This small but fascinating museum tells the story of how Canberra came to be Australia's capital. Displays include reproductions of the drawings entered in the international competition to design the city, including the exquisite watercolour renderings of the winning design created by Marion Mahony Griffin, the often overlooked wife and creative partner of Walter Burley Griffin.

The glass pavilion offers lovely views over the lake and Capital Hill, so you can see the real-life outcomes of the plans you're perusing.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Canberra attractions

1. Captain Cook Memorial Water Jet

0.14 MILES

Built in 1970 to mark the bicentenary of British explorer James Cook's landfall, this memorial near Regatta Point consists of a 6-tonne column of water…

2. Nerang Pool

0.18 MILES

This lovely pool is a serene spot in Commonwealth Park, with an abundance of bird life and some beautiful landscaped gardens.

3. Australian of the Year Walk

0.32 MILES

The signs along this stretch of pathway pay tribute to those selected annually as Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian…

4. Lake Burley Griffin

0.4 MILES

Every morning you'll see politicians running off the night before around this majestic lake and perhaps a few journos hot on their trail. This constructed…

5. National Library of Australia

0.42 MILES

This institution has accumulated more than 10 million items since being established in 1901 and has digitised more than nine billion files. You can pop by…

7. Questacon

0.55 MILES

Most families visiting Canberra head straight for Questacon, Australia's premier science museum, where they can play around with fun interactive exhibits…

8. Reconciliation Place

0.56 MILES

A section of the grassy public space between Parliament and Lake Burley Griffin has been designated to represent the nation's commitment to the cause of…