Queensland Museum KurILPA
A flexible retail fitout designed to evolve with every exhibition.
Located within one of Brisbane’s most visited cultural institutions, the Queensland Museum Kurilpa retail store plays a unique role. More than just a gift shop, it extends the museum experience, reflecting each exhibition while offering visitors a carefully curated retail moment to take home.
When the Queensland Museum Kurilpa team embarked on a new retail fitout, flexibility was front of mind. With exhibitions changing regularly, the store needed a solution that could adapt quickly, look refined, and remain easy to manage behind the scenes. Apex Display was engaged to collaborate with the museum team, delivering a modular retail solution built around the UniSlot™ Shopfitting System that bridges the gap between off-the-shelf and custom fitouts.
Design Objectives
Led by the Exhibition Designer and Project Manager, the brief focused on creating a retail environment that could change as often as the exhibitions themselves.
Key objectives included:
- Maintaining a cohesive and premium aesthetic across wall-mounted and freestanding displays
- Accommodating structural limitations, including concrete walls that could not be directly mounted
- Allowing fast visual changes between exhibitions without replacing core infrastructure
- Ensuring the fitout could be delivered within a tight timeframe aligned to exhibition schedules
- The solution needed to function as a long-term platform rather than a static retail layout.
Location: Brisbane, QLD
Company: Queensland Museum Kurilpa
Industry: Gifts & Merchandise
Completed: October 2024
Products Used
- UniSlot™ Wallmount System – maximising perimeter wall merchandising space while delivering a clean, high-impact display solution.
- UniSlot™ Freestand System – allowing the same level of consistency and functionality as wall-mounted displays in locations where direct wall fixing was not achievable.
Together, these systems create a cohesive retail environment that balances structure, flexibility, and visual clarity.
Metal Finish: Black
Timber Finish: NAV Urban Byron Blackbutt
IMPLEMENTATION
Early collaboration was critical to the success of this project. After the initial enquiry in March 2024, the Apex Display team worked closely with the museum to review plans and explore modular and flexible display configurations achievable using UniSlot™ Wallmount and UniSlot™ Freestand systems.
A key part of the process involved material selection. Once the museum confirmed their design direction, Apex Display provided several timber finish options that aligned with the architectural intent of the space. These included Laminex Native Oak, Polytec finishes, and NAV Urban veneers.
The final selection of NAV Urban Byron Blackbutt delivered a contemporary, refined finish that complemented the museum environment while providing durability for high visitor traffic.
To support changing exhibitions, white back panels were supplied throughout the system. With each new exhibition, the museum team applies custom SAV graphics specific to the theme, allowing visuals to be easily installed, removed, and refreshed without altering the underlying fitout.
Challenges & Solutions
Working Around Structural Constraints
Some areas of the store featured concrete walls that could not accommodate direct wall mounting. Apex Display addressed this by integrating a combination of UniSlot™ Wallmount and UniSlot™ Freestand systems. This ensured visual consistency across the space while allowing the layout to work seamlessly within the building’s constraints.
Tight Project Timelines
With installation timing closely linked to exhibition schedules, early design and planning played a vital role. Finalising configurations and finishes early allowed Apex Display to prepare all components in advance, ensuring a smooth and efficient installation once the site was ready.
Designed for Ongoing Change
Museum retail gift stores demand constant evolution. The modular nature of the UniSlot™ Shopfitting System allows staff to reconfigure shelving, update product stories and adjust layouts with ease. This flexibility ensures the exhibition retail space can adapt quickly without disruption or unnecessary downtime.
Outcome
Completed in October 2024, the Queensland Museum Kurilpa retail fitout has delivered a high-performing, adaptable space that supports both commercial outcomes and creative expression. The merchandise and gift store performed strongly over the Christmas period, reinforcing the effectiveness of a layout designed for flexibility, flow, and visual impact.
Client feedback confirmed the success of the collaboration, noting that the setup process ran smoothly and the display system performed exactly as intended during peak trade. The modular design now allows the museum retail team to confidently respond to each new exhibition, ensuring the store remains relevant, engaging, and easy to manage.
Why Apex Display?
For Queensland Museum Kurilpa, Apex Display delivered more than a retail fitout. The partnership provided a future-ready solution that supports creativity, operational ease, and long-term adaptability. By combining Australian-made quality, thoughtful collaboration, and the flexibility of the UniSlot™ system, Apex Display helped create a retail space designed to evolve alongside the exhibitions it supports.
Looking to create a retail environment that can change as fast as your product stories? Explore how Apex Display’s modular shopfitting solutions can transform your space with ease.