Parliament House

Visiting the Australian Parliament House was easily the highlight of my trip to Canberra. From the moment you arrive, the scale and thoughtful design of the building take your breath away. 🏛️ Architecture & Atmosphere The exterior is a stunning feat of modern design, famously built into the hill rather than on top of it. Walking up to that massive 81-meter flagpole really gives you a sense of the "open democracy" the building represents. 🎨 The Great Hall & Art Inside, the Great Hall is absolutely magnificent. The polished wood floors and the towering Arthur Boyd tapestry are even more impressive in person. It’s one of the largest tapestries in the world, and seeing it up close—depicting a beautiful Shoalhaven eucalypt forest—is a truly immersive experience. 🧱 Fun for Everyone (Including LEGO Fans!) I was pleasantly surprised by the LEGO Parliament House model! It is an incredible piece of work (over 150,000 bricks!) and a great way to see the intricate layout of the building from a different perspective. It’s a huge hit for kids and "big kids" alike.

Visiting the Australian Parliament House in Canberra was an eye-opening experience. The architecture perfectly blends modern design with symbolic meaning—standing right under the flag felt truly inspiring. This building offered fascinating insights into Australia’s democracy and history. It’s a must-see landmark that captures the nation’s spirit in stone and glass.

Visited Parliamen house with Kids and it was worth it. Plenty of parking, easy access to entry (Free entry), Parliament session was ongoing on our visit so attended session for sometime in guest lobby. They have history of Prime Minister, native animal history , beautiful cafe inside

Parliament House was a great experience. I highly recommend a tour as you have time as you get a peak of areas closed to general access and the tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. An absolute must at least once in life of you get to Camberra

Australian Parliament House ​This image captures the modern, stately architecture of the Australian Parliament House in Canberra. The focus is on the upper section of the building, featuring a facade of white marble with large, recessed glass panels that suggest a spacious atrium or roof structure behind them. ​Dominating the bright blue sky is the Australian national flag, flying atop a flagpole that emerges from the centre of the building. The flag is positioned against a backdrop of scattered white clouds, contrasting sharply with the deep blue. The overall impression is one of official significance, modernity, and a very clear, sunny day—a powerful, if slightly low-angle, shot of the heart of Australian democracy. ​A bit grand, isn't it? Would you like any specific details about the building or Canberra itself?

Ideal for gaining insight into the Australian government. Free parking for up to one hour. Unfortunately, that's nowhere near enough time to explore everything, but it's sufficient for a first impression. Nice architecture as well.

What an amazing building , We did the guided tour which was well worth it , going to quiet parts of the house and learning about the processes. There is a cafe on site which has a good range and plenty of seating. Majority of the house is open to the public you could spend half the day walking around having a look.

It was a wonderful experience to visit the building where important decisions are taken and the country is run. The exhibits in the corridors and narratives besides them give an insight into the history. We visited on a weekday and there were quite many school groups. Entry is free. A visit is highly recommended!

Security plus. We are on guard at the moment. It did reminded me of visiting a shopping centre in Mexico with the policeman wearing a bullet proof vest and carrying a submachine gun. The same experience was had when visiting Parliament House during the week. Before even walking through the door there is the security check and scanner. I was very impressed. A number of people were pulled to the side to be re scanned and then to discuss the items they had on their possession. Nothing gets through those gates that might cause a problem with security inside the building. There are tours through the House and as Parliament wasn't sitting the guides were very animated in discussing what normally happens in Parliament. I was impressed to find out that the guides are usually ex military personnel, actors or teachers....interesting combination. Maybe a job for me in the future....two act of three aren't bad. The beauty of Parliament House is just outstanding. I love that the materials used throughout are all Australian. The colours represent the colours of Australia, especially the native bush. The view from the top of the House is very impressive. The view of memorial Parade and the War Memorial is a reminder of the past.

Very interesting and not to be missed place. Statue of the Queen and many politicians portraits in a gallery. Some artworks and excellent views. Interesting souvenir shop with some gins and chocolates. Grand views, and a full LEGO plan available. Nice symbol of archaic system of indirect, representative democracy system we still use.

I seem to always end up here when Parliament is in recess, which is a bit of a shame because sometimes it might be good to watch the antics that go on in this place. Mind you, getting in requires going through security screening, however, there is much more to this place than a bunch of rowdy politicians lobbing insults at each other. Not only if there a hall containing paintings of former prime ministers, but there is also a lot of other information about the government and the building. Getting into the public galleries is quite easy though.

Very cool building, great use of materials, definitely worth a look, even if you dislike politics

Went here for school trip because no one lives in Canberra the only people you see are kids on field trips

Pretty cool spot and very cool that you can come here and watch parliament in action when they're in session. Highlights were the paintings of parliament members that ranged from normal to freakish, and the "making of the parliament building" video that featured 1980's aussies in short short jean shorts at a construction site, and some how the film didn't turn into a porn. The roof top view is pretty good as well.

The only place I remember is this Parliament House when I visit The Capital. They allow visitors to come inside. Impressive.

While it's undeniably modern in its architectural approach, the Parliament House doesn't give itself over to functionality the way many government buildings can sometimes do. It has lovely views of this part of the ACT and there seem to always be tours going on. If you can manage to get here while Parliament is in session - and even better, on a day when they are doing Prime Minister's Questions - you'll get to see the government "at work" on those days - do! Otherwise it's still worth a visit. You'll get to sit in the gallery and learn all about how the building was conceived and how it works. DO NOT MISS a trip up to the roof to see that amazing huge flag up close.

Austraila's Bicentennial gift to itself of a new parliament house in 1988 is certainly worth visiting. It would be more interesting on a sitting day when there's a lot of activity, but on the weekends it's still worth seeing as it's guaranteed you'll get into both the Lower and Upper House and it's easy to park and there's no crowds at all. I recommend doing a guided tour to get the most out of the visit here. They're free and the guides are informative and entertaining and you'll learn a lot.

Great place to visit. Took a tour and it was good. Will be back. Maybe when Parliament is sitting.

Amazing. We absolutely loved our visit here. Highly recommended and easy to access. Take the time to walk around the building and read the plaques. There are hidden gems of information and things to see everywhere.

Love being able to walk on the roof on top of the house of rep and senate. Sign up for the free tour. It's worth it.

Located in the center of Parliament Triangle across the lake from the City Center. They have their own free parking lot below the House (with a 3 hr limit), but there are other various free parking lots scattered around as well that don't have time limits. There are free guided tours 3 times a day (10 am, 1 pm, and another time that I can't remember). You can see where the House of Reps and Senate meet but if you want to actually see them in action, make sure you check beforehand that they are in session (they close down for several weeks in the fall). Views of Canberra from the rooftop are amazing. This building is definitely a must-see when visiting Canberra.

A must visit when you go to Canberra. I found it fascinating although it can get busy at times so be prepared to wait to enter in peak periods. Plenty of parking underneath!