Queensland Youth Orchestras at The Old Museum

Queensland Youth Orchestras has been located in the Old Museum since 1989. Every week more than 500 young musicians, in eight different orchestras, use the building for rehearsals and tutorials. On Open Day 2024 we invite you in to the rehearsals to see the young musicians and their conductors at work – and even better, if you play an instrument, bring it along and join in! We’ll provide the music.

The Old Museum has a fascinating history and has always been associated with music. The building was constructed in 1891 for the Queensland National Agricultural and Industrial Association (now the RNA) and included Brisbane’s first Concert Hall. Due to financial problems encountered by the Association, the State Government took over the building in 1897 and leased the Concert Hall to the Brisbane City Council until the Brisbane City Hall was completed in 1930. From 1891 to 1930, the Old Museum Concert Hall was the main venue for concerts in Brisbane, including recitals by Dame Nellie Melba and Ignaz Paderewski. It is still used for concerts today, from touring contemporary bands to community orchestras.

In 1899, works were carried out to enable the Queensland Museum to be transferred to the building. The Museum reopened to the public in its new home in 1900.

In 1930, the Concert Hall was transformed into the Queensland Art Gallery. The Art Gallery occupied the space until 1974 when the collection was moved to a temporary location in the city while a purpose-built gallery was completed on the South Bank. The Concert Hall space was then used by the Queensland Museum until it also moved to South Bank in 1987.

The Queensland Government carried out major refurbishment works in the Old Museum Building in 1997, 1999, 2005/2006 and 2023/2024. During the 1997 refurbishment program, the William Anderson organ was installed. The organ was built around 1890 and used in St Stephen’s Cathedral, Brisbane from 1921 to 1987.