The 11 Best Museums In Brisbane To Catch A Culture Fix
Are you spending too much time inside lately? It’s time to travel around the world, or back in time with a visit to one of Brisbane’s best museums.
Whether you’re a local or you’ve just moved into town, we bet there’s plenty that you don’t know about Brisbane! And what better way to learn, than to explore the museums and many historical sites of the city?
Perhaps keep your sights set on the horizon (or the skies!) and visit the newest exhibits at the Queensland Museum or the Planetarium. Whether you’re exploring the heart of the CBD or poking around the suburbs, there are many museums awaiting discovery in Brisbane.
Keep scrolling to read our guide to the best museums in Brisbane.
Museum Of Brisbane
Housed in City Hall, smack bang in the centre of Brisbane’s CBD, the Museum Of Brisbane explores historic and contemporary Brisbane life and the people who inhabit it. Celebrating arts and culture with frequent exhibitions, events and workshops, it’s only fitting that this museum is found within the heart of our bustling city. You can also spot two of Brisbane’s iconic heritage features from the windows of the museum, the Clock Tower and the copper dome.
Sitchu Tip: What’s more, visiting this museum is entirely free! You can even book a free tour to travel up into the Clock Tower and have your very own Boys Swallows Universe moment.
City Hall, 64 Adelaide Street, Brisbane City
Queensland Museum
No round-up of the best Brisbane museums would be complete without including the awe-inspiring Queensland Museum. With over fifty exhibitions in place, housing Australian history, international curios, collections and artefacts, the Queensland Museum is the perfect place to reinstate your wonder and imagination. Plus, where else in Brisbane can you hang out with ancient dinosaur skeletons? It will never not be cool.
Check out their website to stay up to date with exclusive exhibitions or interactive exhibits for the whole family.
Corner Grey Street & Melbourne Street, South Brisbane
Caboolture Historical Village
Ever wanted to turn back time? Take a stroll through the Caboolture Historical Village to a time before computers and air conditioners (eek!). Occupying about 12 acres of land just north of Caboolture, this enormous Brisbane museum showcases a simpler time. There are over 70 buildings to explore and more than 110,000 museum pieces within the Village. Wander down a street with an old post office, barber, butcher shop and general shop, for a magical way of immersing yourself in times past. You can easily spend a few hours exploring, so bring a water bottle and some SPF on your visit to one of the best museums in Brisbane.
280 Beerburrum Road, Caboolture
Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium
Want to get out of this world? Head to Mt Coot-Tha and visit the Planetarium! First opened in 1978, the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium is home to the Cosmic Skydome; a space with a 12.5-metre diameter for projection shows that teach visitors young and old about the solar system, or book in for a tour of the night sky! The Planetarium is also home to an observatory, Galaxy Gift Shop and the Sundial Courtyard.
Sitchu Tip: Combine your trip to the Planetarium with a stroll through the Mount Coot-Tha Botanical Gardens or dinner at the Summit Restaurant & Bar to make for the perfect day out in Brisbane.
Mount Coot-Tha Road, Toowong
Old Petrie Town
Take a stroll into yesteryear at Old Petrie Town, an utterly charming restored historic village that promises nostalgia, insight and wonder at times gone by. Spread across 48 acres of parklands in Moreton Bay, this museum makes for a fun day trip out of Brisbane and into the past. The history of the buildings in the Town dates back to the 1800s, and so do some of the trees lining the streets. Exploring this Brisbane museum is the perfect way to get your steps up, get out of the city and try something new while you’re strolling through something very, very old.
901 Dayboro Road, Whiteside
Abbey Museum of Art & Archaeology
If the annual Abbey Medieval Festival doesn’t give you enough of a taste of the past, delve into the artefacts at the Abbey Museum of Art & Archaeology. This incredible Brisbane museum is dedicated to preserving, displaying and interpreting objects that tell human stories from prehistory to the 19th century. When you visit the Abbey Museum, you’ll pore over prehistoric artefacts, ceramics, glass, stained glass, metalwork, woodwork, lacquer, sculptures, manuscripts and rare books, Renaissance and Baroque paintings, watercolours, icons and frescos. We don’t say this lightly - it’s a truly impressive collection!
1/63 The Abbey Place, Caboolture
Boggo Road Gaol | Re-Opening In 2024
Once the most notorious prison, known for poor conditions and rioting, the Boggo Road Gaol is now one of Queensland’s most interesting heritage sites. Housing some of the nation's most infamous inmates such as Slim Halliday, the “Houdini of Boggo Road Gaol” (who is a key character in Trent Dalton’s wildly popular novel ‘Boy Swallows Universe), Patrick Kenniff (Australia’s last bushranger) and more, the walls are full of stories, secrets and intrigue. You can even book in for the Boggo Road Ghost Tour for extra creep factor… if you dare.
Boggo Road Gaol is temporarily closed during the development occurring at the neighbouring property but will reopen in 2024.
21 Boggo Road (off Annerley Road), Dutton Park
QUT Art Museum
With exhibitions drawn from the university’s extensive collection, as well as commissioned projects and touring collections, the QUT Art Museum exists to inspire, educate and support the Brisbane art and culture scene. This museum has a strong focus on contemporary art, so if that sounds like your idea of a good time, this is the best museum in Brisbane to add to your calendar. You can view the exhibitions and collections for free, and be sure to check out the range of events they have on offer too!
Queensland University of Technology 2, George Street, Brisbane City
Opal Museum
If you like things that sparkle, we’ve found the best museum in Brisbane for you to visit. Recently relocating to a larger building, the Brisbane Opal Museum is a literal treasure trove of our iconic Australian gem. It features a purpose-designed theatre, a lapidary room (where stones are cut and polished), a library and a 250m2 display of opals for you to delight and wonder in. If you happen to fall in love with the sparkle, hit the gift shop on your way out for a sparkly souvenir.
201 Lutwyche Road, Windsor
Brisbane Tramway Museum
Although the trams that once traversed Brisbane’s streets may no longer be in sight, they are not out of mind! Get your fill of the history of Brisbane’s trams and electric trains, and take a ride in a preserved vintage tram in a calm bushland setting by visiting the Brisbane Tramway Museum.
It’s not every day that you get to step back in time and enjoy a tram ride, and it’s endless entertainment for the little ones (and the big kids at heart, too). Your admission includes unlimited tram rides on the day, and you can purchase cold drinks and souvenirs on your visit.
We recommend allowing about two hours to enjoy everything that this unique Brisbane museum offers.
20 Tramway Street, Ferny Grove
Miegunyah House Museum
Home of the Queensland Women’s Historical Association, this heritage-listed home is a glimpse into what life was like in Brisbane in the last years of Queen Victoria's reign and the early years of the 20th century. Miegunyah has seen a lot in her time, from her entrepreneurial first occupants to its use as a staging camp during World War II.
Nowadays, Miegunyah houses collections of artefacts, mostly from the 19th century relating to pioneer families and a library and archival collection. Our hot tip? Book in for a guided tour and a Devonshire tea to make the most of your trip.
35 Jordan Terrace, Bowen Hills
Finished exploring all the best museums in Brisbane? Take a stroll along some of the best walks around the city to soak up the culture in real time. Or scroll through our guide to the best things to do and see in Brisbane, and we guarantee you’ll find something fun to do!
