culture
Brisbane Museum and Gallery Visitors: Key Facts and Must-See Highlights
Several institutions across the city are opening new shows this month that require timed tickets and early planning for the best experience.
How we reported this
The Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art on Stanley Place opened its doors to a new survey of Queensland painters on July 10, with free entry to the permanent collection but paid access required for the temporary rooms.
Winter school holidays and rising visitor numbers from interstate make this the busiest stretch for Brisbane cultural sites, as families and tourists fill indoor spaces while the city hosts its annual arts programs.
Local venues worth a stop
South Bank remains the core precinct, where the Queensland Art Gallery sits next to the Queensland Museum on Grey Street and both share the same riverside parkland. A short train ride north to Fortitude Valley takes visitors to the Institute of Modern Art on Ann Street, which launched a video installation series last week focused on local filmmakers.
These two clusters allow a single-day circuit without crossing the river twice, and both precincts sit within easy walking distance of ferry terminals and the South Brisbane rail station.
Numbers and practical details
QAGOMA logged 920,000 total visitors in the year to June 2025, with the temporary exhibition spaces drawing 310,000 of those, according to the gallery’s annual report released last month. Adult tickets for the new painting survey cost $22, with concessions at $15 and free entry for children under 12; advance bookings are already required for weekend slots through August.
The Institute of Modern Art charges no entry fee but limits groups to 40 people per hour to manage the small gallery footprint.
Book timed tickets online the night before any visit, arrive 15 minutes early for bag checks at QAGOMA, and check the Queensland Museum website for its free fossil hall hours on weekdays to combine two stops without extra cost.