Old Museum Building, Brisbane
Encyclopedia
The Old Museum Building is a performance venue in Bowen Hills
, Brisbane
, Australia
.
The land had been used by the Queensland Acclimatisation Society
from 1863-1875.
The new exhibition building was designed by the architect George Henry Male Addison (1857–1922). The style of the building may best be described as progressive eclecticism. It is entered in the Queensland Heritage Register.
The Queensland Government took over control of the building and grounds when the National Association was forced into liquidation by the economic depression in 1897.
In 1899, the Exhibition Hall became home to the Queensland Museum
, with the museum remaining in the building until the museum's relocation to the Queensland Cultural Centre
in 1986. During the Queensland Museum's 86 years in the building, other parts of the building were used as a Concert Hall and an Art Gallery. Because of the Queensland Museum's long occupancy of the building, the building is now known as the Old Museum.
, who use the building as a rehearsal, performance and office space. The building is also home for the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra
, Queensland Youth Choir
, Queensland Wind and Brass
, Brisbane River City Clippers Barbershop Chorus, Queensland Rhythmic Gymnastics Organisation, Queensland Police Pipes and Drums and the Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre Company.
The play Troilus and Cressida
by William Shakespeare
, was also presented in the Old Museum building in 1989. Members of the cast included Geoffrey Rush
and Jane Menelaus
.
The Old Museum building was also used as one of the sites for the 1980s Australia
n series of Mission: Impossible
.
Bowen Hills, Queensland
Bowen Hills is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia, located 3 km northeast of the Brisbane CBD. It was named after a Governor of Queensland, Sir George Ferguson Bowen.-History:...
, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
History
The Old Museum was originally called the Exhibition Building and Concert Hall. It was built in 1891 for the Queensland National Agricultural and Industrial Association after Brisbane's first exhibition building, which had occupied the land, was destroyed by fire on 13 June 1888. At the time of the fire the building was being used as a skating rink.The land had been used by the Queensland Acclimatisation Society
Queensland Acclimatisation Society
The Queensland Acclimatisation Society was an acclimatisation society based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia which operated from 1862 to 1956. Its primary interest was in the introduction of exotic plants to Queensland, both for economic and ornamental purposes....
from 1863-1875.
The new exhibition building was designed by the architect George Henry Male Addison (1857–1922). The style of the building may best be described as progressive eclecticism. It is entered in the Queensland Heritage Register.
The Queensland Government took over control of the building and grounds when the National Association was forced into liquidation by the economic depression in 1897.
In 1899, the Exhibition Hall became home to the Queensland Museum
Queensland Museum
The Queensland Museum is the state museum of Queensland. The museum currently operates four separate campuses; at South Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba and Townsville.The museum is funded by the State Government of Queensland.-History:...
, with the museum remaining in the building until the museum's relocation to the Queensland Cultural Centre
Queensland Cultural Centre
The Queensland Cultural Centre is a multi-venue centre located at South Bank, Brisbane, capital city of Queensland. It consists of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre , the Queensland Museum, the State Library of Queensland , the Queensland Art Gallery and the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art...
in 1986. During the Queensland Museum's 86 years in the building, other parts of the building were used as a Concert Hall and an Art Gallery. Because of the Queensland Museum's long occupancy of the building, the building is now known as the Old Museum.
Uses
The Old Museum building is home to the Queensland Youth OrchestrasQueensland Youth Orchestras
The Queensland Youth Orchestras is Australia's leading organisation for orchestral training and performance and is currently based at the Old Museum building in Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
, who use the building as a rehearsal, performance and office space. The building is also home for the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra
Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra
The Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra is a community orchestra based in Brisbane, Australia which performs a wide variety of orchestral and chamber music works....
, Queensland Youth Choir
Queensland Youth Choir
Robert Clark founded the Queensland Youth Choir in 1984, originally as a training program for young singers. The choir has since evolved into four performance choirs: Poco Voci, StellaVoce, Vivace Voices and VoiceWorks...
, Queensland Wind and Brass
Queensland Wind and Brass
The Queensland Wind and Brass is a community wind ensemble based in Brisbane, Australia. It was formed in 1989 and is composed of approximately 70 amateur and professional musicians. The group's current musical director and conductor is Paul Kucharski....
, Brisbane River City Clippers Barbershop Chorus, Queensland Rhythmic Gymnastics Organisation, Queensland Police Pipes and Drums and the Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre Company.
The play Troilus and Cressida
Troilus and Cressida
Troilus and Cressida is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1602. It was also described by Frederick S. Boas as one of Shakespeare's problem plays. The play ends on a very bleak note with the death of the noble Trojan Hector and destruction of the love between Troilus...
by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
, was also presented in the Old Museum building in 1989. Members of the cast included Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Roy Rush is an Australian actor and film producer. He is one of the few people who has won the "Triple Crown of Acting": an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award. He has won one Academy Award for acting , three British Academy Film Awards , two Golden Globe Awards and four Screen...
and Jane Menelaus
Jane Menelaus
Jane Menelaus is an Australian actress who trained at the prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England.-Stage:Jane Menelaus has worked a lot with both the South Australian and Melbourne Theatre Companies...
.
The Old Museum building was also used as one of the sites for the 1980s Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n series of Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible is an American television series which was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicled the missions of a team of secret American government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force . The leader of the team was Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, except in...
.
External links
- The Exhibition Grounds and Buildings - includes information about the Old Museum building
- the Old Museum Building
- "Troilus and Cressida" at the Old Museum Building