbane architecture, invited visitors to graffiti the walls of Boggo Road Gaol, and showcased Indigenous artist Dylan Mooney’s Blak Superheroes . There’s a fantastic kids program, and the gift shop is a top spot to pick up funky Brisbane-themed souvenirs made by local creatives. Find it on the third floor of the Brisbane City Hall.

Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art: best for landmark art

Known to its friends as QAGOMA, Australia’s largest art museum compromises two massive buildings in the South Bank cultural precinct. 

GOMA is the go-to for modern art. Housed in one of Brisbane’s most striking buildings, which is illuminated at night like a disco dancefloor, the gallery is fronted by Michael Parekowhai’s The World Turns , a life-size bronze elephant doing a face-plant into the ground. 

Exhibitions focus on Australian, Asian, and Pacific artists and the gallery has a superb collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. It offers Indigenous arts experiences co-designed by Indigenous-owned Blaklash Creative . Rare and unusual films are shown four times per week at GOMA's Cinémathèque.

Next door prestigious Queensland Art Gallery is heaving with the heavyweights of Australian art such as Sidney Nolan, Margaret Olley, Albert Namatjira, Arthur Boyd, and William Dobell.

Queensland Museum: best for dinos and megafauna

Dinosaurs take pride of place at Queensland Museum at South Bank, including Queensland’s own 25ft Muttaburrasauraus langdoni and American dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops. There are also displays on ancient megafauna such as giant kangaroos, humongous wombats and massive frogs, which populated Australia when woolly mammoths and saber-toothed cats wandered the Northern Hemisphere. 

The onsite SparkLab Sciencentre aims to ignite young imaginations in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and maths. Temporary exhibitions might feature the wonders of the world built in Lego, or examine Queensland’s fragile Great Barrier Reef. There’s a cool Science on a Sphere installation that projects digital datasets from air traffic to animal migration on a planet-like screen. 

Fortitude Valley and New Farm: best for small galleries

Head to the arty Fortitude Valley and nearby New Farm to sample the best in the contemporary Queensland art scene. Distinguished small galleries include Jan Murphy Gallery , Suzanne O’Connell Gallery , TW Fine Art , Edwina Corlette Gallery , Mitchell Fine Art , Griffith University’s POP Gallery , and Brisbane arts superstar Philip Bacon Galleries , to name just a few.

The Valley’s always-inspirational Institute of Modern Art presents works in an array of media from sonic installations to Filipino fashion and First Nations fiber art. Over in New Farm, cutting-edge visual art, theatre, live music, comedy, and a couple of great restaurants are housed in a former power station at the Brisbane Powerhouse . 

QUT Art Museum: best for up-and-coming artists

Located on the Queensland University of Technology campus near the Botanic Gardens, QUT Art Museum is chock-full of exciting new works by art students, international guests, and pieces from its 3000-strong contemporary art collection. Past exhibitions have focused on Australian women abstract artists, documentary photographs of fringe-dwellers, and works inspired by Dick Bruna’s Miffy & Friends .

Birrunga Gallery and Dining: best for Indigenous connection

First Nations-owned and operated Birrunga Gallery and Dining is a hub of Indigenous culture in Meanjin (Brisbane). With an art gallery, performance space, cafe, and wine bar, this is a great space to connect with the local community. The cafe menu features native herbs and bush tucker, like finger lime mayo and Dorrigo pepper croc tail. 

Macarthur Museum Brisbane: best for World War II History

In 1943, 100,000 US troops were stationed in Brisbane, a massive influx that made up a quarter of the city’s population at the time. The MacArthur Museum Brisbane invites you to imagine the impact of the American troops on the city and the tension of daily life during wartime. Sit at the desk of General Douglas MacArthur, supreme commander of the Allied Forces in the South West Pacific Area, where he and his staff hammered out strategies to win the war. 

Commissariat Store Museum: best for convict history

For a peek into Australia's colonial history, stroll into Commissariat Store Museum , a convict-built storehouse from 1829 and Queensland’s oldest building still in use. Uncover the early penal settlement through an oddball collection of items including leg irons, a convict’s prosthetic foot and the full-bottomed wig of Sir Samuel Griffith, premier of Queensland 1883-88. 

Pillars Project: best for street art

The Pillars Project is a street art gallery under the South Brisbane rail overpass. It features 11 beautiful pieces – look out for Brisbane boy and international street art superstar Fintan Magee’s tribute to Brisbane’s devastating floods of 2011.

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Museum of Brisbane

Things to do brisbane , brisbane , queensland.

Museum of Brisbane is central to conversations about the evolving life of Brisbane, its histories and contemporary cultures.

Housed within iconic Brisbane City Hall, MoB celebrates the creatives and history makers to deepen an understanding of place. They reflect Brisbane’s people and passions and its ever-evolving cultures. Museum of Brisbane is Brisbane City Council’s leading history and art museum, where you can experience the city’s vibrant culture.

Museum of Brisbane opened in October 2003, on the ground floor of City Hall. At MoB they build on the foundations of the earlier Brisbane City Gallery. In 2010, when City Hall closed for restoration, the Museum relocated temporarily to nearby Ann Street. MoB reopened in April 2013 after a significant refurbishment of City Hall.

Now located in a purpose-built gallery, Museum of Brisbane is on the top floor of the revitalised City Hall, offering views of two of the building’s heritage features, the Clock Tower and copper dome.

An oasis in the heart of the city, Museum of Brisbane is a place to learn and discover the stories of Brisbane. Not sure where to start? Book a free guided highlights tour of current exhibitions!

Designed by the curatorial team and delivered by a MoB Tour Guide, this tour unpacks the themes of current exhibitions, offers a deeper understanding of artworks and explores the rich stories of Brisbane.

Perfect for long-time locals or first-time visitors. All ages welcome.

Disabled Access

From $50 to $55

Step back in time and explore City Hall and beyond, through the eyes of Vida Lahey, one of Brisbane’s most celebrated artists and advocates.

In this fully immersive, theatrical walking-tour performance you’ll be transported to the places that influenced Vida and learn about the personal stories behind some of Brisbane CBD’s most iconic sites.

Discover the sights and sounds of the past and interact with the master painter as she walks and talks you through her world.

Tour departs from the King George Square foyer of City Hall.

Duration of tour: 90minutes (tours may extend beyond 90mins) Distance: 1.7 kilometres Capacity: 15

Discover the secrets of Brisbane’s heritage-listed City Hall building with a guided tour.

With its impressive neo-classical façade, mosaic tiles, stained-glass windows and soaring ceilings, Brisbane City Hall is at the heart of the city. Discover the secrets of this magnificent building which has been the setting for many cultural, social and civic events in the city’s history.

Known as the ‘People’s Place’, City Hall was built between 1920 and 1930 at a cost of almost one million pounds. At the time it was the second largest construction project in Australia, second only to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. A highlight is the stunning auditorium, inspired by Rome’s Pantheon, which has hosted rock stars and royalty and is home to the Father Henry Willis & Sons Pipe Organ, made up of nearly 4,400 pipes. This instrument is one of only two of its kind in the world, and the auditorium continues to be integral to events that reflect the creative and connected city.

City Hall is a working civic building and some areas may be unavailable at certain times.

Tour begins in the King George Square foyer on the ground floor of City Hall. Please note this tour will include staircases.

Back by popular demand! Join MoB for a baby-friendly guided tour of the Museum.

Perfect for parents and their babies, this tour provides the opportunity for families and carers to delve into the themes of the exhibition while allowing plenty of time to stop and chat, feed and cuddle your baby.

Enjoy a museum experience in a low pressure, inclusive environment designed to accommodate even the tiniest art critic where slings, front packs, prams, feeding and even tantrums are all welcome.

Places are limited! Whether it’s your baby’s first visit to MoB or a just a great excuse for a day out, come and share a cultural experience designed just for you. Please ensure you have also booked tickets for your baby or toddler.

From $20 to $25

Peel back the layers of Brisbane’s culture by delving into stories of Traditional Custodians, convicts, public art and one of Brisbane’s towering cathedrals. Then, explore artistic interpretations with a short walk through Museum of Brisbane’s exhibition, ‘Making Place: 100 Views of Brisbane’.

What makes a place? Is it bricks and mortar that build it, or the people that inhabit it? Is it the memories that have been made over millennia that keep it alive? Rapid change is not new to Brisbane. It is a city that has seen constant developments in industry, politics, lifestyle, architecture, and technology over its history, building layer upon layer.

Perfect for first-time visitors or long time lovers of Brisbane, this fast and fun romp through history is not to be missed!

Discover the hidden secrets of your heritage-listed City Hall building with a guided tour of Brisbane’s iconic Clock Tower.

The Clock Tower Tour is a “must-do” for anyone and everyone in Brisbane!

For many years, City Hall’s Clock Tower elevated the building to Brisbane’s tallest, offering visitors a magnificent 360 degree view of the city around them. Whilst the view has changed significantly over the last 90 years, the time-honoured tradition of “taking a trip up the tower” happily continues at Museum of Brisbane.

The Clock Tower Tour includes a ride in one of Brisbane’s oldest working cage lifts, a look behind Australia’s largest analogue clock faces and time to explore the observation platform that shares a unique perspective of your city. See if you can catch a glimpse of the bells!

From $30 to $35

Stretch your legs and imaginations as you trek through the history books with Museum of Brisbane’s walking tour, History on the Hill. Set against the picturesque backdrop of one of Brisbane’s most iconic suburbs, History on the Hill is an interactive walking tour that lifts the lid on the hidden histories of Spring Hill. Climb to the top of Jacob’s Ladder and uncover the grisly story behind the famous Windmill, re-trace the footsteps on the Springbok riots of the 1970s, and unlock the stories behind the charming facades of the city’s historical homesteads.

A must-do tour for lovers of contemporary and convict history alike, peel back the layers on one of Brisbane’s most beloved hives of history, creativity and culture.

An oasis in the heart of the city, Museum of Brisbane (MoB) is a place to learn and discover the stories of Brisbane. Not sure where to start? Book a free guided highlights tour of MoB’s current exhibitions!

Designed by the Museum curatorial team and delivered by a MoB Tour Guide, this tour unpacks the themes of current exhibitions, offers a deeper understanding of artworks and explores the rich stories of Brisbane.

Discover the secrets of Brisbane’s heritage-listed City Hall building with a guided tour in Mandarin. With its impressive neo-classical façade, mosaic tiles, stained-glass windows and soaring ceilings, Brisbane’s heritage-listed City Hall is at the heart of our city. Discover the secrets of this magnificent building which has been the setting for many cultural, social and civic events in our city’s history.

Known as the ‘People’s Place’, City Hall was built between 1920 and 1930 at a cost of almost one million pounds. At the time it was the second largest construction project in Australia, second only to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. A highlight is the stunning auditorium, inspired by Rome’s Pantheon, which has hosted rock stars and royalty and is home to the Father Henry Willis & Sons Pipe Organ, made up of nearly 4,400 pipes. This instrument is one of only two of its kind in the world, and the auditorium continues to be integral to events that reflect our creative and connected city.

Tour begins in the King George Square foyer on the ground floor of City Hall.

Experience an up close view of this premier musical instrument. This tour offers rare access to the Father Henry Willis and Sons Organ, the centrepiece of Brisbane City Hall’s Auditorium. Explore the heritage-listed organ with insights from one of few organists qualified to play this premier instrument.

Built in 1891-92, the Father Henry Willis and Sons Organ is located in the heart of the copper-domed auditorium. Designed in London, with timber casework in Queensland maple, it is one of the premier musical instruments in Australia and has been a backdrop to many cultural, social and civic events.

Accompanied by a professional organist and guide, these tours provide access to the floor of the auditorium and an up-close view of this spectacular instrument.

Step back in time to explore Brisbane in the Second World War. Be transported to the age of jazz music, Yankee soldiers and the infamous Battle of Brisbane in Walking in Wartime, a fully immersive tour that will lead you around the city and into the past.

Starting in the Museum of Brisbane’s City Hall location, uncover the important role the building played during the Second World War, before heading off to uncover locations in the city that reveal compelling stories of wartime experience. Stop at the picturesque Albert Street Uniting Church to hear about Brisbane’s war brides, learn of the tensions between Australian and US troops which caused the infamous ‘Battle of Brisbane’ and uncover the secret stories of the code breakers who helped win the war. Finish your tour in front of the MacArthur Museum, the former headquarters of General MacArthur.

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Learn More About Brisbane’s Remarkable History On These Immersive Walking Tours

Take a stroll back in time with a walking tour hosted by Museum of Brisbane.

Keen to discover the history of Brisbane? Museum of Brisbane’s walking tours are a great way to learn interesting true stories about the River City while exploring an array of historical sites.

Returning this March are their popular tours History on the Hill, Walking in Wartime and Brisbane City: Past and Present. These tours unravel the rich tapestry of Brisbane’s history with every step.

Brisbane City: Past and Present delves into stories of Traditional Custodians, convicts, public art and one of Brisbane’s towering cathedrals. You can also learn the hidden stories of Spring Hill at the History on the Hill tour, and about the Battle of Brisbane at the Walking in Wartime tour.

New to the programme this year is a limited-time first run of immersive theatrical experience Walking with Vida, which will see tour guide Natalie Cowling take on the persona of celebrated artist Vida Lahey as she leads you to some Brisbane CBD spots that influenced the iconic Australian artist.

The walking tours range in price, from $20 to $55, and take place on select days.

For more information on Museum of Brisbane’s walking tours, head to their website.

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13 Of The Best Museums In Brisbane

By Samantha Chariton

8th Jan 2023

Far be it from us to contradict our twelve-year-old selves, but guys, Brisbane museums are cool . Seriously, we’re talking about entire buildings dedicated to fossils, ancient Egyptian tombs, and spooky old crime scene photos. Weekend plans: tick!

From history buffs to chemistry kids and dino nerds, there’s a little something for everybody. Today, we’ll be your guides through the ins and outs of Brisbane’s best museums.

Museum Of Brisbane 

Brisbane city.

We heard you like Brisbane museums, so we found you a museum in Brisbane, for Brisbane, about Brisbane. Where the state museum focuses on general history and international exhibits, this space —set in the heritage City Hall—focuses on our city’s unique story of art, culture and history. While you’re there, don’t miss the chance to take a tour up to the clock tower  to take in the view.

Queensland Museum 

South brisbane.

Jaw, meet floor. An afternoon in our state museum will bring you face-to-face with towering dinosaurs, interactive nature displays, and touring exhibitions. If you’re chasing a quintessential Brisbane museum experience, the Queensland Museum is a treasure trove of hands-on discoveries.

If you prefer museum collections with a side of cheeky, step over the velvet rope and into the fan-favourite SparkLab . Popular with young visitors (and the young at heart), this hands-on space is a maze of experiments, optical illusions, and exhibits of sensory experiences. After all, it’s not every day that you can race your friends through a spinning tunnel for science.

Queensland Police Museum

Brisbane cbd.

Workshops Rail Museum 

Ipswich .

All aboard! In your hunt for museums around Brisbane, it’s worth changing train lines for Ipswich’s hidden gem. The Workshops Rail Museum is as theatrical as it is historical, showcasing the stories and secrets of Australia’s oldest operating railway workshop. Tour railway platforms, explore Australia’s oldest train carriages and unleash your inner conductor for an afternoon of off-the-rails fun.

Abbey Museum

It’s a long, long wait between our yearly doses of the Abbey Medieval Festival. If you’re enough of a Renaissance fan to know Donatello and Raphael as anything other than ninja turtles, Abbey Museum is bound to be your jam. The north-side spot serves up collections of medieval weapons, Renaissance paintings, and antiquities to curious minds, exploring the worlds of ancient Europe, Egypt, Greece and China.

Army Museum

Petrie terrace.

If you get any response besides a hearty ‘sir, yes sir!’ when inviting your pals to the Army Museum , you can colour us surprised. Labelled (for good reason) as one of the top museums in Brisbane, the Victoria Barracks structure offers a glimpse into Brisbane’s WWI base and WWII headquarters. Visitors can tour through the guardhouse and cells, officers’ quarters, hospital and more.

Maritime Museum 

South bank .

Tramway Museum 

Ferny hills.

Nope, you didn’t pass out and wake up in Melbourne—this Brisbane museum is just veering off the usual course. Fun fact: Brisbane actually had trams of its own between 1885 and 1969. Here’s the better fact, though: you won’t just get to check them out at the Brisbane Tramway Museum —you’ll actually get to jump aboard and take ‘em for a spin. 

Old Petrie Town 

As we’ve learned from Grandpa Simpson, it’s hard not to crack a smile at a good ‘back in my day’ yarn. At Old Petrie Town , you won’t just listen to stories about moonpies and shillings (yup, Australia had shillings); you’ll actually get to explore this restored historic village. Sprawling over a massive 48 acres, this is like no Brisbane museum you’ve seen before. Check out the old schoolhouse, the town’s milk bar, and even the vintage cars rolling through the streets.

Caboolture War Plane Museum 

If Riverfire has taught us anything, it’s that time hasn’t diminished the thrill we find in good pilots, a handful of tricks and a plane tearing across the sky. At the Caboolture War Plane Museum , they’ve taken everything we love about museums—great exhibits, WWII relics and tour guides with a passion for their stories—and sprinkled a hefty dose of plane showmanship on top. Watch warbirds take to the sky, stand in awe of the F111 and Lincoln Bomber, and (if you’re lucky) even climb into the cockpit yourself. 

Caboolture Historical Village 

Think you’ve walked the walk of all Brisbane museums? Have you seen everything from T-Rex to true crime? Well, folks, you know what they say: sometimes, it takes a village. At Caboolture Historical Village , over 110,000 museum pieces are waiting to be explored as you tour through more than 70 buildings. From the prison exhibit to the old railway station, this is a far cry from the museum experience we know and love—and we bloody love it.

Telstra Museum

Hey, Brisbane. Clayfield called, and it’s got a museum for you. On Wednesdays, the doors of the Telstra Museum open for a glimpse into Australia’s past. Volunteers will guide you through exhibits of vintage phones, switch boxes and telegraphs, restored and preserved since the 1800s. If you're under say, 25, they'll also be able to answer questions like, 'What is a landline?' and 'Why do we say "hang up the phone"'? 

All Brisbane museum’d out? Better start on the best art galleries in Brisbane then.

Image credit: Museum of Brisbane

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THE 10 BEST Museums in Brisbane

Museums in brisbane.

• Speciality Museums
• Art Galleries
• History Museums
• Art Museums
• Science Museums
• Military Museums
• Children's Museums
• Observatories & Planetariums
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Adventurous
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Opal Museum

2. Gallery of Modern Art

3. Museum of Brisbane

4. Queensland Museum

5. State Library Of Queensland

6. Queensland Maritime Museum

7. Queensland Art Gallery

8. SparkLab, ScienCentre

9. MacArthur Museum Brisbane

10. Newstead House

11. Commissariat Store Museum

12. Birrunga Gallery & Dining

13. Old Government House

14. Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium

15. Brisbane Tramway Museum

16. Aboriginal Art Co.

17. Queensland Police Museum

18. QUT Art Museum

19. Miegunyah House Museum

20. Victoria Barracks Museum

21. Karawatha Forest Discovery Centre

22. Anthropology Museum

23. Queensland Military Memorial Museum

24. Qld Motorsport Museum

25. Brisbane Motor Museum

26. Telstra Museum

27. University of Queensland Zoology Museum

28. Woolloongabba Art Gallery

29. Griffith University Art Museum

30. Queensland Telecommunications Museum

What travellers are saying

• Gallery of Modern Art
• Queensland Museum
• Opal Museum
• Museum of Brisbane
• Queensland Art Gallery
• State Library Of Queensland
• SparkLab, ScienCentre
• Brisbane Tramway Museum
• MacArthur Museum Brisbane
• Birrunga Gallery & Dining
• Commissariat Store Museum
• Queensland Police Museum

Opening Hours: 10am - 3pm ( Discover the story of Brisbane at War )

Level 8 MacArthur Chambers 201 Edward Street, Brisbane

(07) 3211 7052

Museum opening hours, entry fees and visitor information

About The Exhibit

Look behind the front lines of the Second World War, to discover the role Brisbane played from 1939 – 1945, a crucial period in Australia’s history. Visit the office of General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander in Chief of the Allied Forces in the South West Pacific Area. Sit at the table where MacArthur and his staff developed strategies to win the war.

Experience life in Brisbane during the dark days of war when people feared that the city might be invaded, public air raid shelters lined the streets and children wore identity discs. Read The Courier-Mail and see what Brisbane people woke up to every day. See actual newsreel footage from the time. Learn about the people whose work behind the front lines supported the troops and made victory possible at our War Museum in Brisbane .

Feel what life was like for Brisbanites when thousands of American and Australian troops inhabited camps around the city, parading through the streets and filling the shops, cafes and pubs.

Save more with a group

Host your special event here

School Visits

Plan an educational school trip

Museum Exhibitions

Discover the role Brisbane played from 1939 – 1945 by visiting the Museum.

Air Raid Shelters

Brisbane at war.

South West Pacific Area Campaign

Who Was General Douglas MacArthur?

Museum entry.

See our different available entry options below:

Adult Entry

Senior Entry

Family Entry

Children Entry

Group Entry

Special Events

With our exceptional space and the portrayal of our city’s role in the largest conflict the world has ever known, the MacArthur Museum Brisbane is appropriate for many types of events and functions. See what’s available below!

Opening Hours

The MacArthur Museum Brisbane is open to the public Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 10am to 3pm and at other times for groups by appointment. Allow at least an hour to see all the exhibits.Each of the lifts can only accommodate 11 people at a time, so budget a few minutes to get groups up together.

Making a booking

Phone the Museum on public opening days (Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday 10am to 3pm) on 07 3211 7052 or email the Museum on [email protected]. Museum Staff will get back to you as soon as possible. Alternatively, you can book online using the link below.

Functions, Group Bookings & School Visits

The MacArthur Museum Brisbane welcomes groups of visitors and school classes. The Museum is available to hire for your next function.

Book Online

Get in touch.