Историческое здание бывшей библиотеки в Брисбене

Heritage listed former library building in Brisbane, Queensland

Old State Library Building is a heritage listed former library building at 159 William Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is also known as the former Queensland Museum. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. Originally constructed for the Queensland Museum opposite Queens Gardens, the building contained the State Library of Queensland from 1902 to 1988, when the State Library was relocated to the Queensland Cultural Centre at South Bank.

This building was constructed in two stages. The three storeyed William Street section was erected by the Queensland Colonial Government between 1876 and 1879, as the first purpose built home for the Queensland Museum, which had been established in 1855. The four storeyed extension was erected in 1958–59 as the Queensland Government's major centennial project. The choice of a classical style of architecture, modelled on 16th century Italian buildings and its central location close to the city's southern entrance, reflected the museum's importance in the scientific and cultural life of Brisbane. It was cast by the Non Ferrous Foundry of Brisbane. From 1964 to 1965 the original building underwent a major renovation, including the addition of a concrete frame structure, new floors, a mezzanine and air conditioning and the removal of the skylight, at a cost of over The exterior brickwork may also have been rendered at this time. The William Street frontage remained largely intact, as one of the city's few surviving 1870s facades. On the river side is Leonard Shillam's aluminium sculpture approximately high. Entitled "Enlightenment", it depicts three figures reaching towards the sun, symbolising the dissemination of enlightenment to mankind. To the south the extension was designed as a series of concrete fin walls providing views of the river, private work areas and shade from the sun.