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National Library of Australia

Canberra


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.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

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…

2. Questacon

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…

3. Reconciliation Place

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…

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…

6. Aboriginal Tent Embassy

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…

7. National Portrait Gallery

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…