National Dinosaur Museum
Photo: Own work — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Established in 1993, the National Dinosaur Museum in Canberra showcases over 150 dinosaur models, 23 complete skeletons, and more than 300 fossil displays, offering an interactive journey through prehistoric times.
Planning your visit
The National Dinosaur Museum in Canberra holds over 150 models, 23 complete skeletons and more than 300 fossil displays — a private collection rather than a government institution, despite the name.
Australian palaeontology is the distinctive element. The continent's dinosaur record is less famous than North America's but includes significant finds from Queensland and Victoria, and the polar dinosaurs that lived in the Australian southeast when it sat inside the Antarctic Circle are genuinely unusual — animals adapted to months of darkness.
The collection extends beyond dinosaurs into the broader fossil record and includes minerals and meteorites.
It works particularly well with children, and the outdoor sculpture garden of life-size models is a fixture of Canberra childhoods.
It sits in Nicholls, north of the city centre, away from the parliamentary triangle where the national institutions cluster. Allow ninety minutes. Bookable options include skip-the-queue entry tickets. Current availability is shown below.
Before you book
Where is National Dinosaur Museum?
National Dinosaur Museum is in Canberra, Australia. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for National Dinosaur Museum?
Allow ninety minutes. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Is National Dinosaur Museum free to enter?
Yes, general admission to National Dinosaur Museum is free. Guided tours and special exhibitions may still be charged separately.
Do I need to book National Dinosaur Museum in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.
