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National Library of Australia

The library is primarily a research centre, but houses a permanent display of historically significant items as well as temporary exhibitions showing parts of the collection. It's an accessible space, entirely comfortable for anyone to visit. Also notable for its neo-classical architecture.

history

Getting there: adjacent to Commonwealth Avenue Bridge on the southern side of Lake Burley Griffin near the National Gallery of Australia and Questacon, and is a short walk from a bus stop on the Inter-Town route
Hours: Mon-Thu 9AM-9PM, Fri Sat 9AM-5PM, Sun 1:30PM-5PM
Website: nla.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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BuySouth Canberra
National Library of Australia Bookshop
Not surprisingly given the venue, this store stocks an excellent range of Australian books. The price range tends to be a bit higher than other places, but it's worth for the range found here.
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Questacon
The National Science and Technology Centre
Questacon is an interactive museum of science with exhibits illustrating scientific ideas from the principles of physics to the motion of an earthquake. Great for kids and excellent science books can be picked up here. Allow at least half a day.
9AM-5PMAUD 15.50 adults, AUD 10.50 concessions, AUD 9 children, and AUD 46 for a family of 2 adults and 3 children
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.
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International Flag Display
A lakeside installation along the southern edge of Lake Burley Griffin featuring 110 flags. The display represents the United Nations, the European Union, and individual nations that maintain an official diplomatic mission or embassy within the national capital. The flagpoles are fully illuminated at night.
Open 24 hours dailyFree