Parliament of Australia: Visitors

Visiting

Maps

Opening Hours

Parliament House is open:

on sitting days (see below)- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, from 8.30am till 5.00pm
all other days - from 9.00am to 5.00pm every day except Christmas Day when Parliament House is closed
Sitting Calendars - 2008, 2009 .

Opening times are extended for evening sessions of Parliament.

Further Information
Visitor Services
Operations and Facilities
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Telephone (02) 6277 5399
Facsimile (02) 6277 5068

Recorded Information (02) 6277 2727

Additional measures have been implemented to enhance the security arrangements for the building, its occupants and visitors. These measures do not restrict the ability of the public to visit the building or view the proceedings of Parliament. Members of the public are encouraged to continue to visit Parliament House, particularly during sitting periods.

Conditions of entry [Word 33KB] [PDF 66KB]

Parking

A large underground car park beneath the Forecourt of the building—time limit three hours—is available for the use of visitors.

There are also extensive surface car park areas for visitors located between Parliament House and the rear of Old Parliament House .

Parking spaces for bicycles are also available in these areas.

Parking is free of charge.

Public Gallery Bookings

Visitors to Parliament House may view the proceedings of both the House of Representatives and the Senate from the Public Galleries in the Chambers whenever the Houses are in session. At other times when Parliament House is open visitors may visit the Public Galleries.

There are 388 seats available for the public to view proceedings in the House of Representatives Public Galleries. It is possible to book tickets for Question Time in the House of Representatives which is generally held at 2.00pm each sitting day. Tickets can be obtained for individuals and groups. There is no charge for this service and tickets can be booked by telephoning 6277 4889 before 12.45pm on the day required. Tickets can then be collected between 1.15pm and 1.45pm from the Cloak Room on the first floor near the House of Representatives Chamber. Visitors who do not book tickets are generally able to view Question Time by arriving prior to 2.00pm. There may be a delay because of security screening before entering the galleries.

It is not necessary to book to view Question Time in the Senate

The Parliament Shop

The Parliament Shop features a wide selection of high quality Australian made products including:

gifts, souvenirs, cards, posters, clothing
handcrafted jewellery, ceramics, glass
art/craft and timber items, leather goods
a collection of items using images from the Parliament House Art Collection
videos about the building and Australiana
a selection of books about politics and Parliament, from political satire to reference material, political biographies, children's books and Australiana

A visit to the Shop is a "must" for overseas and interstate visitors, as well as locals.

Located in the main Foyer, the Shop is open 7 days a week (except Christmas Day)

Open 9:30 am - 5:00 pm (on sitting days extended to 5:45 pm).

Ph: (02) 6277 5050 Fax: (02) 6277 5068

Facilities

The Queen's Terrace Café is situated on the first floor. The café serves refreshments and light meals seven days a week from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

First Aid assistance can be sought from the Information Desk and Security Desk in the Foyer.

Mothers' Room and Babies' Change Room
These rooms are located on the first floor.

Wheelchairs and strollers are available for loan, at no charge, from the Information Desk. Lift access is shown on the floor plan.

Disabled facilities are shown on the floor plans.

Audio loops are available in the Theatre, the Chambers when Parliament is sitting, and in the Main Committee Room. These can be used in conjunction with hearing aids.

Photography (see Guidelines) for personal use is permitted throughout the public areas of the building, but not in the Chambers when Parliament is sitting.

The home of Australia's Parliament and the meeting place of the nation, Parliament House is located on a 32-hectare site on Capital Hill and is the focal point of Canberra, the capital city of Australia.

Opened on 9 May 1988 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the building was designed by Romaldo Giurgola of Mitchell/Giurgola and Thorp architects and was constructed almost entirely of Australian materials.

The unique blend of impressive architecture, a stunning art collection and beautiful landscape makes Parliament House one of Australia's most significant and popular cultural attractions.

Visitors moving through the building experience a journey symbolic of Australia's history. The Forecourt, with its featured mosaic dot painting, recognises the long history of Aboriginal culture in Australia.

The use of marble and timber in the main Foyer provides a link to the arrival of Europeans to Australia. In the Great Hall, the rich Australian timbers, the Great Hall Tapestry and the Embroidery make subtle reference to the settlement and cultivation of the land.

The Members' Hall, designed as a lofty, ceremonial space at the heart of the building, is located directly under the flagmast. It is the space in which the North-South axis of the building crosses with the East-West legislative axis that joins the Senate and House of Representatives Chambers.

The Main Committee Room represents the future of Australia, as the work of committees affects the futures of the nation's representative democracy.

The building is recognised as a major international achievement in the integration of art and architecture, and features numerous commissioned artworks built into the very fabric of the building.

Featured within the Great Verandah is the Coat of Arms created by silversmith Robin Blau, and at the bottom of the Foyer's marble stairs, the finials sculpted by Anne Ferguson.

Artworks from the Parliament House Art Collection, portraits from the Historic Memorials Collection and gifts to the Parliament can be seen throughout the public areas of the building.