SeeSouth Canberra

National Archives of Australia

The renovated National Archives building has excellent public galleries. It has two permanent exhibitions and holds others from time to time. The staff are most helpful if you have a personal archival query

museum

Address: Kings Avenue
Website: naa.gov.au (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Canberra/South Canberra, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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SeeSouth Canberra
Old Parliament House
featuring the Museum of Australian Democracy
The headquarters of the Australian government from the 1920s to 1988, this building is a must for political and/or historical junkies. The building gives a real feel of what it was like when it was in use and has in the past regularly featured rotating exhibitions on the controversies and scandals that rocked Australian politics. It is now a permanent museum. Most of the main rooms - the Prime Minister's office, the Cabinet Room, the various party rooms, the two houses - are open to visitors, as are many smaller rooms like the whips' offices and the broadcasting area. There are also historical photos of Canberra as it used to be, including the times prior to the creation of the artificial lake that shows Canberra under snow during winter (the lake warmed up the city and snow falls rarely on the city now). The gift store has decent souvenirs.
Parking is free, admission is AUD 2 for adults, AUD 1 concession. Allow 2–3 hours
DrinkSouth Canberra
Members' Bar (Old Parliament House)
Located inside the historic Old Parliament House. This legendary heritage bar was once strictly restricted to parliamentarians and their elite guests. Today, it hosts popular public "Friday Night Drinks" (traditionally in the outdoor courtyards during the warmer months featuring live DJs and cocktails popular with graduates, or cozy winter sessions inside the untouched 1940s timber-paneled bar room). It remains a highly popular spot for local graduates after work, offering a vintage Art Deco setting to enjoy cocktails, wine, and premium charcuterie boards.
Fri 4–9PMDrinks from $12
EatSouth Canberra
Ottoman Cuisine Restaurant
Consistently awarded best Turkish in Australia, great atmosphere.
DoSouth Canberra
Lake Burley Griffin Cruises
Temporarily suspended. An eco-friendly tour company offering quiet historical sightseeing and morning tea cruises aboard all-electric vessels. Under normal circumstances, the company runs daily tours from mid-September through to mid-May. All public cruises are temporarily offline while the operator undergoes extensive maintenance following a vessel incident.