Original Queensland Museum building

When I wrote an earlier post about the "old" Queensland Museum, I didn't realise that there was an even older one. Back in 1876, the State government commenced work on the construction of a purpose-built museum designed by the Colonial Architect, Mr Francis Drummond Greville Stanley, on land in William St, North Quay, near where the settlement had begun. The museum itself had been established in 1855, years before Queensland separated from New South Wales, with exhibits that were displayed in another building. The following photograph shows the new museum building around the year 1885.

(Photo: State Library of Queensland and John Oxley Library; #64729)


The building was designed by the Government architect and built for around £10,000. However, by 1899 the premises were too small for the growing exhibits of the museum, and the museum moved to the former exhibition building at Bowen Hills, the subject of the earlier post. The William St museum building was converted into the State Library, which moved into the building in 1902. I love the columns on the second level, seen a little more clearly in my recent picture below.
(Photos: © 2009 the foto fanatic)

The building was further expanded in 1958 with the addition of an exhibition hall, shown to the right of the original building in my photo above. The attractive mural on the front of that building was the winner of a competition held for the purpose, and the expanded premises were opened by Princess Alexandra in 1959. The State Library has now moved on too - it has very modern new premises across the river (below).
(Photo: © 2009 the foto fanatic)

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