There isn’t a better place to learn about Australia’s political culture and history than Canberra. The city’s design is actually based around it being a place of cultural discovery and exploration. National monuments and galleries are dotted throughout the city within easy walking distance of one another, allowing people both to do a political treasure hunt, and to accidentally stumble across cultural relics.
Canberra is also home to some of the country’s best museums and galleries, which include Parliament House, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Museum of Australia, the Australian War Memorial and the National Dinosaur Museum.
The world-famous National Gallery of Australia has an impressive 13 galleries showcasing over 7,500 works of Aboriginal art. They’ve got all sorts including dot and bark paintings, watercolours, textiles, prints, ceramics and sculptures.
The National Art Gallery of Australia, too, has a remarkable collection, which includes more than 100,000 works of art spanning Aussie, Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and international art.
For a more natural approach to history, you can take a walk, cycle or horse ride through Namadgi National Park and follow a trail of Aboriginal and European history.
War buffs must check out the War Memorial to learn about Australia’s military history. This national memorial site is dedicated to the armed forces, and as such you’ll see exhibitions relating to war in many shapes and forms. Among other things, the exhibitions have included photography, propaganda posters and drawn art.
