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Access

We welcome all visitors at MoAD and are committed to making our building, exhibitions and events accessible to everyone.

Our Museum Experience team can help you plan your visit and answer any questions you have. 

At the Museum, you can find our Museum Experience team at the main entrance reception desk and the King's Hall booth. Our Museum Experience team are dressed in a black and white check shirt and a black vest or black sweater, and they have a MoAD name badge.

Skip to:
Getting here and parking
Entering and getting around the building
Toilets and baby change
Sensory guide
Content advice

A museum staff member wearing a black sweater and name badge stands behind the main entrance reception desk at MoAD, the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House.
A Museum Experience Officer wearing a black vest and name tag standing inside an information booth at MoAD at Old Parliament House assists a woman with a brochure about the Museum.

The main entrance reception desk.
The King's Hall booth.

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Getting here and parking

The Museum of Australian Democracy is located inside Old Parliament House. Free accessible parking and accessible pick-up and drop-off are located at the front of the Museum.

Staircase leading to the front entrance to the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House.
Accessible parking and cars in parking bays outside MoAD at Old Parliament House.

Accessible drop-off, pick-up and free accessible parking at the front of the Museum.

We are accessible by public transport with several bus stops within 5-10 minutes' walk of the building. The walking paths from the bus stops to the Museum are not level and may include road crossings at traffic lights. There are some pedestrian crossings between the rose gardens and the Museum. 

Our staff at the main entrance reception desk can help you book a taxi when you've finished your visit.

Bus, parking and cycle 

The front of Old Parliament House in the evening lit up with pink lights.

Old Parliament House.

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Entering and getting around the building

Entrance

The entrance to the Museum is at the front of the building, up the central staircase and through the glass doors. Here you'll find the main entrance reception desk.

A large staircase leading up a large white building with two banners on either side. One reads 'Democracy DNA' and the other reads 'Behind the Lines'.
An entrance to a building with large glass double doors with wooden frames. An umbrella stand sits to the right. A black sign says 'Welcome to MoAD'.
A front desk with pamphlets on top of it and a large black sign with the words 'MoAD Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House.'

Central staircase at MoAD.
Front glass doors at MoAD.
Main entrance reception desk at MoAD.

Accessible entrance 

For lift access, enter through the doors on either side of the bottom of the central staircase. There are signs marked 'Accessible Entry'. During the hours of 9am and 5pm the doors open automatically. These doors open outwards, towards you.

A woman with crutches and a man standing in the accessible entry to MoAD at Old Parliament House.
The entrance to a building with a glass and and a black and white sign with the words 'Accessible entry MoAD'.

Accessible entry to MoAD.

Getting around the Museum 

There is step-free access to every level of the Museum. From the accessible street entry, there is a lift to the Lower Floor. On the Lower Floor, follow the green carpet and the 'Lift' signage to the lift that will take you to the Main Floor of the Museum where you'll find King's Hall. 

A woman in a green sweater presses the call button for an accessible lift in Old Parliament House.

Lift from the accessible street entry to the Lower Floor.

A woman on crutches and a man stand outside a lift on green carpet in Old Parliament House.

The entrance to the lift from the Lower Floor to the Main Floor.

A man holds the door for a woman on crutches inside a lift at Old Parliament House, there is a sign outside the lift for the different floors of the building.

Lift from the Lower Floor to the Main Floor.

The lift dimensions are: 

Accessible street entry lift: door width is 98cm; interior dimensions are 143cm long x 110cm wide.

Lower to Main Floor lift: door width is 160cm; interior dimensions are 141cm long x 149cm wide. 

Cafe lift: door width is 110cm; interior dimensions are 140cm long x 115cm wide. 

How to get to PlayUP 

For pram access to PlayUP, enter through the accessible entry on either side of the central staircase, then take the lift up to the Lower Floor.

Once on the Lower Floor, follow the green carpet and the 'Lift signage' to the lift that will take you to the Main Floor of the Museum where you'll find King's Hall.

From the Main Floor of the Museum, go through King's Hall to the red carpet on the right hand side and follow the PlayUP signage. Continue along the red carpet until you see the PlayUP exhibition sign on your left. You've arrived at PlayUP! 

King's Hall at MoAD at Old Parliament House featuring parquetry floors, a statue, couches and hanging lights from an ornate ceiling.
A hallway with red carpet in Old Parliament House.
The entrance to PlayUP at MoAD where there are black walls with brightly coloured text and images.

King's Hall.
Red carpet corridor leading to PlayUp.
PlayUp entrance.

Wheelchair access and mobility

Courtesy wheelchairs and strollers are available from the accessible entry desk and the main entrance reception desk. Mobility scooters may be used in all areas of the Museum. 

As a heritage building, Old Parliament House has some small rooms and narrow spaces. These include: 

  • Prime Minister’s Suite
  • Speaker’s Suite
  • Country Party Room
  • Australia’s Public Service – for the Government of the Day
  • Parliamentary Broadcasting and ABC Studio 

Some areas of the House of Representatives and Senate Chambers are not accessible to wheelchair users. Wheelchair users can enter the landing of each of the Chambers and use the viewing platforms. Further into the room there are small steps that are not suitable for wheelchairs. 

PlayUP is wheelchair accessible. 

Seating is available in most of our rooms and exhibitions. 

 

Two small steps with red carpet leading into the Senate Chamber with dark wooden furniture positioned in U-shape around a central table.

The Senate Chamber and House of Representatives Chamber have some small steps as you enter. 

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Toilets and baby change

Accessible toilets are located on the Lower Floor and on the Main Floor. These are a mix of modern and heritage bathrooms and are all gender accessible.  

On the Lower Floor, the accessible bathroom is a modern bathroom located next to the Truth, Power and a Free Press exhibition. It is located through two sets of doors. The first door opens away from you and is not self-opening. The second door is to the right and has a handle to open it. The door opens towards you and is not self-opening. There is a right handrail next to the toilet. 

On the Main Floor, there is an accessible bathroom opposite DressUP and there is another accessible bathroom in the corridor between the Prime Minister's Suite and the Speaker's Suite. These are both heritage bathrooms and are accessed through two sets of doors. The first doors open away from you and are not self-opening. The second doors are sliding doors and are not automatic. There are right handrails next to the toilets.  

Baby changing facilities are located on the Lower Floor and the Main Floor.  

For more information, find MoAD on the National Public Toilet Map.  

MoAD does not have a Changing Places toilet. The closest Changing Places toilet is located in Australian Parliament House, 600m south of the Museum. 

Service animals

All service animals are welcome at the Museum.

Auditory and visual access 

We have a hearing loop in the House of Representatives.  

You can access an audio guide on your device in each Chamber via the QR code on the printed guide and on our website.  

You can access the Hidden Stories audio in Changemakers via the QR code on the benches at either end of the exhibition and on our website.  

There is Auslan interpreted video in Blueprint and PlayUP.  

You can access audio descriptions via QR code in Behind the Lines and on our website. 

We have large-print text boards in Behind the Lines. 

We have subtitles on all our videos.

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Sensory guide

Busy times

The Museum is busiest during school holidays and weekends. Throughout the week school groups visit the Museum. 

The Museum is usually quietest from 9-10 am and 3-5 pm on weekdays. Some areas can be busy and loud, especially King’s Hall and our Behind the Lines exhibition where large groups of people meet. 

Lighting

Some of our exhibitions and heritage rooms are dimly lit. These include: 

  • Truth, Power and a Free Press
  • Democracy: Are You In?
  • Furnished
  • The Howard Library
  • Writs to Referendums
  • Senate Opposition Party Room 

Colour, shapes and patterns 

Some walls in PlayUP, Zine Lounge and DressUP have brightly coloured wallpaper and artwork. 

Kids stand in front of a wall with black, white, red and blue wallpaper with the words 'make a zine'.

Zine Lounge.

A bright pink coat over a black top with embroidered pink flowers hangs on a pink wall with an image of Frida Kahlo next to it in a room with more costumes to dress up in.

DressUP.

A section of wall in PlayUP with bright colours

PlayUP.

Video and audio 

The following exhibitions feature video and projections that play as you enter the room:  

  • Truth, Power and a Free Press
  • Democracy: Are You In?
  • Writs to Referendums 

The following heritage rooms feature soundscapes as you enter the room: 

  • Government Party Room
  • Country Party Room
  • Speaker's Suite
  • Prime Minister's Suite 

Quiet spaces

Room M103 on the Main Floor is a designated quiet space. From King's Hall, go to the Representatives Government Lobby corridor on the House of Representatives side of the Hall, M103 is the second room on the left. Please ask our staff for help finding this space and other quiet spaces. 

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Content advice

Behind the Lines features cartoons that discuss war, violence, racism and death. There are images of smoking. 

Truth Power and a Free Press discusses investigative journalism covering war, sexual abuse, racial discrimination and offshore detention. It also tells stories of journalists who have experienced imprisonment and harassment.

First Nations content advice 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that some exhibitions contain images of people who have died. These include: 

  • Truth, Power and a Free Press
  • Democracy DNA
  • Changemakers
  • Blueprint
  • Democracy: Are You In?
  • The Howard Library 

Disability Inclusion Action Plan

moad-logo

Museum of Australian Democracy

at Old Parliament House

Disability Inclusion Action Plan

2021-24

Our Disability Inclusion Action Plan is our commitment to improving the MoAD experience for all our visitors, staff and volunteers, in line with the Disability Discrimination Act. We aim to provide equal access and enjoyment for everyone who visits our museum.

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Feedback 

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