South Brisbane’s Cultural Precinct is home to Queensland’s important civic and cultural institutions. During Brisbane Open House 2025, these venues will offer rare access to their spaces with behind-the-scenes tours. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience the precinct differently.
Bookings for all buildings in the Cultural Precinct will open on Saturday 5 July.
State Library of Queensland
As Queensland’s major collecting institution, the State Library plays a vital role in preserving and sharing the state’s documentary heritage. The current building, designed by Donovan Hill Peddle Thorp, is a major civic work that received state and national recognition from the Australian Institute of Architects for its contribution to public architecture.
For Brisbane Open House, the Library will offer a rare look inside its collection and conservation facilities. Join a behind-the-scenes tour of the Repository and Conservation Lab, where rarely seen materials are preserved and protected, then take part in a white gloves session to handle items from the collection.
Architecture tours will also run throughout the day, led by architect Lucas Leo, and families can take part in a self-guided scavenger hunt!
Queensland Museum Kurilpa
Queensland Museum Kurilpa explores the state’s natural history, cultural heritage and contemporary stories. Its collection holds millions of specimens and objects that help shape how Queenslanders understand their place in the world.
During Brisbane Open House, visitors can go behind the scenes into the Queensland Stories Laboratory—home to over 40,000 significant objects. Meet the museum’s curators and collection staff as they share highlights from the collection, including rare artefacts from Ancient Egypt not usually on display.
On Saturday, two ticketed Back of House tours (10:00am and 11:30am) will offer a deeper dive into curatorial practice. Free Museum Highlights tours also run at 3:00pm on both days of the weekend and visitors can visit the exhibition: Discovering Ancient Egypt.
In the week leading up to Brisbane Open House weekend, Queensland Museum will also host a talk delving into the fascinating world of ancient Egyptian architecture, examining pyramid design and temple orientation, colours symbolism, and the timeless meaning encoded into ancient Egyptian iconography. Purchase tickets to The Legacy of Ancient Egyptian Art and Architecture now.
Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC)
QPAC has been the home of live performance in Queensland for over four decades. It hosts more than 1,200 performances each year and welcomes over 1.5 million visitors annually. From large-scale musicals to intimate chamber concerts, QPAC supports a diverse program while also investing in local talent and cultural leadership through its own productions and creative development programs.
During Brisbane Open House, QPAC will lead a series of guided walking tours through its theatres and production spaces. These tours offer insight into how performances are staged and supported—from backstage to front-of-house. You’ll also learn about QPAC’s commitment to accessibility, inclusion and its ongoing Reconciliation Action Plan, which guides its engagement with First Nations communities. Tours run throughout the morning on Saturday.
Queensland Maritime Museum
Image: Jan Hollingsworth
Tucked between the river and the freeway, the Queensland Maritime Museum is a heritage site with deep ties to the state’s industrial and naval history. Its centrepiece is the South Brisbane Dry Dock, a rare example of 19th-century marine engineering that operated for over 90 years, servicing thousands of vessels and playing a vital role in Queensland’s development as a trading state.
During Brisbane Open House, visitors can explore the dock and its resident ships—including HMAS Diamantina, a WWII-era frigate where several Japanese surrenders were signed, and Ella’s Pink Lady, the vessel used by Jessica Watson during her solo circumnavigation of the globe. Volunteers will be on hand to share the history of the dock and its connection to wartime activity, Queensland’s dredging fleet, and even early championship swimming. This is one of the precinct’s most layered and atmospheric sites—don’t miss it!
QAGOMA (Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art)
Spanning two architecturally significant buildings, QAGOMA is Queensland’s premier visual arts institution. The Queensland Art Gallery building opened in 1982, with the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) following in 2006. Together, they host a dynamic program of exhibitions, artist commissions, screenings and public events that draw on both the state collection and major international partnerships.
During Brisbane Open House, join a bespoke architectural tours of each building. Held at 11:15am and 1;15pm daily, these special tours will focus on the design and civic intent of each building. In addition, QAGOMA will also host two film screenings as part of the weekend program:
Plan Your Visit
Each of these institutions plays a distinct role in Queensland’s cultural life—but they share a commitment to public access, civic memory, and creative exploration. Brisbane Open House 2025 is your chance to experience them from the inside out.