Architectural, Cultural sights in Canberra
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Old Parliament House
The venerable Old Parliament House was the seat of government from 1927 to 1988 and is a great place to get a whiff of bygone parliamentary activity. In 2009, the Old Parliament House was transformed into the Museum of Australian Democracy. The exhibits place Australia’s tradition in the context of the broader history of democracy, spanning the globe over two millennia. Notable items in the collection include a 1653 coin minted by Oliver Cromwell and the headdress worn by an Aboriginal elder as she performed the Welcome to Country for parliament’s opening in 2008, on the day the prime minister, Kevin Rudd, made his historic apology to Australia’s indigenous peoples for pa…
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Lanyon Homestead
The beautifully restored Lanyon Homestead, beside the river near Tharwa, is about 30km (19mi) south of the city. The early stone cottage on the site was built by convicts, and the grand homestead, which dates from Canberra's grazier days, was completed in 1859.
More than a collection of pretty old buildings, this National Trust homestead documents the life of the region before Canberra existed. The Nolan Gallery in the homestead collects some of Australian painter Sydney Nolan's most famous Ned Kelly works. As you'd expect, you can get a pretty nice Devonshire tea at Lanyon.
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