The Museum of Australian Democracy acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.
The museum respectfully acknowledges the role that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to play in shaping Australia’s democracy.
xCloseA royal tour is filled with grandeur and glamour; there’s gowns, tiaras, fancy state balls, and sometimes, even unicorns. Intrigued? Read on to discover how Canberra welcomed not only the Queen, but also mystical beasts from another land.
From a rock band front man with a long ministerial career, to the fearless wartime spy who thought running for office was 'the stupidest thing' she ever did, here are seven famous faces that threw their hat in the ring for a local, state or federal election.
Aleyn Silva is an intern at MoAD as part of the Disability and Culturally Diverse Internship Program led by Accessible Arts and run in partnership with Diversity Arts Australia. Here, she reflects on an afternoon spent in our newly refurbished MoAD Shop.
Can you imagine working in the same job for 70 years? Well, Queen Elizabeth II can! This year she celebrates her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service to Britain and the Commonwealth and claiming the title of the longest-reigning monarch in British history.
We speak to three Australians who will vote for the first time during this upcoming federal election.
If you’re too young or otherwise unable to vote, here are my top five suggestions for alternative ways you engage with the democratic process. Let’s look beyond the ballot for ways you can influence the world around you.
As illustrator Nigel Buchanan worked on a series of prime ministerial portraits for our new exhibition, he quickly ran into a problem... Many of Australia’s prime ministers served in a time before the ubiquity of colour photography. This meant that one key detail remained a mystery. Enter MoAD researcher Campbell Rhodes.
Our new exhibition, Democracy DNA: the People, the Prime Ministers and the World, explores the events that shaped our nation and our democracy. Exhibition curator and ‘storyteller’ Jennifer Forest spoke to us about bringing it all together.
People often say politicians are too influenced by polls. How long has this been the case? The art of gauging public opinion is quite old and over time has become more and more complex. Here’s a summary of the history of opinion polls, in Australia and elsewhere.
Here’s a handy Q and A about how to vote, where to vote, how to make sure your vote counts, and what you can expect on election day.
For some, elections might seem a boring chore, but plenty of others think they’re a vital part of our society, and important since we live in a democracy.
We’re delighted to announce that we will be opening the first gallery of our new permanent exhibition – Democracy DNA: the People, the Prime Ministers and the World – on 28 April.
Aleyn Silva is an intern at MoAD as part of the Disability and Culturally Diverse Internship Program explores MoAD’s new exhibition, Democracy DNA: the People, the Prime Ministers and The World.
Award-winning Queenstown artist Nigel Buchanan created new portraits of all 30 former prime ministers of Australia for MoAD's latest exhibition Democracy DNA: People, Prime Ministers and the World. We caught up with Nigel to discuss broken teeth, tiepins and which former prime minister never seemed to smile
With a federal election just around the corner, there is no better time to proactively engage with democracy and make your voice heard. In an age of emails and DMs, a handwritten letter is a great way to have your message stand out. So, dust off your stamps and pick out your favourite pen as we suggest five people you can write to.
It takes a lot of people to clean up after a fire, especially for a heritage-listed building. Emma Gwynn, our Manager of Heritage and Collections, is just one member of the multiple teams working tirelessly to reverse the devastating fire damage at Old Parliament House. We spoke to her about the restoration process, and everyday maintenance for historic buildings.
Since Old Parliament House opened in 1927, guests have been greeted by the towering bronze statue of King George V in King’s Hall. Today, as a result of the fire in December 2021, it's time for King George to undergo a more considered clean and shine.
The front doors of Old Parliament House were designed in 1924 by Commonwealth Chief Architect, John Smith Murdoch. Since their installation, the doors have witnessed countless historic events, with consequences that have rippled throughout the decades and continue to shape our nation today.
Paper fortune tellers, also known as chatterboxes, are a form of origami. They can be used to make predictions, challenge someone to a dare, or anything else you set your mind to.
If you are a person with ideas, issues you care about and want to change the world for the better, then zines might be just the thing for you!
