Having been to Canberra a number of times before, I remarked to my husband that I had never been to the old Parliament House. We set off after breakfast and being aware of the possible issues of parking in what is called the parliamentary circle, we originally opted to park in one of the nearby parking spots. After finding that these were ALL allocated to nearby government workers, I suggested we try to find a park closer to old Parliament House and were pleasantly surprised to find ample parking spots right in the grounds. The pay spots accept coins or card (who carries around about $20 in coins) and are 4 hour spots only.
We parked the car and climbed the historic front steps, pausing to enjoy the sight of the Australian War Memorial way down the other end and across the lake. Now home to the museum of democracy, for $2 an adult and $1 for kids the entry fees are really quite reasonable. After speaking with the friendly staff and getting maps and offered tours (free) we were in the door.
If you only have an hour or so to spend, take one of the tours to get the most our of your time. If you have longer there are many, many different areas and exhibits to check out. The current Menzies exhibit is interesting and the Does your vote count gives an interesting and interactive view or what different generations find important.
Well worth the effort and a great way to learn a little about politics in Australia. read more