Step into the heart of Australia’s democratic history with a guided tour of Old Parliament House. Explore the chambers and corridors where the decisions that shaped Australia were made, allowing you to follow in the footsteps of the movers and shakers of the sixty years this site was home to the Australian Parliament.
Learn about the architecture, the key figures, and the pivotal moments that defined modern Australia. As you wander through this beautifully preserved 1920s “Stripped Classical” building, your guide will bring to life the dramas, debates, and deals that unfolded in the very rooms you’re standing in.
Sit in the leather benches of the historic Senate or House of Representatives chambers, look up at the soaring timber panelling and eucalyptus-leaf carpet, and imagine the major speeches, walk-outs, and votes that took place here. Pass through King’s Hall – once the bustling crossroads of the building – and into working spaces such as party rooms and the Prime Minister’s Suite, where leaders like Gough Whitlam, Malcolm Fraser, and Bob Hawke wrestled with the issues of their day.
Along the way, hear stories about protest, power, press, and the people who kept Parliament running behind the scenes, from clerks and journalists to barbers and staffers. Today, Old Parliament House is the Museum of Australian Democracy: a living museum that explores how democracy works, why it matters, and how ordinary people have influenced extraordinary change.
