Gallery of Modern Art Brisbane: Free Entry, Parking and Visitor Guide

The Gallery of Modern Art, known as GOMA, is Brisbane’s big free art museum on the South Bank riverbank, open every day from 10 am to 5 pm. It is Australia’s largest gallery of modern and contemporary art, so you can walk in off the street and see world-class work without paying for a ticket.

It suits a wet-weather day, a hot afternoon, a couple of hours with the kids or a stop between the river and the rest of South Bank.

What to see at the Gallery of Modern Art

GOMA opened in December 2006 and has more than 25,000 square metres of floor space across several levels. The building sits by the river, with big open galleries, terraces and a Level 1 foyer with views back over the CBD.

It shows modern and contemporary art from Australia, Asia and the Pacific and around the world, and it co-hosts the Asia Pacific Triennial with the Queensland Art Gallery. Displays change all the time, so the best way to see what is on is the exhibitions section of the QAGOMA website, where each show lists its dates and whether it needs a ticket.

The gallery also runs the Australian Cinematheque, a cinema inside the building that screens films from around the world.

Is the Gallery of Modern Art free?

Yes, general admission is free. That includes most exhibitions, screenings and programs. A few special exhibitions charge for entry and are marked on the exhibition page, so check before you go if you want to see a particular show.

GOMA with kids: the Children’s Art Centre

The Children’s Art Centre is free and has hands-on, drop-in activities that change with the exhibitions. Everything is casual and self-paced. Guided art sessions for little ones carry a small fee and are a separate booking.

Cafe and food

The GOMA Bistro is at Kurilpa Point beside The Big Hose, a sculpture visitors are invited to touch and climb on. Menus and hours change, so check the eat and drink page before you go. South Bank’s cafes and restaurants are a short walk away, and the lawns are good for a picnic.

Can you take a dog to the Gallery of Modern Art?

Guide dogs and registered assistance dogs are welcome. Other animals are not allowed inside.

Planning your visit

• How long: allow 1 to 2 hours for a quick look, or half a day with the cinema, the kids’ centre and lunch.
• Best time: the gallery is open every day except Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and opens at noon on Anzac Day.
• Cost: free general admission. Special exhibitions may be ticketed, and the cafe and parking cost extra.
• Accessibility: guide dogs and registered assistance dogs are welcome. For access details, check the QAGOMA visit pages before you go.

Getting to the Gallery of Modern Art

By car and parking

GOMA is about 2 km from the Brisbane CBD, which is about 5 minutes by car without traffic. The Queensland Cultural Centre has paid undercover car parks, entered from Stanley Place. The rate is $20 per entry per day, the entry height limit is 2 metres, and the pay stations take Visa or MasterCard only (no cash). The car parks are open 7 am to midnight and closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day. Cars leave via the Grey Street exit rather than through the Stanley Place tunnel.

Public transport

Cultural Centre busway station is the closest busway stop and South Brisbane is the closest train station. By river, the inner-city ferry stops at South Bank terminals 1 and 2 and CityCats stop at the South Bank river terminal, both on Clem Jones Promenade, a short walk along the river. Plan your trip with the Translink Journey Planner or call 13 12 30.

More details are on the QAGOMA hours and admission page. Details can change, so check before you go.

Nearby

• Queensland Museum – in the same Cultural Centre, a good rainy-day pairing with the gallery.
• South Bank Parklands – gardens, playgrounds and BBQs along the river.
• Streets Beach – the free swimming lagoon, handy after a hot morning inside.
• West End Markets – a short trip away for food and stalls.
• Museum of Brisbane – another look at the city’s story, in the CBD.
• Brisbane City Botanic Gardens – a green walk across the river.

Browse more art galleries and indoor days out.

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