National Museum of Australia
Photo: Own work — CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The National Museum of Australia in Canberra presents Australia’s rich history and culture through diverse exhibits, including Indigenous heritage and natural history.
Planning your visit
The National Museum of Australia opened in 2001 in a building that argued loudly — Howard Raggatt's design uses a knotted ribbon motif and, controversially, quotes Libeskind's Jewish Museum Berlin in its Garden of Australian Dreams, a reference the architect intended as commentary on Indigenous dispossession and which caused considerable public argument.
The collections cover Australian social and cultural history, land and people, with Indigenous heritage central rather than sectioned off. The Gallery of First Australians holds significant material developed with communities, covering 65,000 years of occupation, colonisation, the Stolen Generations and contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life.
Objects range from the Holden prototype and the heart of Phar Lap to bark paintings and convict relics.
It sits on Acton Peninsula on Lake Burley Griffin, near the other national institutions. Allow two to three hours. Bookable options include highlights tours. Current availability is shown below.
Before you book
Where is National Museum of Australia?
National Museum of Australia is in Canberra, Australia. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for National Museum of Australia?
Allow two to three hours. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book National Museum of Australia 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.
