1. Embrace Australia’s Rich History
Canberra is one of the country’s museum hotspots. While you’re here, you should absolutely take the opportunity to visit as many as you can to learn about Australia’s country’s rich history. The War Memorial hosts a large collection of stories, artifacts and items documenting the history of the ANZACs. The Museum of Australian Democracy, located in the historic Old Parliament House features authentically preserved spaces, including the Prime Minister’s Suite. You can even join the quirky Weird Canberra Ghost and History Tour for an edutaining option!
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2. Visit National Attractions
When you think of ‘national’ attractions, Canberra has it all! The National Museum of Australia boasts over 210,000 objects to represent Australia’s culture and history. The Royal National Mint provided insight into how Australia’s money is made, see the history and take home a commemorative coin.
Plus, you’ve got the National Dinosaur Museum, the Australian National Botanic Gardens, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Zoo and many more…
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3. Spend A Day At The Lake
There are three man made lakes in Canberra, the largest being Lake Burley Griffin named after the architect who designed Canberra. The lake is surrounded by Canberra’s galleries, museums and libraries.
You can visit the National Carillon whose bells are played regularly throughout the year, showcasing a variety of music styles. Grab a picnic and enjoy it on the lawns of Kings Park whilst enjoying the views of Parliament House in the background.
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4. Learn About Aboriginal Culture
The traditional inhabitants of Canberra are the Ngunawal people. There are many historic Aboriginal sites in the region and Canberra provides the unique opportunity to see the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, at the National Museum. At 3pm every day at the National Museum, the local Ngunawal and Ngambri peoples host the First Australian’s Tour through the exhibition.
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5. Go To A Gallery
Canberra is blessed with some amazing galleries that are lucky host to some historic and significant exhibits, from Monet to Cartier. The National Museum of Australia holds these exhibitions throughout the year, and they are very popular, so be sure to get there early. Across the road is the National Portrait Gallery, where you are sure to see some familiar faces displayed in stunning photographs, paintings and more.
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6. Get Outdoors
The ACT isn’t all about cityscapes and museums. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors too. Why not head to Mount Ainslie? You can drive to the top or park the car at the War memorial and enjoy the hike to the top for the rewarding views. Or visit Corin Forest. In the summer, you can visit the beautiful Gibraltor Falls and take the Alpine Slide 1.2km through the ash forest. In winter, Corin Forest provides an affordable snow experience for families to enjoy snow play and tobogganing down their safe man made runs.
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7. Have An Animal Encounter
The National Zoo and Aquarium gives you the opportunity to come up close and personal with some amazing animals. You can feed a giraffe, feed a tiger or meet a Cheetah. There are keeper talks every day and a large collection of both native and exotic animals.
You can also check out Mulligans Flat Woolland Sanctuary, Canberra Reptile Zoo, Alpaca Magic Stud or Canberra Walk-In Aviary
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