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.

• museum
• outdoors
• history

Address

King George Terrace

Price

Parking is free, admission is AUD 2 for adults, AUD 1 concession. Allow 2–3 hours

Website

moadoph.gov.au (opens in a new tab)