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.
xCloseSilk in tatters, burst seams, sweat stained and grimy, the coatee worn by Australia’s first prime minister, Edmund Barton was in a poor state. Conservator Deb Spoehr spent painstaking hours cleaning and stabilising the coatee, preserving its fascinating story. See how this transformation took place.
Every election you see people out in force wearing t-shirts to reflect their political colours and support their candidate of choice. Our researcher Campbell shows off some of the t-shirts in the museum collection and why they matter to our democracy.
Last year The Hon Tim Fischer AC very generously donated to the Museum every tie he ever wore or was given from 1951 to 2011.
