For many years, the Clock Tower dominated the City skyline making City Hall the tallest building in Brisbane. While the view has changed significantly over the last 90 years, visitors to Museum of Brisbane are able to continue exploring the historic Clock Tower with a free guided tour.
We invite you to use this Social Story to help familiarise yourself with the Clock Tower Tour.
Have an accessibility question? View our frequently asked questions here.
If I would like to explore the Clock Tower, I will make a booking online in advance here. If I have an Assistance Animal, they are welcome to join the tour but I will need to book a ticket for my Assistance Animal too. If preferred, I may book a Clock Tower Tour in person at the reception desk on Level 3, City Hall. I should be aware tickets to Clock Tower Tours are subject to availability on the day.
Clock Tower Tours operate every 15 minutes, between the bell chimes. The bells will not chime during my tour but I am welcome to bring ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones with me.
Once I have made a booking, I will go to the reception desk on Level 3, City Hall and let a staff member know I am here for my tour. While I wait for my tour to begin, I can sit on the chairs opposite the reception desk or explore the Museum.
When it is time for my tour to start, a Tour Guide will call for anyone on a tour at my booked time. The Tour Guide will lead me through a large, black door to the left of the reception desk.
Once I walk through the door, I will see a corridor with a full-length glass window to my right. There are 8 steps I will walk up. I can use the hand railings if I would like.
At the top of the steps, I will see the original Clock Tower cage lift with the door closed. I will wait for the tour guide to open the lift door and invite me inside.
I will mind the step down to enter the lift. I will see the inside of the lift is painted with grey and gold paint with 2 rectangular mirrors on the left and right sides.
There is dim lighting at the top of the lift and a small fan. To the right of the entry, I will see the original lift handle, a small desk and a panel with buttons. I will not touch these; they are for Tour Guide use only.
Once inside, the Tour Guide will close the door and drive the lift to Level 10. On the way up, the lift will pass behind the analogue clock faces. The tour will come back and visit this later.
When the lift arrives at Level 10, I will wait for the Tour Guide to open the door. Once I am outside the lift, I will see a large industrial fan on my right, bench seating in front of me and a staircase to my left. I will follow the Tour Guide up the stairs.
There are 28 steps which narrow at the top.
Once on the observation platform, I will see sandstone pillars, glass windows and grey hand railings.
Above me, I can see 5 different sized bells which are protected by glass. The bells will not ring while I am on the observation platform, but I can wear noise cancelling headphones or earplugs if I would like to.
Following the Tour Guides directions, I will walk back down the stairs and wait outside the lift door.
The Tour Guide will open the lift door and invite me to enter.
Once inside, the Tour Guide will close the lift door and drive the lift to Level 8.
When the lift arrives at Level 8, I will not get out of the lift but can see the clock faces and machinery from inside. I will hear mechanical sounds as the hands move on the analogue clock faces. I can wear noise cancelling headphones or earplugs if I would like to. I can also wear tinted glasses.
When it is time to leave, the Tour Guide will ‘drive’ the lift back to the Museum on Level 3.
I will wait for the Tour Guide to open the lift door when it is safe to exit. I will mind my step as I exit the lift.
I will follow the Tour Guide back through the corridor with the full-length glass window to my left. I will walk down 8 steps and can use the hand railings if I would like to.
I will wait for the Tour Guide to open the black door which leads me back to Museum of Brisbane reception.
Clock Tower Tours run daily from 10:15–4:45pm, Monday–Sunday.
The Clock Tower Tour runs for approximately 15 minutes.
The Clock Tower Tour has a capacity of 7 patrons and 1 Tour Guide.
Yes, the Clock Tower Tour is free.
Food and drink is prohibited on Clock Tower Tours and inside Museum of Brisbane. Plastic or metal sealable water bottles are accepted.
Due to limited space in the lift, large bags and backpacks cannot be taken on Clock Tower Tours. Free lockers are available for visitors to use in Museum of Brisbane reception.
Unfortunately, the Clock Tower Tour is not wheelchair accessible.
The Clock Tower Tour includes 36 steps.
In the unlikely event of an emergency or mechanical fault preventing operation of the lift, patrons will be required to navigate 216 steps to exit the tower.
Clock Tower Tours operate every 15 minutes between the bells chiming. Although the bells will not chime during the tour, mechanical sounds can be heard. For visitors with auditory sensitivities, sound aids such as noise cancelling headphones or ear plugs are recommended.
The observation platform at the top of the Clock Tower includes natural light. Patrons with light sensitivities are welcome to bring tinted glasses.
