2. Brisbane's Cultural Centre
Location: South Bank, Brisbane, QLD
Looking for a day out in Brisbane that provides a helping of sophistication and culture, all for a very modest price? Walking the line between "cheap" and "free" depending on whether or not there are special exhibitions being held, the entertainment-rich cultural centre adjacent to Brisbane's South Bank waterfront area provides a number of opportunities to get your fix of civilisation and history, playing host to various art galleries, museums and exhibits all within some pleasantly clean and modern surrounds.
The Queensland Cultural Centre, as it's officially known, allows you to immerse yourself in a world of creativity both old and new, and is an excellent example of a city providing locals and visitors alike with an easy-to-access dose of historical exhibits, art and more.
The Cultural Centre is both well laid-out and modernly presented, and boasts several facilities within walking distance of one another that each emphasise a different aspect of the cultural spectrum. Music, literature, historical artefacts, and both ancient and modern art are all represented here in some form, allowing visitors to take their pick of their preferred form of exhibit and embark on an interesting journey into human creation.
The five main buildings at the Cultural Centre are the Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland Museum, State Library, and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
The Queensland Performing Arts Centre has undergone recent refurbishment and plays host to a number of live performances throughout the year, with everything from theatre to ballet to opera to comedy being held within its walls. The facility is divided up into four separate sub-sections that each cater to various types of performances; if you're planning on seeing a show check the current programming by visiting the Queensland Performing Arts Centre website.
Meanwhile, the Queensland Museum provides a detailed insight into the historical, with exhibitions that focus on a specific aspect of history at different times throughout the year; despite its focus on the past, it's housed in a very slick, modern building that was constructed just a few years back. The Museum also houses the popular Sciencentre attraction which provides a very interactive look at the world of science. This has long been a popular exhibition for children as many of the exhibits are hands-on and demonstrate physics, chemistry and more in a highly visual way – and they may just learn something while there, too.
"The Cultural Centre is both well laid-out and modernly presented, and boasts several facilities within walking distance of one another that each emphasise a different aspect of the cultural spectrum."
Those with a bent towards the artistic with a dash of history involved will enjoy the Queensland Art Gallery that showcases artworks from the past, both Aussie and international. It's not just paintings on display here, either – a range of wonderful sculptures, wall hangings and elaborate water features round out the artistry, with many of the landscape paintings being some of the most impressive you'll come across.
Aboriginal art has a strong emphasis here, and all of the displays are well-curated with many of the key pieces coming with accompanying video/multimedia presentations. The more-recently added neighbouring Gallery of Modern Art provides a contemporary slant on things, blending the latest upcoming artists from Oceania, America and Asia in particular. This section also frequently conducts exhibitions that focus on fashion and art as applied to the physical form, while post-modern sculpture is also a key element.
Finally, the State Library of Queensland is not just a thorough collection of books, journals, magazines and newspaper archives, but it's also got a well-deserved reputation of devotion to engaging kids. The prime example of this is their dedicated children's area “The Corner” that combines a number of elements together that will hold the attention of kids.
Regular activities ranging from art and craft-based activities, storytelling, kids games and more are held by their enthusiastic staff, while in between these events there's plenty of self-entertainment options for the little ones. It's a great initiative that truly pays dividends when you see kids actually having FUN and being creative while engaging their brains. If you're visiting Brisbane with children along for the ride, be sure to pay a stop here.
With such a wide variety of cultural experiences available, there's something here to suit almost any field of interest, and all the facilities are located adjacent to the Cultural Centre train station for direct and easy access via public transport. Situated just across the river from the CBD, it's a key part of Brisbane's efforts to give back to the community and also another reason why #1 on this list is so impressive.
