Museum of Brisbane and City Hall

Brisbane City Hall faces King George Square in the heart of the CBD. Its foundation stone was laid by Edward, Prince of Wales, in 1920, and the building was officially opened in 1930. Designed by Hall and Prentice, it is crowned by a clock tower that rises more than 87 metres above the ground. The hall closed at the end of 2009 for a major restoration and reopened in April 2013, and the Museum of Brisbane now occupies Level 3.

The museum focuses on the city itself: its history, people, art and design, presented through changing exhibitions rather than a fixed permanent display. That makes it worth a return visit, and it gives first-time visitors a useful sense of how Brisbane developed from a penal settlement into a modern river city.

The museum also runs the building's free tours. The Clock Tower Tour takes visitors up the 1930 tower, while the City Hall Tour explores the building restored between 2010 and 2013. A Museum Highlights tour introduces the current exhibitions. Tour times and booking details are published on the museum's website, so check them before you go.

Entry is free and the museum opens from 10am to 5pm daily. It closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and Good Friday, and opens at 1.30pm on Anzac Day. Access to Level 3 is by lift only; enter through the King George Square foyer, turn right and take the lifts. The museum publishes a visual story and a sensory map for visitors who would like to prepare in advance, and suggests calling ahead if you need extra assistance. A small number of lockers is available, though they are too small for suitcases.

City Hall suits history enthusiasts, families and anyone with an hour to spare in the centre. Buses stop on Adelaide Street and Ann Street, the King George Square busway station is directly below the square, and Central and Roma Street stations are about 10 minutes' walk away. Paid parking is available beneath the square. The Queen Street Mall is a block away, and Victoria Bridge leads across to South Bank.