Queensland Museum Kurilpa is the state museum in Brisbane’s South Bank cultural precinct, at the corner of Grey and Melbourne streets. Its galleries explore Queensland’s natural history, cultural heritage and science, with dinosaur skeletons, wildlife specimens and interactive displays among the highlights. Look for the Wild State gallery’s native biodiversity, the whale models above the entrance walkway and the prehistoric creatures in Lost Creatures. General admission to the permanent galleries is free, so you can fit in a museum visit without adding an entry fee to your plans.
Galleries on Queensland’s natural world
Queensland Museum Kurilpa brings natural history, science and cultural heritage together across its galleries. The displays cover the state’s landscapes and wildlife as well as its past, giving you several ways into Queensland’s story. The Wild State gallery focuses on local biodiversity, with specimens from different environments and information about how ecosystems have changed over time.
Animal displays range from insects, reptiles and birds to marine life. A model of a blue whale greets visitors near the entrance, and large whale models hang above a walkway. The collections also include a giant squid. Take time to look beyond the larger specimens: smaller displays help place animals and plants in the environments they come from.
Dinosaurs and other lost creatures
Prehistoric Queensland is a major theme in the museum. The Lost Creatures gallery and the Dinosaurs Unearthed displays introduce extinct animals that once lived in the region, including dinosaurs, giant marine reptiles and megafauna. Queensland’s Muttaburrasaurus is among the best-known local finds, and the collection also includes a life-size model of Australovenator.
The displays extend beyond dinosaurs. Megafauna such as giant kangaroos and the enormous lizard Megalania help show the range of animals that lived in Australia’s distant past. Fossils discovered at a Brisbane construction site, including remains of a frog, snail, crocodile and fish dating to about 50 million years ago, have also been represented in a small display.
Science activities and family visits
SparkLab, on Level 1, is the museum’s hands-on science space for children aged 6 to 12. Activities invite children to test ideas, build circuits and explore how things such as wind and sound work. Some museum displays also include interactive activities, so younger visitors can take part as they move through the galleries.
The Discovery Centre on Level 4 is free to enter and includes natural and historical collections, as well as live insect and reptile displays. The museum’s mix of specimens and activities can suit families with different interests, but allow more time if you want to stop at the interactive stations as well as the galleries.
Admission and getting there
General admission to the permanent galleries is free. Some temporary exhibitions and experiences, including SparkLab and a crocodile exhibition, require paid admission. Check the museum’s website before your visit for current exhibition details and ticket information.
The museum is at the corner of Grey and Melbourne streets in South Brisbane, near South Brisbane Station. It sits within the South Bank cultural precinct, close to other cultural venues. Underground parking is listed at $18 per entry. The museum has wheelchair-accessible entrances, seating, restrooms and parking.
Preguntas frecuentes
Is Queensland Museum Kurilpa free to visit?
General admission to the permanent galleries is free. Some special exhibitions and experiences, including SparkLab, have a charge.
How long should I spend at Queensland Museum Kurilpa?
Allow 1 to 2 hours to explore the galleries. You may need longer if you plan to spend time in interactive areas or attend a paid experience.
What can you see at Queensland Museum Kurilpa?
The galleries cover Queensland’s natural history, cultural heritage and science, with wildlife specimens, whale models, dinosaur displays and hands-on activities.
Where is Queensland Museum Kurilpa?
It is at the corner of Grey and Melbourne streets in South Brisbane, within the South Bank cultural precinct and near South Brisbane Station.
