Cairns Art Gallery, Mulgrave Building

A 1934 government building — terrazzo floors, polished timber panelling, stained glass, iron balustrades — repurposed in 1995 into a free public gallery. The Public Curators Building's bones remain intact; what changed is the programming: First Nations fibre and textiles, land and people collections, and rotating work reflecting the tropic zone FNQ occupies. Entry is free across all three floors.