Our visit as a school information is designed to assist teachers with booking their visit.
Recommended for all ages
The Great Gallery is dominated by a replica of the HMS Pandora, the ship sent by the British Admiralty in 1790 to capture the Bounty and her mutinous crew in Tahiti.
Tragically, on her return journey in 1791, Pandora hit the Great Barrier Reef and sank. She remained undiscovered for 186 years and today, objects recovered from the wreck are part of the Pandora exhibition, adjacent to The Great Gallery.
Temporary closure from 14 August 2023. The museum will begin installing a mammoth exhibition Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Ocean Predators. If you're planning a visit, please be aware that The Great Gallery will be closed from Saturday 14 August until late January 2024, however all our permanent galleries including Pandora and Sciencentre will be open and accessible.
The Great Gallery is also home to The Galley Cafe, where visitors can enjoy a coffee or light lunch with views over Ross Creek.
Plan your visit to Museum of Tropical Queensland in Townsville.
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Find out accessibility information including wheelchair access, quieter times, sensory resources and more.
Be captivated by the story of HMS Pandora, the ill-fated ship which was sent to capture the Bounty and her mutinous crew.
Enter the First Nations Foyer and marvel at the large contemporary piece by artist Niketa Law, then explore the First Nations object display.