Old Parliament House

Absolutely a must-see in Canberra! This beautiful building feels frozen in time, allowing visitors to experience what life in Parliament House was like decades ago. Many rooms are set up with everyday details, as if their occupants just stepped out and will return any moment—tennis racquets and spare shoes, ashes and cigarettes, pieces of clothing, and handwritten notes. I also highly recommend joining the free guided tour led by volunteers. I thought they weren’t available on weekends, but we visited on a Sunday and joined one at 11:15 AM. (Thank you, Greg, your excursion was amazing!)

Went here during the school holidays, there’s a play area for the kids at the outdoor garden. There’s no entrance fee and there’s guided tours at specific time. Our guide used to work here ages ago and told stories about his experience. We had a lovely time here with the family. Learned a lot of new information about Australian Democracy. There’s two gardens next to the building to go on walks after the museum visit.

Old Parliament House is a must-visit for anyone interested in Australia's rich history and culture! The free 45-minute "Highlights of Old Parliament House" tour is fantastic. The guide is extremely professional, offering a wealth of knowledge about the nation's political history and the important work of public servants. I felt proud to explore the building and learn about Australia's political journey. The stories shared during the tour are captivating, and I could easily spend half a day soaking in all the information. Highly recommend this historical gem to anyone visiting the area!

Such a beautiful place to visit. If I had the choice I would not have spent all that money on the new one as the old one is perfect as it is. So much history there and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing it and sitting in the chairs in the houses, going back in time in the prime minister's suite and walking around the beautiful rose garden. Definitely go and visit this.

This place is amazing for the history of our nation. A great place to walk around and they offer tours as well. I love the passion of the staff and they are knowledgeable and friendly. Worth a good couple of hours.

I came to the old parliament today. I was deeply attracted by the rich history and parliament. If you come to Canberra, this is one of the most worthwhile places to visit. You can also use the old printer to write letters to family or friends here, which is very interesting

Time stands still at the old Parliament house, fascinating museum to visit. All the places are such nicely maintained just as they were, feels like all the employees will return any moment. There is history in every corner. Easily accessible by public transport, few minutes walk from nearest bus stop.

Absolutely worthwhile to see and to venture through the many historical hallways of the old parliamentary building. To be standing in those very rooms where many decisions were made that shaped the Australian democracy was great. Allow some time to go through the entire museum and the many exhibitions it provides on two floors. Advisable to take water with you. Ample accessible toilets in every corridor. Courtyard cafe is also available. Tickets are not required as entry is free. Getting there is relatively easy and whilst ample parking is available, it is unfortunately at a cost. A great history journey!

Wanna get married like a rock star in a building with immense historical value that was once the seat of power in this great country? So did my cousin, and man, Old Parliament House is a super speccy venue to get irrevocably hitched to your life partner of choice (unless you're a homosexual couple in which case this great country doesn't yet afford you the privilege of getting married, a ruling as archaic and ridiculous as it is profoundly selfish, at least in the opinion of the more progressive amongst us). Anyway. The wedding area is a hidden paradise tucked away in the heart of the whitewashed complex, where sun streams in and birds sing and it feels for all the world like you're getting married in an ancient Greek capital to someone important, perhaps a minor deity of some kind. The reception area is right there, too, so there's no schlepping around in cars between venues, just pop up the stairs and there's a big banquet hall with a dance floor and bay doors that open up to a view of new parliament house running away up the hill, it's really quite splendid. PRO TIP: befriend the bartenders. They'll look out for you with a brilliantly cheeky drinks / shot service when everyone is three sheets to the wind. Crucial.

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.

It is very nostalgic returning to our nations former Parliament House. So much history, if you lived before 1988, it will bring back memories. Seeing inside, you understand why the Australian Government moved to new premises. Defiantly a must see for tourists visiting Canberra.

Wow this place was amazing! Especially the old prime ministers office and houses of representatives rooms. Definitely visit if in Canberra and check out the Aboriginal embassy out front.

The Old Parliament House houses the Museum of Australian Democracy. So it's like two museums in one. You can see the old offices of the Prime Minister and other officials and the old House of Representatives and Senate rooms. Then you can stroll through the galleries and learn about Australia's history in becoming a federation. Very interesting and educational. Only costs $2 per person. And the staff is very helpful and informative. They also have tours at various times during the days (call ahead for the times, no need to book).

I really enjoyed our visit as you get to see so much more than in the current Parliament House. You are allowed to go in and out of all of the offices as well as into the PM's old office! Definitely take a look when you visit Canberra.