Queensland Art Gallery 

Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) and Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), side by side on Melbourne St in South Bank are both part of the Cultural Centre precinct along with the State Library of Queensland and the Queensland Performing Arts Complex (QPAC).

There are plenty of restaurants and bars nearby and the area is easily accessible by public transport.

There are many buses from around Brisbane that stop at the Cultural Centre and from there it's only a 10 minute walk to the art galleries.  Also, the 444 bus stops at Stanley Place, which is a little closer than the Cultural Centre bus stop.

The closest train station is South Brisbane, which is also a 10 minute walk from the galleries.

© Michael Zimmer | Flickr - Queensland Art Gallery

© Michael Zimmer | Flickr - Queensland State Library

© Huhnbeauftargter | Flickr - Modern Gallery of Art

 Alternatively, take the CityCat or City Ferry and get off at South Bank 1 station; then it's only a 5 minute walk to the galleries. If you're driving, there's plenty of parking around South Bank though it can be quite expensive -- if you use a parking lot. Street parking is plentiful and some of it is free; however, it's usually parked up and you need to be lucky to find a spot.

There are 3 big parking lots close to the Queensland Art Gallery, State Library of Queensland and Queensland Performing Arts Complex.

Parking is $15 (2013 prices) for the day and there are disabled spots available.

Around South Bank, you'll find some smaller, cheaper parking lots that are a five to ten minute walk to the art gallery.  If you're already in the CBD, the Cultural Centre is only a short walk across either the Victoria or Kurilpa bridges.

© Cyron Ray Macey | Flickr - Cicada Sculpture at the Cultural Centre South Brisbane

At the galleries, there are two ways to tour through the exhibits:

• self-guided tours, where you to wander at leisure
• guided tours, where volunteer guides take you through in depth tours of special exhibits and the regular collections 

Tours leave approximately every hour and last about 30 minutes. They're free for the regular collections; however, some special exhibitions require admission fees.

During special collections there are social nights held on Fridays, called Up Late Friday, which combines entrance to exhibitions and after work drinks. And, depending on when you are in Brisbane, there are also one-off lectures, panellists, and musical performances.

If you're staying in Brisbane a while, there are many programs at the galleries which allow for a more in depth look at the art work and social experience as well.

My Gen 50+ is a program for over-50s which holds regular activities including lectures, after hour events and courses designed to explore art and culture. If you have teenagers, there's the New Wave Teens program.

They run workshops, led by local artists, which explore new mediums and methods of creating art. The programs mainly concentrate on contemporary art and design. New Wave Emerging is a similar program aimed at university and college students as well as up and coming artists and it also includes information on how to design and curate exhibitions. 

© Bert Knottenbeld | Flickr - Cultural Centre South Brisbane

As with most galleries, the GoMA and Queensland Art Gallery have regular collections and rotating collections, along with major exhibitions which come through.

The Queensland Art Gallery has over 15 000 art objects ranging from paintings, to sculptures, to multimedia. The gallery began collecting Australian pieces in 1985 and their regular collections of Australian art include works showcasing Australia's people and history.

In their international collection, QAG has pieces by Picasso and Degas intermingled with other artists. There is an Asian collection that combines works from across the Asia-Pacific region.

Each of the art galleries has its own store, selling products related to the exhibitions on at the time, and also jewelry, art, and souvenirs. Once you’ve toured the galleries and shopped at the stores, rejuvenate yourself at the galleries' cafes before heading to your next destination. The GoMA Restaurant is available for lunch each day.

It's a sit down restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating available. There's also the GoMa Bistro open for breakfast and lunch, as well as serving drinks and snacks throughout the day. On Fridays it's open until 9pm for after-work drinks. The GoMA Lounge serves drinks and light snacks throughout the day. In the QAG building there's a cafe overlooking the sculpture gardens. 

If you're planning on staying in South Bank for the day, explore the swimming beach, Brisbane Wheel, markets, and restaurants and bars more about which you can find at South Bank and South Bank restaurants.

Other places of interest can be found at attractions, theatres, Maritime Museum, Queensland Museum or the Gabba.

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