Australian War Memorial
The memorial complex is dedicated to Australian soldiers who died in military conflicts. Initially, it was built as a building for storing archival documents, but later decided to convert it into a museum. As a result, a huge ensemble was erected — one of the largest objects of such purpose in the world.
The central structure is the Hall of Memory, made in the form of an octagon crowned with a dome. Its stained-glass windows depict wartime scenes, and the walls are lined with mosaics. Inside there is a museum consisting of several galleries, a research center and a theater, and an Eternal Flame burns on the square in front of the building.
National Museum of Australia
The museum’s collection began to be collected in the 1980s, but the building for its placement was officially opened only in 2001. It turned out to be original and unusual — the postmodern style was a great success for the architect, although he was repeatedly accused of plagiarism. The facades of the premises are painted in bright colors, the entrance is a curved space symbolizing the strong interweaving of the destinies of Australians, bold slogans are written on the walls in Braille (some of them had to be closed with panels due to the ambiguous reaction of society).
Permanent exhibitions are devoted to the history of Australia: Aboriginal life, colonization, economic development of the country, various cultural and social aspects.
Parliament Building
The Parliament Building is located in the center of Canberra on a hill. City blocks and highways diverge from it in a circle. In 1988, it was opened by Queen Elizabeth II herself. The structure is surrounded by an artificial pond with fountains, a tall flagpole of intricate shape rises above it. The rooms and halls are lined with marble and decorated with columns. Handmade tapestries hang on the walls, and the floor is laid with parquet made of valuable Australian wood. Anyone can get inside either as part of a group or with an independent tour.
National Botanical Garden
The Canberra Botanical Garden has collected the natural wealth of the Australian continent — about 7000 species of plants, as well as representatives of flora from other parts of the world: Africa, the Mediterranean, the Japanese Islands, Southeast Asia. An impressive herbarium of several million plants is displayed in one of the sections. The fauna of the garden is also very diverse: insects, reptiles, birds and mammals. Even possums and kangaroos can be found on paths and lawns.
The staff provides free guided tours daily, including for children.
National Gallery
The Canberra Art Gallery exhibits very interesting collections: Aboriginal art, works by French artists, paintings by Chinese, Japanese and Thai masters, American and European pop art. A separate floor is given over to the works of Australian painters. In addition to fine art exhibitions, you can view a collection of prints, ceramics, textile canvases and interior items. The museum building is built in the brutalist style. It is surrounded by a landscaped garden with many sculptures.
National Carillon
On Aspen Island in the center of Canberra stands a 50-meter carillon — a gift from Great Britain for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Australian capital. It consists of several dozen bells, the heaviest of them weigh 5-6 tons. A giant musical instrument plays different melodies every hour, the bell sounds 1 time in 15 minutes. The carillon plays whole concerts 4 times a week — it replaces a full-fledged orchestra. There is an observation deck at the top of the structure.
Questacon
The Museum of Science and Technical Achievements is very popular among tourists and locals. The huge building of the “Questacon” has a cylindrical shape and accommodates more than 200 interactive expositions located in 7 galleries. The topics are very different: human biology, natural disasters, optical and sound illusions, inventions. In one of the halls there is a themed playground for visitors up to 6 years old, in the other there is an amusement park. The theater at the museum hosts entertaining performances for the whole family.