The Best Canberra Museums To Visit | Australian Traveller

Add these landmark Canberra museums to the top of your cultural hit list in the nation’s capital.

Canberra museums are some of the most boundary-pushing in the country. When I lived in the nation’s capital, I spent a lot of time moving through them, sometimes with a plan, but often on impulse. What strikes me every time is how personal they feel. These are not dusty repositories. They’re places where national stories and big ideas collide.

From headline institutions to quieter museums locals return to again and again, Canberra museums offer a depth you don’t always expect from a weekend visit. This guide shares the museums I recommend along with practical tips on when to go, what to prioritise and how to build a day around them.

In short

If you only visit one museum in Canberra, make it the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. This Canberra museum feels like a film set because of the fact it played a leading role in the theatre of Australian politics. Book The Chifley Experience at Hotel Kurrajong, which includes a MoAD tour and is one of the best places to stay in Canberra.

1. National Museum of Australia

the National Museum of Australia on Lake Burley Griffin — NMA forms its own landscape of themes and colours. (Image: Grant O’Loughlan / VisitCanberra)

The National Museum of Australia (NMA) is stitched together into the terrain – all colour, form and symbolism. Set on its own peninsula, it announces itself in its sharp angles and clashing ideas. I keep coming back to the museum to visit the extensive First Australians gallery which lays bare the spectrum of multiple, evolving views about Aboriginal Australia. And I always exit via the gift shop to fossick for idiosyncratic pressies such as a resin vase from Dinosaur Designs and First Nations jewellery.

Address: Lawson Cres, Acton

2. Australian War Memorial

the Australian War Memorial in Canberra — Reflect on Australia’s experience in war. (Image: VisitCanberra)

The Australian War Memorial is a shrine, archive and museum where visitors can reflect on Australia’s experience in war. The poppy-strewn Roll of Honour has a profound effect on me: it bears the names of more than 103,000 fallen members of the Australian armed forces.  The memorial is designed to broaden its impact on visitors keen to learn about Australia’s involvement in conflict and its enduring impact on our society. This blending of military history and personal stories is what the AWM does so well.

Address: Treloar Cres, Campbell, ACT

3. National Library of Australia

the National Library of Australia in Canberra — The National Library of Australia is a book temple and gallery in one. (Image: VisitCanberra)

I visit the National Library of Australia as much for the opportunity to press pause as the material. Part book temple, part gallery, part architectural statement, the library rewards slow wandering. The Treasures Gallery is a highlight, with everything from Olympic torches to ancient maps and Beethoven’s life mask. Even without opening a book, you can easily lose a couple of hours. There is an eclectic range of great cafes for brunch in Canberra. But not all of them have literary leanings. Bookmark Bookplate Cafe for that reason.

Address: Parkes Pl W, Canberra

4. Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

the House of Representatives Chamber at Old Parliament House in Canberra — The Museum of Australian Democracy now occupies the Old Parliament House. (Image: VisitCanberra)

Old Parliament House is like a film set from the 1980s, which makes sense because it did play a leading role in Australian politics as the home of Federal Parliament between 1927 and 1988. I always recommend taking the guided tour of The Museum of Australian Democracy; it’s the fastest way to understand how much of Australia’s political theatre played out inside these walls.  Expect amusing anecdotes from experienced officers who steer you toward rooms that present like portals into our political past.

Address: 18 King George Terrace, Parkes

5. Canberra Railway Museum

a heritage railway carriage at Canberra Railway Museum — See old locomotives and carriages at the Canberra Railway Museum. (Image: E Rohling)

Canberra Railway Museum celebrates the golden age of rail travel. Learn all about the locomotives and carriages that were the preferred mode of transport for politicians who were toing and froing from parliament. Forget Thomas the Tank Engine. Head here to teach your kids about the passage of time onboard a steam locomotive that brought the first train to Canberra in 1914. Or gauge how the style of the sleeping car evolved from a lavish 1901 Pullman to the stylish Art Deco Southern Aurora.

Address: 2 Geijera Place, Fyshwick, ACT

6. National Film and Sound Archive of Australia

a vintage television at National Film and Sound Archive of Australia — The NFSA is dedicated to the preservation and documentation of motion pictures. (Image: VisitCanberra)

I love to visit Canberra’s lesser-known institutions such as the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia . The NFSA is dedicated to the preservation and documentation of motion pictures and recorded sounds. It contains archival footage, recordings from some of the country’s most prodigious talents as well as memorabilia that celebrates the rich history of Australian cinema. More than 4 million items are indexed within curated collections in the heritage-listed building in Acton.

Address: McCoy Cct, Acton, ACT (just a 10-minute walk from the city)

7. Questacon

a liquid nitrogen show at Questacon — Spark your curiosity at the spectacular liquid nitrogen show. (Image: Questacon)

Questacon is one of Canberra’s No. 1 family attractions. And, when my boys were in primary school, I would bring them to Questacon to engage their young minds to think about science, technology and innovation. There is a special learn and play centre at the national science and technology centre that helps to spark curiosity in kids. Here, children listen to inspired stories about science and innovation, make a stethoscope, put a magnet to the test and learn how Indigenous Australians make fire using friction.

Address: Questacon, Ngunawal Country, King Edward Terrace, Canberra, ACT

8. The Royal Australian Mint

an interactive exhibition space at the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra — Kids can explore interactive exhibitions inside. (Image: Royal Australian Mint)

The multi-award-winning Royal Australian Mint has reopened after extensive renovations. The cultural attraction is both a working factory and Commonwealth Heritage site. The National Coin Collection is not just for collectors; visitors can mint their own coin and explore interactive exhibitions, too.  A visit to the RAM might just inspire the next generation of numismatists to start squirrelling away their Australian coins. Learn about the history of coin collecting, see commemorative coins made of gold and silver and antique coins that nod to nostalgia.

Address: Denison Street, Deakin

9. National Archives of Australia

Visiting the National Archives of Australia is like flicking through memories banked by the nation over centuries. Highlights within the heritage-listed space include the interactive digital wall and exhibitions that trace decisions that have helped to shape the nation. Don’t miss the large gallery of photos gleaned from the collection of past and present prime ministers. Research geeks can get help with their projects by booking ahead to view archives in the Research Centre. The collection includes information about immigration, the environment and the arts.

Address: Kings Avenue, Parkes

10. National Dinosaur Museum

dinosaur replicas outside The National Dinosaur Museum, Canberra — The National Dinosaur Museum has an enormous collection of interactive dinosaurs. (Image: VisitCanberra)

There are a lot of great reasons to visit the ACT. The National Dinosaur Museum is one of them. The museum has one of the largest permanent collections of interactive dinosaurs in Australia, 23 complete skeletons and more than 300 displays of individual fossils. Yes, you will enhance your children’s appreciation of reptiles from the Mesozoic era. But the museum is not just about dinosaurs: it is aimed at anyone curious about the history of life on Earth. Budding palaeontologists will appreciate the trove of skulls, skeletons, fossils and interactive animatronic dinosaurs on display.

Address: 6 Gold Creek Rd, Nicholls

Torquay’s Bells Beach is considered one of the best surf beaches in the world.

It’d be easy to think Australian surf culture was born around the right-hand point breaks of the Gold Coast and Byron Bay. These regions seem the epitome of how the world views Aussie surfers – bronzed (or burnt), languishing in warm water and sunshine. The reality is a lot different.

The rise of surf culture along Victoria’s coastline

surfers at Bells Beach in Australia — Surfers stand on the shore at Bells Beach, where the country’s biggest surfing competition is held each year. (Image: Getty/Filed Image)

True Aussie surf culture was born on the chilly waves of Victoria’s winters, when huge swells from the Great Southern Ocean hit cliff-lined beaches along the Great Ocean Road . These beaches were the ultimate proving ground – surfers from all over Australia arrived in panel vans and VWs to do battle with the biggest waves they could find.

Surfers take advantage of the huge swells from the Great Southern Ocean at Bells Beach. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

There are surf breaks all along this very picturesque coast – but those around Torquay were most revered. The ultimate test of a surfer’s ability – and durability – however, was Bells Beach: Australia’s answer to Hawai‘i’s Pipeline. Just beyond, the breaks at Jan Juc and Winkipop beckoned.

an aerial view of surfers at Bells Beach — Hit the waves along the picturesque coast. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Torquay became surfing’s Silicon Valley: HQ for the entire Australian surf culture revolution. Four young locals worked out of their backyards in Torquay to create two of the world’s biggest surf labels – Rip Curl and Quiksilver , which soon became the region’s biggest employers.

surfers out at Bells Beach — Surfers out at Bells Beach, Victoria’s most famous beach. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

Rip Curl started sponsoring the Bells Beach Pro in 1973 – and have done ever since. It’s been going since 1962 – making it the world’s longest continually run surfing contest. Held every Easter, it’s part of the world surfing tour. Spectators line its 30-metre-high cliffs to watch the world’s best take on enormous waves – it’s the ultimate coliseum for the sport and has inspired generations of Aussie surfers to join the list of heroes whose names are on its iconic bell.

Follow the waves through Victoria’s surfing heartland

Australian National Surfing Museum, Torquay — The Australian National Surfing Museum in Torquay. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Just behind Torquay’s main drag, you can see all that history on display at the world’s best surf museum – the Australian National Surfing Museum . Here you can take your time absorbing the 100-year-or-so history of Australian surfing and check out the 150-strong surfboard collection.

surfboards on display at Australian National Surfing Museum — The museum holds surfing memorabilia, including a room dedicated to the history of boards. (Image: Tourism Australia)

But classic Aussie surf culture can be observed in everyday life all over the Great Ocean Road and Torquay. Surfing dictates life here; no work is done until the big swells have come and gone. Just being here provides a window into 60-odd years of rebellion against convention; for no-one likes nine-to-five living on the Great Ocean Road.

surfing memorabilia at Australian National Surfing Museum — The varied displays celebrate the Bells Beach competition, surfing legends and Aussie surf culture. (Image: Tourism Australia)

There’s less panel vans and VW Beetles these days, but surf culture still rules life. Surfers run this coast; you’re better off keeping out of their way when they’re running down past you to face the biggest swells – then hear them swap stories at cafes, restaurants and bars all around you.

surfing at Bells Beach — The beach near Torquay is Australia’s answer to Hawai‘i’s Pipeline. (Image: Visit Victoria/William Watt)

Canberra museums: the best places to explore Australia’s history, culture and ideas