Museum of Tropical Queensland

At the Museum of Tropical Queensland you can find out what life has been like in Northern Queensland over the centuries, from prehistoric times until the modern day. Highlights include the Enchanted Rainforest section, which replicates a rainforest, and the HMS Pandora gallery, which displays hundreds of artifacts from the wreck of the ship of the same name, which sank off Cape York in 1791. The museum also puts on a lot of public programs, including daily talks about various aspects of the collection. Most travelers visit the museum independently while spending time in central Townsville.

• Residents of the Charters Towers, Hinchinbrook, and Burdekin areas of Townsville get free entry to the museum. Other Townsville residents get half-price entry, or free entry on the second Tuesday of every month. Bring proof of residence.
• Allow two hours to tour the museum.
• Daily talks and tours are free with the price of admission.

The museum is in central Townsville, about ten minutes’ walk from the Flinders Street Mall. Paid parking is available outside the museum, and free parking can be found just down the road, on The Strand. The Sunbus 1A travels between the mall and the ferry terminal, and can stop outside the museum.

The museum is open daily from morning until early evening. It’s closed on some Australian public holidays. Locals get free entry on the second Tuesday of the month, making this a good day to visit.

The Museum of Tropical Queensland is next door to another educational attraction, the Reef HQ Aquarium. The 660 thousand gallon (2.5 million liter) tank houses the world’s largest living coral reef within an aquarium. More than 150 species of fish and 120 species of coral can be found here. The two attractions can be visited on the same day.