Parliament House Tours and Activities

Parliament House showing modern architecture, an administrative building and interior views
Choose two or more items and save on your trip:
There are few parliaments that have such a dramatic view as Australia's second parliament to house its elected politicians, and so few that let the public in.

The Old Parliament building may have been a 'make-do' affair, with its limited 50-year shelf-life, but the new Parliament House has made up for that earlier understatement in spades. Dominating the skyline of Canberra with its enormous flagpole, this grand palace to democracy – at the very heart of the capital – was the most expensive building in the world, when completed in 1988. Over 1 billion Australian dollars were lavished on it.

It sits in the centre of the State Circle ring road on Capital Hill, right where the original 1911 plans for Canberra, by architect Burley Griffin envisaged it. The building was designed by architects Mitchell/Giurgola in 1978, with its two grey wings shaped like a boomerang and partially buried into the earth. In its centre is a white-framed entrance that hints at the appearance of the Old Parliament. And these two parliaments, old and new, line up along a line striking out from the Parliament House, along the ANZAC Parade to the War Memorial – and beyond to Mount Ainslie. A spectacular view.

Topping it off is that enormous flag pole, over 76 metres high, flying a national flag that is the size of a tennis court. It may all be very grand, but it's also very accessible. Many of its 4,700 rooms are open to the public, including galleries for viewing the parliamentary debates in the House of Representatives. A popular room for visitors is the Great Hall, with its polished wood floor and huge tapestry of a painting by Arthur Boyd, Australia's greatest impressionist.

Parliament House also has its own viewable art collection, a permanent photographic exhibition and exhibits covering everything from the role of women in parliament to the Magna Carta. It all makes for an intriguing visit. And how could you come to the Australian capital, and not visit the Parliament that it was designed and built to house? A building which Canberra had to wait so long for, in order to finally complete its transition from 'village' to national Capital.

Reviews of Parliament House

4.5
Top destination
5 - Excellent
520
" "5 - Excellent 59.63302752293578%
4 - Good
310
" "4 - Good 35.55045871559633%
3 - Okay
37
" "3 - Okay 4.243119266055046%
2 - Disappointing
4
" "2 - Disappointing 0.45871559633027525%
1 - Terrible
1
" "1 - Terrible 0.11467889908256881%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
6 Jan 2020

Try Apple Maps, because Google maps wanted me to go somewhere totally different to park for the undercover parking.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
9 Nov 2019

Excellent tour with wonderful informative & humorous tour guide.

5/5 - Excellent

SydneyTraveller
31 Oct 2019

Great bacon and egg roll. Good price.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
16 Oct 2019

Hard to find parking but enjoyed seeing inside

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
15 Oct 2019

New Parliament House is good to visit but old Parliament better. It is now the Museum of Australian Democracy. Very interesting.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
15 Oct 2019

If you want some action in Parliament House - obtain a ticket for Question Time.

Popular places to visit


Top Parliament House Hotel & Accommodation Deals

Forrest Hotel and Apartments
Forrest Hotel and Apartments
3.5 out of 5
30 National Circuit, Forrest, ACT
Forrest Hotel and Apartments
Rydges Canberra
Rydges Canberra
4 out of 5
Corner Canberra Ave & National Circuit, Forrest, ACT
Rydges Canberra
Burbury Hotel & Apartments
Burbury Hotel & Apartments
4 out of 5
1 Burbury Close, Canberra, Barton, ACT
Burbury Hotel & Apartments
Little National Hotel Canberra
Little National Hotel Canberra
4 out of 5
21 National Circuit, Barton, ACT
Little National Hotel Canberra
Hotel Realm
Hotel Realm
5 out of 5
18 National Circuit, Barton, ACT
Hotel Realm
Hyatt Hotel Canberra - a Park Hyatt
Hyatt Hotel Canberra - a Park Hyatt
5 out of 5
Commonwealth Avenue, Yarralumla, ACT
Hyatt Hotel Canberra - a Park Hyatt
Hotel Kurrajong Canberra
Hotel Kurrajong Canberra
4.5 out of 5
8 National Circuit, Barton, ACT
Hotel Kurrajong Canberra
Brassey Hotel
Brassey Hotel
4 out of 5
Belmore Gardens & Macquarie Street, Barton, ACT
Brassey Hotel
Crowne Plaza Canberra, an IHG Hotel
Crowne Plaza Canberra, an IHG Hotel
4 out of 5
1 Binara Street, Canberra, ACT
Crowne Plaza Canberra, an IHG Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.