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

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]
Accessibility [Word 14KB] [PDF 73KB]

Parking

Please note:

Car parking arrangements in the public car park have been modified of late to suit current construction works. Consequently please take care when using the car park and pay attention to any temporary signage.

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 in advance at any time by telephoning the Serjeant-at-Arm's Office on 6277 4889. Bookings close at 12:30 pm on the day of attendance. 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.

Guided tours

Guided tours offer a dynamic introduction to Parliament House and the Australian Parliament including the history, objects, artwork, architecture and the democratic process in action. Guided tours are delivery by the Parliamentary Guide Service and can be customized to meet the needs and interests of the group.

Public tours

Public tours within Parliament House are free of charge and take place at 10:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm, seven days a week. During non-sitting periods Public tours run for 45 minutes and for 30 minutes during sitting periods.

Paid tours

Paid tours are offered to visitors and guests that would like a private tour of Parliament House. Paid tours of Parliament House are at a cost of $9.50 per person and $5.00 per concession. Paid tours can be requested out of standard business hours at a cost of $15.00 per person. During sitting periods the cost is reduced to $5.00 per person, due to the reduced duration of the tour and the restricted access to the Chambers.
Guided tours can be customised to meet the needs and interests of tour groups. Our specialised Parliamentary Guides can provide themed tours which can focus on History, artwork, architecture and/or Parliamentary procedure for Visitors to the building and for guests of corporate events within Parliament House and the region.

Graduate Tours

Graduate tours are available to Government Department Graduate Programs, at a cost of $5.00 per Graduate. Graduate tours are available 9.00am to 5.00pm seven days a week including sitting and non-sitting periods.
Please email
facilities.management@aph.gov.au for further information or to make a booking.

School Tours

School tours of Parliament House are available to all Australian Primary and Secondary schools; see School Bookings

Garden Tours

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.