Queensland Air Museum

 

I went to see the Queensland Air Museum the other day. It's in Caloundra, at the old aerodrome.

 

It's packed full of old planes, civil and military, in various states of disrepair. Aviation enthusiasts love it, I'm sure.

 

 

I specially liked the exhibits that commemorated various defunct airlines. Australia has a particularly rich aviation history, and lots of brave ventures have come and gone.

 

 

I got to pondering what exactly constitutes a 'museum'. If it's a collection of old stuff, then this is quite a museum. 

 

But if it's to do with a careful 'curated' display of old things, with attention to education, aesthetics, and comfortable sense of space, then maybe this place doesn't quite get there?

 

 

Some of it is rather jumbled and higgledy-piggledy, let's face it.

 

There's a similar museum in NSW's Illawarra, called the HARS Aviation Museum. That was a much better organised kettle of fish, I thought.

Four out of ten to this one then.

The Queensland Museum

 
 

While on Brisbane's South Bank last week I acquainted myself with the Queensland Museum. It's quite an institution, great for a visit, and clearly a primary authority on all things natural history in the state. It also has a focus on cultural heritage, science, and human achievement.

 

 

 

Lots of dinosaurs of course   

 

 

And a giant squid welcomed me into one of the galleries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Possums, eagles, all the usual suspects

Lots of things exhaustively catalogued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This one's a ghost bat

 

 

And this one's a shark that feeds on aeroplanes