Arts and Culture, Published 14 June 2026
One of Brisbane's First Major Artist-Led Exhibitions? Step Inside the Masonic Hall of 1888!
On 14 August 1888, Brisbane's art scene reached an important milestone when the newly formed Queensland Art Society staged its first annual exhibition at the Masonic Hall^ in Alice Street.
Visitors stepping through the doors would have discovered around 200 artworks on display, including landscapes, portraits, still lifes and other works created by both professional and amateur artists from Queensland and beyond.
At the time, Brisbane had no public art gallery. For many residents, exhibitions such as this were among the few opportunities to experience a large collection of original artworks gathered under one roof. The exhibition helped showcase the colony's growing artistic talent and brought artists and art lovers together in a way Brisbane had rarely seen before.
The event reflected a city whose cultural life was flourishing alongside its rapid growth. It encouraged local artists, attracted public interest, and helped establish the Queensland Art Society as a lasting force in Queensland's cultural landscape.
That organisation still exists today as the Royal Queensland Art Society, making it Queensland's oldest continuing art society and one of the oldest in Australia.
While Brisbane had hosted earlier displays of art, including exhibitions within the 1876 Queensland Intercolonial Exhibition, the 1888 Masonic Hall exhibition was among the city's first major exhibitions organised specifically by an art society and dedicated primarily to the promotion of artists and their work.
It's fascinating to think that long before QAGOMA welcomed millions of visitors, Brisbane's art lovers gathered in a Masonic Hall on Alice Street to admire paintings, discuss creativity, and help lay the foundations of Queensland's artistic future.
^ Built 1885/86 - Demolished ca. 1930s
A note on our visuals: To help tell this story, we’ve used computer‑generated illustrations modelled on public domain archives. These are produced strictly for educational, non‑commercial history sharing.
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