There are museums in Brisbane to suit all interests and age groups, from big museums housing lots of exhibits, to smaller specialist Brisbane museums focussing on a particular field. Visiting a museum is a great day out! Take a look at some of our favourite museums in Brisbane and South East Queensland.
Abbey Museum
1-63 The Abbey Place (off Old Toorbul Road), Caboolture, QLD 4510
Open Monday to Saturday 10:00am – 4:00pm
PH: (07) 5495 1652
| TICKET | PRICE |
| Family | $19.80 (1 adult & up to 4 children) |
| Family | $25.00 (2 adults & up to 4 children) |
| Adults | $12.00 |
| Concession | $8.50 |
| Children | $7.00 (5 yrs – 15 yrs old) |
| Children | FREE (4 and under) |
The Abbey Museum in Caboolture is beautifully situated in a rural landscape. It’s small but surprisingly well stocked with artifacts spanning over 500,000 of human history. During school holidays, Abbey Museum offers a range of both paid and free programs and activities for children of all ages. The “Kids Dig It” school holiday programs teach kids the excitement of discovery through exploration, archaeology and other activities such as mummification, archery, knights training and games. There are a range of ticketed events for your junior archaeologist, so be sure to check their events list.
Do not miss the Abbey Medieval Festival, a huge weekend of jousting, battles, entertainment, displays and markets, and hosts other historical reenactment events throughout the year. It is so much fun!
Queensland Museum and SparkLab
Corner of Grey & Melbourne Streets, South Bank
Open Every Day 9:30am – 5:00pm (Public Holiday Opening Hours)
PH: 07 3153 3000
Entry to Queensland Museum is FREE. Touring exhibitions do incur a fee though.
You will find the prices for SparkLab below.
| TICKET | PRICE |
| Family | $47.50 (2 adult & 2 children) |
| Adults | $16 |
| Concession | $14 |
| Children | $13 (5 and over) |
| Schools & Groups | $12.50 (pre-booked, 10+ only aged 16 years and over) |
The Queensland Museum is one of the best Brisbane museums. It boasts a wide variety of exhibits, hands-on displays and public programs involving natural history, human achievement, science and culture. With a variety of activities and educational experiences encouraging families to learn together, there’s sure to be something every member of the family will enjoy. The “Find Magil” exhibit takes you on a journey through the culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as you and your children interact and learn all about their stories and history. Or take part in hands-on activities while observing the stick insects, snakes, birds and other creepy crawly specimens in the Discovery Centre. The museum is also home to the Sciencentre SparkLab – a space where adults and kids alike can explore and have their minds blown through the interactive, science-based exhibits filled to the brim with fun and learning!
The current exhibition at Queensland Museum is the Dinosaurs of Patagonia and it runs until 2 October 2023. Find out more here
Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA)
Stanley Place, Cultural Precinct, South Bank
Open Every Day 10:00am – 5:00pm
PH: 07 3840 7303
ENTRY IS FREE (Some special events/exhibits do incur an entry fee)
The Gallery of Modern Art displays some of the best artworks from artists around Australia. The gallery aims to inspire young artists in Brisbane by providing them with opportunities to get their hands dirty and get creative! We love a bit of craft, so this is the perfect place to let kids’ imaginations go wild.
There is plenty to see and do around the gallery with new events and displays popping up throughout the year so be sure to keep an eye on our What’s On list here!
You can read our review of GOMA here.
The Workshop Rail Museum
North St, North Ipswich
Open Every Day 9:30am – 4:00pm
PH: 07 3432 5100
| TICKET | PRICE |
| Adults | $14.50 |
| Concession | $12.50 |
| Children | $11.50 (3 yrs – 15 yrs old) |
The Workshop Rail Museum exhibits some of the best locomotive and industrial machinery at Australia’s oldest heritage railway workshops. Winning the Australian and Queensland Tourism Awards for Heritage and Cultural Tourism, the museum let’s you get immersed and involved with hands-on displays and multi-media displaying the history of Queensland’s rail service. Bring the whole family along with mini train rides around the museum and check out demonstrations by an actual blacksmith! The kids even have the chance to run their own railway in the Nipper Playground. Kids can dress up as firemen, police and other costumes as they manage their mini railway station with a ticket and signal box, coal carts and tricycles around the tracks. There are also story books, drawing and colouring activities available. You can read our review of the Ipswich Rail Museum here.
Redcliffe Museum
75 Anzac Avenue, Redcliffe
Open Wednesday to Friday 10:00am – 4:00pm and weekends 10am – 3pm
PH: 07 3883 1898
ENTRY IS FREE
The Redcliffe Museum displays the history of the local community and the Redcliffe Peninsula. From the European Settlement to the indigenous culture and maritime history, the museum provides a fascinating insight into the heritage of the region. Take the kids around to explore the settlement and learn about Captain Cook, Matthew Flinders and the convicts. The museum also provides activities for kids through its collaboration with Gallery and Museum Explorers (G.A.M.E). They provide activities and projects for kids such as museum discovery docks and gallery creation stations which allows kids to get hands-on with sculptures and abstract creations.
Pine Rivers Heritage Museum
Old Petrie Town – 901 – 949 Dayboro Road, Whiteside
Please note: As of June 2023, Pine Rivers Heritage Museum is currently undergoing an exciting refurbishment and installation. The museum will remain open, offering a scaled back experience.
Open Wednesday to Sunday 10am – 3pm
PH: 07 5433 2710
ENTRY IS FREE
The Pine Rivers Heritage Museum provides an insight into the heritage of the district with themed exhibits and displays. Kids can explore an old classroom, learn how people lived without electricity and discover the history between the Aboriginals and European Settlers. There is also a theatre, exhibition gallery and showcase which all play a part in telling the stories of the Pine Rivers Region. The museum also collaborates with the Gallery and Museum Explorers (G.A.M.E) which provide activities and projects for kids. At the Pine Rivers Museum, G.A.M.E provides exhibitions involving books, photographs and fine art which tell stories and inspire kids to explore these ideas.
