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We channelled our inner artist and visited Brisbane’s top 10 art galleries!
We love art and living in Brisbane is a fantastic place to feed our insatiable hobby. There’s nothing like an afternoon walk with a quick stop at an art gallery (or two).
Luckily, we know Brisbane by heart – and we’re more than happy to help you out! Read on as we give you the list of Brisbane’s art galleries along with some of the things that you should keep in mind when visiting them!
1. Birrunga Gallery
Address: Suite 326 L1/241 Adelaide St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Phone Number: +61 426 411 790
If you’ve always wanted to learn more about the Aboriginal people and what kind of art they’ve made, Birrunga Gallery is the place to go.
Here, you’ll experience an immersive tour of the life of the First People. Their art, music, and dance are on display every day of the year. We suggest checking out Jessie Nungarrayi Bartlett’s art – it’s a riveting display, and something you shouldn’t miss.
| Pro Tips: Since Birrunga Gallery pays respect to the Aboriginal people, you can expect the atmosphere to be very quiet. Please mind your volume levels while inside the gallery. |
2. QUT Art Museum
Address: QUT Gardens Point Campus, U Queensland University of Technology, 2 George St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Phone Number: +61 7 3138 5370
Hours: Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Contemporary and free for anyone to visit, QUT Art Museum offers a modern (and honestly quite game-changing) twist on the art museum stereotype! What used to be the Old Government House is now a lovely museum you can check out!
They somehow managed to capture the exterior’s opulence and replicate it in the interior. With awe inspiring design and an extensive list of striking exhibits, you’re in for a wonderful time!
| Pro Tips: The contemporary art QUT Art Museum has on display can be a bit hard to understand for anyone. Thus, we strongly suggest taking one of the pamphlets they give you to make sure you can understand everything! |
3. Jan Murphy Gallery
Address: 486 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
Phone Number: +61 7 3254 1855
Hours: Sunday – Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Fortitude Valley’s Brunswick Street is infamous for having lots of tourist attractions – from shopping to dining, they’re pretty much Brisbane’s go-to spot! And if you haven’t been to the Jan Murphy Gallery, you’re in for a treat!
Yes, some of Jan Murphy Gallery’s displays are more macabre, surreal, and Kafka-esque. However, delve deeper and you’ll be treated to a wealth of Australian artists.
You can even get some of their art pieces to spruce up your living space! All you need to do is to book a consultation on their website and they’ll come to your door and try to gauge which one will suit your place for you!
| Pro Tips: Some of the art pieces present at Jan Murphy Gallery can be expensive, we strongly suggest being extra careful. |
4. State Library of Queensland
Address: Cultural Precinct, Stanley Pl, South Brisbane QLD 4101
Phone Number: +61 7 3840 7666
Hours: Monday – Thursday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday – Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
For non-Brisbanites, adding the State Library of Queensland to an article about art museums in Brisbane might seem odd. But beyond the seemingly stiff name lies a place dedicated to storing unique artifacts from all over the country!
State Library of Queensland screams “art museum” from the get-go. The dazzling architecture alone is worth noting – and yes, we do agree that it looks like an upscale shopping mall from the front!
There are plenty of exhibits to ogle but we suggest visiting The History and Art of the Book Collection which is open all year round!
| Pro Tips: The State Library of Queensland has an online archive of all their exhibits available on their website! |
5. Artisan
Address: 45 King St, Bowen Hills QLD 4006
Phone Number: +61 7 3215 0800
Hours: Sunday – Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday – Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Artists and aspiring artists, assemble! If you’ve always wanted to have a spot where you can flex both your art knowledge and skills at the same time, Artisan on King Street has all you’ll ever want.
Artisan hosts exhibitions where you can make artwork depending on the theme they currently have! They’ve even previously showcased artworks from artists like Steve Szell and Blanche Tilden and one day could display yours!
| Pro Tips: If you want to immerse yourself in the exhibits, we suggest that you bring earplugs. It can get noisy during peak hours and can disrupt the experience. |
6. Institute Of Modern Art
Address: Ground Floor Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, 420 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
Phone Number: +61 7 3252 5750
Hours: Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Brisbane’s Institute of Modern Art is the home to modern and alternative art pieces. The museum regularly hosts workshops and seminars focused on indigenous art as well!
However, Brisbane’s Institute of Art’s bread and butter thus far would have to go to their modern art display. As of the time of writing, they have The Magnificent Levitation Act of Lauren O by Angela Su on display, and we recommend seeing it if you’re nearby!
| Pro Tips: We suggest dropping by between 2 PM and 3 PM on a Saturday! It’s when the museum is the most quiet, and you can feel like you’ve rented the place all to yourself. |
7. Woolloongabba Art Gallery
Address: 613 Stanley St, Woolloongabba QLD 4102
Phone Number: +61 7 3891 5551
Hours: Sunday – Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Woolloongabba Art Gallery provides all-Australian art from all over the country. So if you’d like to see what’s up with the local scene, this is a great place to start.
Most of their main displays last a week up to 25 days, which is more than enough time, in our opinion. As of the time of writing, they currently have Jack Rodgers’ “Gabba Dogs” and Christina Lowry’s Historia Naturalis, on display which are both tasteful art pieces!
| Pro Tips: If you think you have a valuable painting in your home, you can sell it to the Woolloongabba Art Museum! You will need to get it certified first though. |
8. Museum of Brisbane
Address: Brisbane City Hall. Level 3, Brisbane City Hall, 64 Adelaide St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Phone Number: +61 7 3339 0800
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Yes, Brisbane has plenty of spots for you to relax and unwind from the city’s hustle and bustle. And, if you want to unwind within the city itself, then try out the Museum of Brisbane!
The Museum of Brisbane’s classy architecture gives it a posh atmosphere. Add in the classy white walls to the mix and you’re in for what looks like a Bond villain’s dream heist!
We urge you to see the 100 Views of Brisbane which features 100 artworks from Brisbane locals. The displays also change regularly, ensuring a fresh experience every visit!
| Pro Tips: The Museum of Brisbane doesn’t have any parking available. The nearby parking lots are expensive, so we suggest that you commute here. If you want to reach them, we recommend catching a bus to the City Centre and going from there. Either that or the $20 parking fee in the nearby parking garage! |
9. QUAGOMA
Address: Stanley Pl, South Brisbane QLD 4101,
Phone Number: +61 7 3840 7303
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Combining both the past and the present in a beautiful display, Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art, or QUAGOMA for short, has a stunning collection!
Plenty of notable artworks have graced this gallery’s walls from different periods. We suggest checking out Prodigal Son and Courtesans, which are both from roughly the same period but show a stark difference between the art styles of different coutnries.
| Pro Tip: Depending on when you visit, QUAGOMA might host movie showings in their GOMA Cinema! They usually play cult classics like Rocky Horror Picture Show, and blockbusters like Titanic. |
10. Griffith University Art Museum
Address: Queensland College of Art and Design, Griffith University, South Bank Campus, 226 Grey St, South Brisbane QLD 4101
Phone Number: +61 7 3735 7414
Hours: Sunday – Monday: Closed
Griffith University Art Museum’s exterior is unassuming, but within its exterior lies a unique place for art enthusiasts to thrive.
This museum has plenty of permanent exhibits that you can see, but the Moving Image and Sound Archive Portal are highly recommended. You can even learn about every display, since their staff are more than happy to guide you throughout their exhibits.
| Pro Tips: Some of the displays at Griffith University Art Museum are priceless artworks! We strongly urge you to be extra careful when looking around, and remember to not bring any food or drinks with you on your visit! |
