Cairns Museum
Queensland · Australia
Visit Cairns Museum at the School of Arts Building, in the heart of the city. You will be greeted by a dedicated guide for an exclusive tour of the museum (free re-entry included, valid for 3 days)
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Cairns Museum
Welcome to the Cairns Museum, a vital cultural institution housed within the historic School of Arts building on the corner of Lake and Shields Streets. This museum is the 'memory bank' of the Far North, a place where the…
Listen in the app2The School of Arts Building — Architectural Heritage
Before we delve into the exhibits, we must appreciate the 'artifact' we are currently standing inside: the School of Arts building. Completed in 1907, with a second story added in the 1930s, this building is a prime example of…
Listen in the app3Bunging the Heat — Living in the Tropics
One of the most fascinating galleries in the museum is titled 'Bunging the Heat.' This exhibit explores the unique challenges of 'tropical living' and how residents have historically adapted to the extreme humidity and heat of…
Listen in the app4The Sugar and Gold Eras — Economic Foundations
The economic history of Cairns is a tale of two primary commodities: gold and sugar. This gallery documents the 'boom and bust' cycles that defined the city's early decades. …
Listen in the app5Cyclones and Disasters — The Power of Nature
In the 'Cyclone' gallery, we are confronted with the raw power of the natural environment in which Cairns exists. For residents of the Far North, cyclones are a regular and terrifying fact of life. …
Listen in the app6Aboriginal Heritage — The Yirrganydji and Yidinji
The Cairns Museum places significant emphasis on the fact that the history of this land did not begin with European arrival. This gallery is dedicated to the traditional owners of the Cairns region, the Yirrganydji and the Gimuy…
Listen in the app7Modern Cairns — The Tourism Transformation
The final gallery of our tour brings us to the 'Modern Era,' exploring how Cairns transformed from a sleepy sugar town into a global tourism powerhouse. This shift began in earnest in the 1980s with the opening of the Cairns…
Listen in the app8Closing
As you step out of the Cairns Museum and back into the bright tropical light of Shields Street, take a moment to look at the city with fresh eyes. The grid-patterned streets, the heritage facades, and even the modern skyscrapers…
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What is Cairns Museum?
Cairns Museum is a place in Queensland · Australia with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Queensland · Australia |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | -16.9221, 145.7753 |
| Last updated |
