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 the Main Reading Room at any time to browse newspapers and magazines by the large windows. Don't miss the Treasures Gallery, where artefacts such as Captain Cook's Endeavour journal and Captain Bligh's list of mutineers are among the regularly refreshed displays; free 30-minute tours of the gallery are held at 11.30am daily.
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National Library of Australia
Canberra
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.49 MILES
This Australian national art collection is showcased in an impressive purpose-built gallery within the parliamentary precinct. You can justifiably bypass…
0.35 MILES
Occupying a flash, purpose-built building, this wonderful gallery is a striking representation of Australia's shifting self-image and a must-see for art…
16.58 MILES
Namadgi is the Ngunnawal word for the mountains southwest of Canberra, and this national park includes eight of those peaks higher than 1700m. It offers…
1.54 MILES
Canberra's glorious art-deco war memorial is a highlight in a city filled with interesting architecture. Built to commemorate 'the war to end all wars',…
0.86 MILES
Built in 1988, Australia's national parliament building is a graceful and deeply symbolic piece of architecture. Sitting atop Capital Hill, the building…
0.56 MILES
As well as telling Australia's national story, this museum hosts blockbuster touring exhibitions (admission prices vary), which often outpoint the…
0.18 MILES
Most families visiting Canberra head straight for Questacon, Australia's premier science museum, where they can play around with fun interactive exhibits…
Museum of Australian Democracy
0.4 MILES
The seat of government from 1927 to 1988, this elegantly proportioned building offers visitors a taste of the political past. Displays cover Australian…
Nearby Canberra attractions
1. Australian of the Year Walk
0.12 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…
0.18 MILES
Most families visiting Canberra head straight for Questacon, Australia's premier science museum, where they can play around with fun interactive exhibits…
0.25 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…
0.27 MILES
Flags from all the nations with diplomatic representation in Canberra are flown here.
5. Captain Cook Memorial Water Jet
0.31 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…
0.34 MILES
First erected in 1972 as a protest against the government's approach to Indigenous land rights, this camp on the lawn in front of Old Parliament House…
0.35 MILES
Occupying a flash, purpose-built building, this wonderful gallery is a striking representation of Australia's shifting self-image and a must-see for art…
8. Museum of Australian Democracy
0.4 MILES
The seat of government from 1927 to 1988, this elegantly proportioned building offers visitors a taste of the political past. Displays cover Australian…