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Tuesday 10am - 3pm Thursday 10am - 3pm Sunday 10am - 3pm

MacArthur Museum Brisbane

Name: MacArthur Museum Brisbane
Address: Level 8 MacArthur Chambers, 201 Edward Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, AU
Telephone: +61732117052
Price range: $

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MacArthur Museum Brisbane

MacArthur Museum Brisbane is open to visitors on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday every week from 10am to 3pm (last entry 2.30pm)

09/05/2026

The Battle for Mubo was part of the Australian advance on Salamaua which would ultimately destroy the major Japanese base at Lae. Attempting delay such an advance, the Japanese established a defensive position at the tactically important area of Mubo.

As part of a Japanese counter-attack on the advancing Australian 17th Brigade, an isolated company under the command of CAPT Leslie Tatterson, was attacked by the 102nd and 115th Regiments of the Imperial Japanese Army. Between the 9th and 11th May 1943, the company held out inflicting over 100 casualties on the IJA and suffering 12 of its own. The delay caused by this stubborn defence would enable the Allies to consolidate so that Mubo fell to the Allies on 12th July 1943.

06/05/2026

The US War Plan Orange 3 (for war against Japan) was approved by the senior representatives of the US Navy and Army in June 1940. It called for the defence of the Philippines to concentrate on the island of Luzon and in particular the Bataan peninsula and the island of Corregidor. In the event of war, the US forces were to hold out until the US Pacific Fleet could bring relief.

When LTGEN MacArthur was appointed to command the US-Filipino forces on 26th July 1941 he determine to defend the entire Philippines. On 7th December the foundation of the entire plan was removed when the core of the fleet was immobilised at Pearl Harbour. To support MacArthur’s plan troops and supplies had to be dispersed throughout the Philippines. MacArthur’s plans had to be revised to the original Rainbow plans due to the rapid advance by the Japanese Army. The withdrawal forced MacArthur to destroy vast quantities of equipment and supplies, most critically food and munitions. Despite this the defenders achieved some notable successes against the Japanese. The losses crippled the defence and US defenders suffered starvation, illness and lack of war supplies before their inevitable surrender.

General MacArthur had been ordered out of the Philippines (11th March 1942) and was exercising overall control from his HQ in Melbourne. His insistence on no surrender conflicted with the orders of General Wainright calling on US forces throughout the Philippines to surrender after the fall of Corregidor. On 7th May he broadcast orders to all US Forces to surrender to avoid a possible massacre of the now disarmed troops who had surrendered on Corregidor.

04/05/2026

The Battle of the Coral Sea took place in the northern Coral Sea on 4-8th May 1942. A combined US - Australian fleet faced a Japanese attempt to capture Port Moresby from the sea. Although the US suffered heavier losses, the Japanese were rebuffed in the first naval battle fought entirely by aircraft (as the warships did not see each other).

The damage to the two Japanese aircraft prevented them being part of the Japanese force at Midway, contributing to the Japanese defeat in what became the turning point of the Pacific War.

Learn more about this and other battles of the war at the MacArthur Museum. Open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

25/04/2026

ANZAC Day is a time to remember those who have served their country and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This photo shows the construction of ANZAC Square in Brisbane.

Here at the MacArthur Museum Brisbane we are privileged to be able to tell some of the stories. Come and visit us to learn more about how people served their country during World War Two.

20/04/2026

Please note the MacArthur Museum Brisbane will be open on Anzac Day (25 April 2026) from 12.30pm following the Anzac Day march. We will close at 3pm with last admissions at 2.30pm.

Admission is free but donations welcome.

18/04/2026

in 1943 Admiral Yamamoto, the architect of the attack on Pearl Harbour was shot down and killed. The Japanese coding system had been broken by the allies, enabling them to pinpoint his location.

Come and visit the museum to see the control yoke from the seat Admiral Yamamoto was in when the plane was shot down.

01/04/2026

Before the outbreak of war in the Pacific there were a number of British and American signals intercept stations spread across the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The rapid advance of the Japanese saw many of these located in Australia by March 1942.

There were Australian, British and diplomatic corps personnel
here, and after the fall of the Philippines US Navy and Army/Army Air Force also arrived. The Fleet Radio Unit-Melbourne (FRUMEL) handled naval traffic and relations with FRUMEL were far from ideal, often fuelled by the egos of those involved.

MacArthur wished to see a unified organisation directly under his command and on 1st April 1942 this was authorised and became operational on 15th April 1942 at “Cranleigh” a large private mansion in South Yarra. Its role was the interception and decoding of Japanese Army codes (the Japanese Army and Navy had their own air forces and no separate air force existed)

The Central Bureau was commanded by MAJGEN Spencer Akin with three Assistant Directors, COL Simkin (US) LTCOL Sandford (AIF) and WNGCOMD Booth (RAAF).

After the US Navy victory at Midway, MacArthur moved to Brisbane and arrived there on 23 July 1942. Central Bureau followed in September and was established at 21 Henry St, Ascot in a large mansion (“Nyrambla”), built in 1886, which still stands. A photo is shown below.

25/03/2026

From this day (March 25) in 1941, Brisbane hosted a three-day goodwill visit from seven US Naval ships - the Cruisers USS Chicago and Portland and Destroyers USS Clark, Cassin, Conyingham, Reid and Downes.

Residents lined the river from dawn to welcome our US guests, who were honoured with a march from Fortitude Valley to City Hall. Around 250,000 locals - the largest crowd Brisbane had seen - tried to view the parade.

Brisbane resident Kathleen Scanlon collected the autographs of dozens of visiting US sailors. Kathleen’s autograph book is now on temporary display at MacArthur Museum Brisbane, alongside other items related to the March 1941 US Naval visit.

Image: Autograph book of Miss Kathleen Scanlon, kindly donated by Ann Robson, niece and God-daughter of Kathleen Scanlon.

20/03/2026

American servicemen posted to Brisbane during WWII were provided brochures and resources to support their transition to life in Brisbane.

This brochure, including maps of Brisbane’s suburbs and CBD, was provided by the American Red Cross Society and belonged to the late Bill Bentson, a Sergeant in the US Army based in Brisbane. Sergeant Bentson added his own landmarks to the CBD map: the General Headquarters at the corner of Queen and Edward Streets (now home to MacArthur Museum Brisbane), and the GHQ Barracks.

While so much has changed in the more than 80 years since this brochure was produced, many of the landmarks remain.

Image: Guide to Brisbane and Suburbs, produced by the American Red Cross. (MacArthur Museum Brisbane).

14/03/2026

On this day (14 March) in 1942, the first Japanese bombs were dropped on Horn Island (Ngurupai) in the Torres Strait. The island was used as a staging post for Australian aircraft heading north to New Guinea, hosting more than 5,000 at its peak.

Horn Island was second only in Australia to Darwin in the number of Japanese bombings endured during WWII, and more than 200 defence personnel and civilians lost their lives during the war. The frequent Japanese attacks contributed to the establishment of Australia’s first and only Indigenous battalion, the Torres Strait Light Infantry.

Image: Lieutenant C.V. Matters, Company Commander of C Company, inspecting members of the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion with Warrant Officer Class Two R.H. Crane (Photographer N.B. Stuckey, AMW 119170).

Address

Level 8 MacArthur Chambers, 201 Edward Street
Brisbane, QLD
4000

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 3pm
Thursday	10am - 3pm
Sunday	10am - 3pm

Telephone

+61732117052

Website

http://www.mmb.org.au/

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