The 7 best museums in Brisbane

The Museum of Brisbane is an impressive attraction from the get-go. The venue is housed in Brisbane City Hall – the elegant, imposing neoclassical building overlooking the expansive King George Square. Take the lift up to the level three museum, which is dedicated to showcasing the art, stories, culture, history and talent of the Sunshine State's storied capital. In contrast to the 90-year-old heritage building it resides in, the Museum of Brisbane is a contemporary space featuring five galleries – explore on your own, or book in for one of its tours. You can even take a free tour up to the very top of the clock tower, which was at one time the tallest building in Brisbane. 

For stargazers and budding astronomers, you can’t go past a trip to the planetarium. Housed in Mt Coot-tha’s Botanic Gardens, the planetarium hosts a variety of affordable kid-friendly shows for ages three and up. Most of the immersive shows take place in the Cosmic Skydome, a 12.5-metre-diameter projection dome, and a highlight of any visit is the projection of the planets, stars and constellations that will be visible in Brisbane on that particular night. You can also visit Skylore: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Astronomy, an exhibit that features star knowledge and wisdom passed down from First Nations Elders. The Planetarium is also home to an observatory, the Sundial Courtyard, a theatre and the Galaxy Gift Shop.

This multifaceted museum residing in Brisbane's riverside cultural precinct of South Bank tells the changing story of Queensland. It is home to millions of objects, specimens and artefacts and covers natural history, cultural heritage, science and human achievement. In the larger-than-life Dinosaurs Unearthed: Explore Prehistoric Queensland exhibit, you can meet some of Queensland’s long-lost inhabitants, including dinosaurs, giant marine reptiles and megafauna. Wild State highlights the extreme beauty, yet fragile state, of Queensland’s diverse environments and habitats, from the outback to the ocean. The Sparklab is an interactive science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) space, ideal for curious six to 13-year-olds. And in the Discovery Centre visitors can explore, play, and ask questions of the specialist museum staff about discoveries from inside the museum and the outside world. 

The HMAS Diamantina is a World War II River Class frigate sitting in dry dock by the river in South Bank parklands. If you stand on the quarterdeck, you'll be in the exact place where the Japanese garrisons on Nauru and Ocean Island signed their surrender documents in 1945. You can tour the vessel and learn about its fascinating history at the Queensland Maritime Museum, one of the biggest of its kind in the country and with plenty to interest casual visitors as well as avowed sea dogs.

Telegrams, old-school telephones, Morse code, and a large collection of related hardware and memorabilia are on show at this Clayfield museum. One of the highlights is the restored 1920s Siemens telephone exchange, which is still operational and can be used to make calls. There's also the looming 'Keith Switch', named after Alexander Keith, the engineer who designed it in 1891 – it's the first automatic telephone exchange machine manufactured by the Strowger Automatic Telephone Exchange Co, Chicago, and was in operation in Sydney from 1921 to 1974. There are old telephone boxes, walkie-talkies, and early computer gear that looks like it could have been in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Staffed by volunteers, the museum is open to walk-ins on Wednesdays only, 9am to 3pm and entry is by gold coin donation. 

This spectacular green building lies on the riverbank in between the Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art, but shouldn't be overlooked by culture fans or families looking for fun things to do in the precinct. Yes, it's the repository of knowledge for the state, with the John Oxley Library and the State Reference Library collections housed here, as well as the Asia Pacific Design Library and the Australian Library of Art showcase, and people come here to work and research in peace and quiet. But there are also temporary exhibition spaces featuring art and historical artefacts; kids' books, storytime and baby play sessions; and an ongoing series of talks and events. There's also a very stylish gift shop and ground floor café. A highlight is Kuril Dhagun – a gathering place promoting Queensland’s First Peoples' cultures, histories and stories.   

The RAAF base at Amberley is the largest Air Force base in Australia, employing an incredible 5,000 personnel. At the base's Aviation Heritage Centre, the public can admire static aircraft displays and other RAAF-related exhibits. There are 14 types of aircraft on show ranging from an Australian-designed Boomerang WWII fighter plane to a replica of the British WWI biplane the Sopwith Camel. One of the most popular planes is the sleek form of a 1968 F-111 tactical attack jet. Special displays feature missiles and armaments, WWII jeeps, and women in the air force. You can learn about the history of the No 23 squadron, and pick up a scale model of your favourite aircraft from the gift shop as a memento. Visits are by appointment only; check the website for details.