The History Chanel proudly supports The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
Housed in one of Australia’s most-loved buildings, the museum brings the journey of Australian democracy to life—presenting its past, present and possible futures.
Enjoy a range of innovative exhibitions, tours and exhibitions that challenge and inspire. There are also special activities and spaces for children to explore.
Open 9am – 5pm daily except Christmas Day.
All exhibitions free after entry
Museum entry: $2.00 Adult $1.00 Concession/Child $5.00 Family
Phone: (02) 6270 8222
moadoph.gov.au
Living Democracy
Newly-refreshed exhibition, Living Democracy shares the stories of a diverse range of people whose lives are intrinsically linked with Australia’s democracy. These are people who protested for change, petitioned government, represented others, secured voting equality for all Australians, became leaders of change in their communities or had their voices heard through music and art.
Designing Democracy
Discover how vibrant, innovative and sometimes controversial, our road to democracy has been. Designing Democracy explores the international events, people, ideas and ideals that have shaped Australian democracy and traces the Australian people and inventions that have played a critical role in global democratic history.
See fascinating objects integral to the story of democracy such as George Washington’s writing set, a first edition of Thomas Paine’s The Rights of Man published in response to the French Revolution and a piece of the Berlin Wall.
‘The Illuminations’
The Illuminations is a captivating new artwork commissioned by the museum and created by glass artist Wendy Fairclough. This striking and contemporary response to the celebrations of Federation in 1901 is now a treasured part of the museum’s permanent collection and is located in the Designing Democracy exhibition.
Research Library and Australian Prime Ministers Centre
The Research Library and Australian Prime Ministers Centre is a fully-functioning research library open to the public. The library features a collection and an inquiry service which covers the themes of democracy, political history, the building and of course, our prime ministers. The collection includes books, journals, DVDs, e-newsletters, historical ephemera and images.
Open 10am – 4pm Monday to Friday
Press Gallery- Scoops Leaks and Scandals
Visit The Press Gallery to view how political debates, deals, decisions and debacles were reported to the nation from the 1930s to the last days in 1988.
Family-friendly activities
MoADdventure trail
Follow the trail to find 11 special objects located around the museum. Match the wheel to the special objects and crack the code. Take your answer to the Reception Desk to claim your prize. Good luck! The MoADventure Trail is suitable for 5–12 year olds and takes about 30-45 minutes to complete.
Hands on Democracy
Hands on Democracy encourages children and their carers to connect the concept of democracy to real experiences that relate to their world. This exhibition asks questions, inspires creativity, and invites you to join in, take turns, share your ideas and listen to others. Come along and discover that democracy is not just something we have— it’s something we do every day!
Prime Ministers exhibition
The museum’s popular Prime Ministers of Australia exhibition now has a permanent home in the exhibition precinct behind King’s Hall. Do you know which former prime minister was nicknamed ‘Tosspot Toby’ by The Bulletin because of his love of good food and wine? Or which one used to work as a miner before he was prime minister? You can find out here.
