Queensland's Liberal National Party opposition is promising to build a world- class natural history museum and aquarium on the banks of the Brisbane River if they win the upcoming state election.

In an announcement on Sunday, LNP leader Tim Nicholls pledged work would begin on the $1 billion "once in a generation" tourism project within 100 days of taking power.

The LNP's proposed Queensland Academy of Sciences at South Brisbane.

Mr Nicholls says more than 2600 jobs would be created in building the Queensland Academy of Sciences - to be developed through an international design competition like that which saw the creation of the Sydney Opera House in 1956. It would be developed on the Parmalat site at South Brisbane which is at the southern end of the Kurilpa Bridge and near GOMA (the Gallery of Modern Art).

The LNP plans for the project - modelled on the California Academy of Sciences - to house the natural history museum, aquarium, a living forest, science displays and research and educational facilities.