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.

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Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
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Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
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    Articles tagged with: heritage

    Latest articles

    9 minute read

    Mon 25 Mar 2019
    Jessica Curtain

    The Last Moments collection: a treasure trove of stories

    How does a set of old photos hold the power to transform a visitor’s experience of our building?

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    9 minute read

    Thu 18 Jan 2018
    Ashley Tenison

    Putting the bling back together: a recipe for conservation

    Silk 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.

    Read article

    1.%20all%20the%20bling%20 %20barton%27s%20coatee

    12 minute read

    Tue 16 May 2017
    Stephanie Pfennigwerth

    A Horse’s Tale: Bill, Bertie and Bairnsdale 303

    Horses were a vital part of the Parliament House opening ceremonies. What did they make of all the fuss? Three photographs of Bill, the horse ridden in Canberra by the Duke of York, provide a fresh insight into the day’s events.

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    Duke perching

    7 minute read

    Tue 9 May 2017
    Stephanie Pfennigwerth

    The Thieving Diva: Behind the scenes of the opening ceremony at Parliament House

    Hilda Abbott was a distinguished guest whose recollections reveal that behind the public performance, VIPs are only people after all.

    Read article

    Dame nellie opening ceremony

    9 minute read

    Tue 2 May 2017
    Stephanie Pfennigwerth

    Flags, snags and bags: Putting the finishing touches on the opening of Parliament House

    It took determination, ingenuity and a small piece of string to get Parliament House finished in time for its grand opening in 1927.

    Read article

    King george v statue

    5 minute read

    Thu 9 Jun 2016
    Emma McManus

    National Reconciliation Week in PLAY UP

    Last week we welcomed early learners and their parents to PLAY UP for a special National Reconciliation Week event introducing museum items and activities to this small but mighty audience. 

    Read article

    Ra week 1

    9 minute read

    Tue 15 Dec 2015
    Ashley Tenison

    Political barometer unsteady! Temperature’s rising in parliament…

    Measuring temperatures and predicting weather changes in a politically turbulent climate for years, the weather station in the heart of Old Parliament House has recently undergone conservation treatment.

    Read article

    The%20original%20weather%20station old%20parliament%20houserz

    2 minute read

    Mon 23 Mar 2015
    Libby Stewart

    A ‘battle axe’ for Senator Tangney

    As one of only two women in federal parliament, Senator Dorothy Tangney was by all accounts a strong personality, not easily cowed by her more numerous male colleagues.

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    Battle axe 550f994d32a79

    4 minute read

    Mon 24 Mar 2014
    Marija Taflaga

    Who knew that toilets would have such a complicated history?

    Read article

    3 minute read

    Tue 19 Nov 2013
    Kate Armstrong

    Butting Out a Ciggie in Old Parliament House

    Were you a smoker when Old Parliament House was the federal parliament? If so, then you were in good company as smoking was common.

    Read article

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    7 minute read

    Mon 21 Oct 2013
    Sharon Towns

    A personal connection with the Speaker’s Chair

    The Speaker’s Chair, in the House of Representatives chamber, has a number of special features, and the piece is drenched in symbolism.

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    Chair 3 5264ae3658869

    2 minute read

    Fri 27 Sep 2013
    Campbell Rhodes

    The last Australian filibuster

    News-watchers might have heard about US Senator Ted Cruz and his 21-hour long filibuster to the Senate on September 24. The last filibuster in the Australian Parliament was in 1918 when ALP Senator Albert Gardiner spoke for over 12 hours.

    Read article

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    2 minute read

    Fri 19 Jul 2013
    Noel Lane

    Replacing like with like—a handblown lightshade for the Member’s Dining Room

    We recently had the opportunity to travel to Aldgate in the Adelaide Hills to document master glassblower Tim Shaw creating a new lightshade which is to play a part in the Members’ Dining Room refresh project.

    Read article

    Replica light shade 51e878c3f2ac7

    3 minute read

    Thu 13 Jun 2013
    Alex Flannery

    The best laid plans of Murdoch and the Department of Works and Railways

    For the last couple of months I have been sequestered away in the museum bunker poring over and cataloguing more than 600 architectural plans. The plans trace the design, building and evolution of Old Parliament House from 1921 until 1988.

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    Pms temp accom 51b8f4372a147

    6 minute read

    Mon 27 May 2013
    Sharon Towns

    Physical conservation of building structures at Kakadu National Park

    From the 14 to 20 April I had the opportunity to participate in a five day course with the Institute for Professional Practice in the Arts and Heritage, ANU held at Kakadu National Park. Wondering what tropical climates and timber buildings would hold in store for our nationally listed ‘people’s’ house, I admit to being wonderfully surprised.

    Read article

    Kakadu1 51a2c64948fdc

    3 minute read

    Fri 10 May 2013
    Beck Moloney

    Secret squirrel stationery

    I’ve been working at the museum for over 18 months now and, though I’ve become accustomed to the building’s rabbit warren-like layout and (sometimes) pokey rooms, one place that has continued to pique my interest is the room where we keep our office stationery.

    Read article

    Door 518c57d74ae4b

    7 minute read

    Thu 18 Apr 2013

    More than bricks and mortar—preserving and conveying the spirit of place

    We recently attended two conferences—The artefact, its context, and their narrative: multidisciplinary conservation in historic house museums and Interpretation—future challenge. Two conferences, different themes, yet we came away thinking about a common idea—’spirit of place’.

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    Mdr1 516f2ef0d929f

    2 minute read

    Wed 9 Jan 2013
    Kate Armstrong

    Marching through the paint layers of history—revealing the hidden secrets of Provisional Parliament House (Part 2)

    A week is a long time at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House…especially when you are scraping paint off walls while the rest of Australia is lazing about on the beach, watching the cricket, playing with Christmas presents and feasting on leftovers.

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    1 before 50eca053bd107

    2 minute read

    Mon 7 Jan 2013
    Gabrielle Edwards

    The white glove treatment

    After years consigned to the spare room, the garage and the share house, a television has finally come back to its original home in the Prime Minister’s Suite at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House.

    Read article

    1980s tv 50ea5e6809c77

    5 minute read

    Thu 3 Jan 2013
    Kate Armstrong

    Marching through the paint layers of history—revealing the hidden secrets of Provisional Parliament House (Part 1)

    We are currently undertaking a refurbishment of the Members’ Dining Room so that the space meets the requirements of a contemporary function venue, yet protects, reveals and communicates the rare and significant historical features.

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    Members dining room 50e4c0a8e3173
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    Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

    18 King George Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600, Australia

    PO Box 3934
    Manuka ACT 2603

    9am to 5pm daily 
    Closed Christmas Day

    ABN: 30 620 774 963

    Telephone: 02 6270 8222

    Enquiries:
    info@moadoph.gov.au

    Please note: video surveillance is used 24 hours a day around and throughout the building and may be used for research purposes

    Visiting

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    The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House is a Corporate Commonwealth Entity within the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts