Welcome to Canberra!

Canberra – a city nestled between two mountains and located on the ancient lands of the indigenous people. And it is also Australia’s largest inland city with modern infrastructure and fascinating architecture surrounded by nature. Canberra is a very lovely place to visit and here is our TOP 35 FREE MUST-SEE places in Canberra as well as TOP 18 MUST-SEE places to explore for some entrance fee. Enjoy!

TOP 35 FREE Must-See Canberra

1.All Saints Church

Open: Mon-Fri 9:30am-2:30pm; Sat-Sun 9:00am-4:00pm

2.Australian of the Year walk

3.Australian National Botanical Gardens

Open: Daily 8:30am-5:00pm*

Bookshop and Visitor Center: 9:30am-4:30pm

4.Australian War Memorial

Open: Daily 8:30am-5:00pm*

5.Blundell’s Cottage

Open: 10:00am-2:00pm

Tours: 10:15am, 11:30am, 12:45pm

6.Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex

Open: Daily 9:00am-5:00pm*

7.Canberra Glassworks

Open: Wed-Sun 10:00am-4:00pm*

Entry for donations

8.Canberra Museum and Gallery

Open: Weekdays 10:00am-5:00pm*; Weekends 12:00pm-5:00pm (Sept-May); 12:00pm-4:00pm (June-August); 12:00pm-5:00pm Canberra Day

Closed on most public holidays

9.Captain Cook Memorial Jet

Open: 11:00am-2:00pm

10.Commonwealth Place

11.Serbian Orthodox Church St.George

Open: Tue-Sat 10:00am-2:00pm; Sun 10:00am-1:00pm

12.Craft and Design Center

Open: Tue-Fri 10:00am-5:00pm; Sat 12:00pm-4:00pm; Closed on public holidays

13.Drill Hall Gallery

Open: Wed-Sun 12:00pm-5:00pm

14.Government House Lookout

15.High Court of Australia

Open: Weekdays 9:45am-4:30pm*; Sun 12:00pm-4:00pm; Closed on public holidays

16.Memorial of ANZAC PDE

17.Mount Ainslie Lookout

18.Mount Pleasant Lookout

19.Mount Stromlo Observatory

Visitor center open: Mon-Fri 9:00am-3:30pm; Sat-Sun 9:30am-4:30pm

20.Namadgi National Park

Visitor center open: Weekdays 9:00am-4:00pm; Weekends and public holidays 9:00am-4:30pm*

21.National Arboretum Canberra

Open: Daily 7:00am-5:30pm non daylight saving; 6:00am-8:30pm daylight saving*

Village Center: 9:00am-4:00pm

Talks every hour between 10:00am-3:00pm

Guided walk: Sun 10:00am; Wed, Sat, Sun 10:00am in the Summer

22.National Archives of Australia

Open: Daily 9:00am-5:00pm*; Reading rooms closed on weekends

23.National Capital Exhibition

Open: Weekdays 9:00am-5:00pm*; Weekends 10:00am-4:00pm; Closed on public holidays; Open on Australia and Canberra Days

24.National Carillon

Recitals: Wed and Sun 12:30pm-1:20pm

25.National Film and Sound Archive

Open: Weekdays 9:00am-5:00pm

26.National Gallery of Australia

Open: Daily 10:00am-5:00pm*^

27.National Library of Australia

Open: Daily 10:00am-5:00pm

Closed: Christmas day and Good Friday

28.National Museum of Australia

Open: Daily 9:00am-5:00pm*^

29.National Portrait Gallery

Open: Daily 10:00am-5:00pm*^

30.Old Bus Depot Markets

Open: Sun 10:00am-4:00pm; Sat and Sun during December

31.Parliament House

Open: 9:00am-5:00pm*

Free tours: Daily 9:30am, 11:00am, 1:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:30pm

Question time: 2:00pm on sitting days

32.Red Hill Lookout

33.Royal Australian MINT

Open: Weekdays 8:30am-5:00pm; Weekends and public holidays 10:00am-4:00pm; Closed on Good Friday*

34.St. John’s Anglican Church

Open: Daily 9:00am-5:00pm

Parish office open: Mon-Fri 9:00am-3:00pm

35.Stromlo Forest Park

Open: Daily, 6:00am-9:00pm daylight saving; 6:00am-6:00pm non daylight saving

 

*Closed Christmas day unless otherwise specified

^Fees apply to some tours and exhibitions

 

TOP 18 Admission Charge Must-See Canberra

1.Australian Institute of Sport

Open: Daily* public tours leave at 10:00am, 11:30am, 1:00pm, 2:30pm

Adult $20, Child $12, Family $55, Senior and Students $15

2.Black Mount/ Telstra Tower

Open: Daily 9:00am-10:00pm (coffee 9:00am-9:00pm daily)

Adult $7.50, Child (4-16)/Conc. $3, Family $17(2 adults and 2 children)

3.Calthorpes’ House

Open: Weekends 1:00pm-4:00pm*

Adult $7, Child/Conc. $5, Family $15

Tours: 1:00pm, 1:45pm, 2:30pm, 3:15pm

4.Canberra Fire Museum

Open: Sat 10:00am-3:00pm

Entry gold coin donation

5.Canberra Reptile Zoo

Open: Daily 10:00am-5:00pm

Adult $16, Child $10, Conc. $11, Family $45 (2 adults and 2 children)

6.Canberra Walk-in Aviary

Open: Summer 10:00am-5:00pm* (last entry 4:30pm); Winter 10:00am-3:30pm, closed if raining

Adult $13, Child (4-16) $9.50, Seniors $10, Conc. $11.50, Family $40 (2 adults and 2 children, extra child $4.50)

7.Cockington Green Gardens

Open: Daily 9:30am-5:00pm (last entry 4:15pm*)

Closed: Boxing Day

Adult $19.50, Child (4-16) $11.50, Family $56 (2 adults and 3 children, extra child $5), Seniors $14.50

8.Corin Forest Mountain Resort

Open: 10:00am-5:00pm weekends and school holidays; 8:00am-5:00pm every day of the ski season

Free entry, charges for facilities

9.CSIRO Discovery

Open: Mon-Fri 9:00am-4:30pm*

Closed on public holidays

Adult $10, Child/Conc. $7, Family $30 (2 adults and 3 children) no charge for children under 3 years

10.Lanyon Historic Homestead

Open: Tue-Sun 10:00am-4:00pm*

Adult $7, Child/Conc. $5, Family $15

11.Mugga Mugga

Open: Weekends 1:00pm-4:00pm

Adult $7, Child/Conc. $5, Family $15

Tours: 1:00pm, 1:45pm, 2:30pm, 3:15pm

12.Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

Open: Daily 9:00am-5:00pm*

Adult $2, Child/Conc. $1, Family $5

13.National Dinosaur Museum

Open: Daily 10:00am-5:00pm*

Adult $16, Conc. $12, Child (4-16) $9.90, Seniors $12, Family $45 (2 adults, 2children OR 1 adult, 3 children; extra child $5)

14.National Zoo and Aquarium

Open: Daily 9:30am-5:00pm*

Adult $45, Conc. (seniors /students only) $37, Child (4-15) $25, Family $120 (2 adults and 3 children)

15.Questacon – The National Science and Technology Center

Open: Daily 9:00am-5:00pm*

Adult $23, Child (4-16)/Conc. $17.50, Family $75 (2 adults and 3 children, extra child $8)

16.St. John’s Schoolhouse Museum

Open: Wed 10:00am-12:00pm; Weekends a d public holidays 2:00pm-4:00pm

Closed on Good Friday*

Gold coin donation

17.Tidbinbilla

Open: Daily 7:30am-8:00pm summer; 7:30am-6:00pm winter

Visitor center open: Daily 9:00am-5:00pm

Day Pass $12, Conc. $7, Seniors $11, Motorcycle $5, $1 per person for school groups, $2 per person for coaches

18.Yarralumla Play Station

Open: Mon-Fri 9:30am-4:30pm; Weekends 8:00am-5:30pm

Open 7 days in the school holidays

Closed December 24-26

Train ride: $5 for 1 ticket

Miniature Golf: from $10 Child, $14 Adult

 

*Closed Christmas day unless otherwise specified

^Fees apply to some tours and exhibitions

There was a contest between more than 100 people to design Australia’s new capital city in 1912. And the winner did truly good! Canberra is a fascinating city with so many things to do here! Come and enjoy!