Queensland Museum Kurilpa

Queensland Museum Kurilpa is custodian of the state’s natural and cultural heritage, caring for more than a million items and specimens in collections that tell the changing story of Queensland. 

Spend a day at the museum exploring the permanent exhibitions, galleries, café and museum shop alongside a program of blockbuster exhibitions, events and the popular Dinosaur Garden. Highlights not to be missed include:

Take a journey around the museum with one of their knowledgeable guides and uncover the stories behind some of the most treasured objects. From the prehistoric dinosaurs of ancient Queensland to the cutting-edge technology of today, the museum is packed with wonders to explore! Auslan interpreted tours are also available.

Weekdays - 11am-12pm; Sat-Sun 3-4pm. Free. Bookings required. 

Mephisto, the sole surviving A7V Sturmpanzerwagen in the world, is somewhat surprisingly one of the best-known objects in Queensland Museum’s collection. The hulking, great German tank is one of only twenty manufactured and the only World War 1 tank left in existence. Captured by Australian troops and shipped back to Australia, it resided for 80 years outside the Old Museum building (former home of Queensland Museum). Today it is on permanent display in the Anzac Legacy Gallery on Level 1.

Secrets: Objects of Intrigue explores secrets through the varied lenses of daily home life, from behind bars, in popular culture and throughout military and political history. On display until June 1, this exhibition presents the deeply individual and universally human phenomenon of secrets.  

From objects with hidden compartments, personal stories of surveillance and spy gadgets to covert weapons, each showcase reveals more than meets the eye. 

The exhibition features a homemade muzzle-loader cannon and beer-can ammunition confiscated from Finks Motorcycle Club during a police raid. Used as a test of courage for new initiates, beer cans filled with concrete were fired across a valley as potential members tried to dodge them.

This exhibition, which runs until July 13, coincides with the 30th anniversary of National Recognition for Australian South Sea Islanders. It features historical and contemporary objects, documentation, photographs, artworks, and digital stories held in major collecting institutions, as well as smaller private collections.

More than just sugar, the histories and lived experiences of Australian South Sea Islanders are intricately woven into the tapestry of this country’s diverse cultural landscape. However, this part of Australia’s story remains relatively unknown. The exhibition features a monumental 10mx3m artwork by artist Jasmine Togo-Brisby, titled Can you see us now. 

Join exhibition curators on a free, guided tour to hear personal insights, stories and reflections on the making of this landmark exhibition about Australian South Sea Islander culture. The exhibition features stories from prominent community members including Mal Meninga AM.

Tuesday, 10 June 9.45am; Thursday 10 July (Auslan interpreted). Free, no bookings required.

Children can touch and explore real museum objects, engage in STEM inspired activities and join stories, songs and movement-based play in a fun and social learning environment. Recommended for ages 3-5 yrs.

Tuesdays from May 6 - Jun 10. 10am & 10.45am. Free. Bookings required.

The Discovery Centre is an interactive space where children and adults alike can brush up on their zoology, history and geology, and get up close and personal with everything from beaked whale skeletons, snake skins and taxidermied Tasmanian devils to precious metals and fossils.

Wild State is another highlight, taking visitors through five stunning environments pertinent to Queensland - arid outback, eucalypt forest, tropical rainforest, sunny coastal zones and teeming marine environments.

Uncover 250 million years of life in ancient Queensland at the fascinating pre-historic Dinosaurs Unearthed exhibition. You’ll come face to face with Queensland’s own ’velociraptor’ Australovenator and measure up against mighty Megalania, the world’s largest lizard.

The Anzac Legacy Gallery tells the fascinating story of the First World War in Queensland; the people and the things they held close – objects of war and warfare and personal items belonging to those on the front line. 

Those wanting more can buy a ticket and head downstairs to SparkLab, or a rotating display of blockbuster exhibitions on Level 3, otherwise exit via the Whale Mall with its suspended life-sized whales and reverberating primeval cries.

Meanwhile, highlights for young children are the al fresco sponge-floored Dinosaur Garden, where lifelike statues of a T-Rex and Triceratops roam, children run, and burn off some energy. And The Museum Shop on the way out has a fantastic assortment of cerebral souvenirs, games and gifts for children visitors of all ages.