MoAD and the Courtyard Cafe are open. Some exhibitions and rooms will be closed from September 2025 for essential building works. Learn more

Explore

Democracy

Democracy

Aretha Brown, a young woman, holds a banner at a protest rally with a fist raised in the air.

Stories

Stories

Black and white image of the front of Old Parliament House with a crowd of people of gathered at the foot of the stairs. The building is white with columns and an Australian flag flies at the top.

Collection

Collection

A close up of a rainbow flag covered in signatures.

POLITICAL CARTOONS

Browse Behind the Lines, our annual exhibition celebrating the year's best political cartoons.

Explore
Visitors looking at the framed cartoons on the walls

STORIES

Only human – disability in Australian politics (part 1: human leaders)
History

Only human – disability in Australian politics (part 1: human leaders)

Disability and Australian politicians.

Tosspot to bodgie: seven prime ministerial nicknames
History

Tosspot to bodgie: seven prime ministerial nicknames

Discover how these prime ministers got their infamous nicknames.

Why do we have elections anyway?
Democracy

Why do we have elections anyway?

Find out why you are required to vote in free, democratic elections.

The same, but different: the UK election compared to Australia
Democracy

The same, but different: the UK election compared to Australia

How UK elections are both familiar and foreign to Australian voters.

Establishing the United Nations
History

Establishing the United Nations

COLLECTION

Plaque presented to Dorothy Tangney Plaque presented to Dorothy Tangney

Plaque presented to Dorothy Tangney

This plaque signifies Dorothy Margaret Tangney becoming Australia's first woman senator.
Women's Social and Political Union hunger strike medal

Women's Social and Political Union hunger strike medal

The Women's Social and Political Union took extreme actions to advance the cause of women's suffrage.

DEMOCRACY

Australian democracy Defining democracy

Australian democracy

Every democratic society is distinct. The same is true for Australia.
Defining democracy Defining democracy

Defining democracy

What is democracy?