Canberra Tourist Attractions

Canberra tourist attractions make a significant contribution to the tourism industry in the city. These tourist attractions include gardens, parks, museums, historical monuments, art galleries, and so on. While you trip to Canberra, you can visit these tourist attractions to make your tour to the Australian capital a memorable one.

Canberra is the capital city of Australia. It is the biggest midland city in the country and the eighth biggest city as a whole. Located in the northern part of the Australian Capital Territory the city has a population of around 350,000. People of Canberra are commonly called as Canberrans.

Tourism is an important industry in the city making a significant contribution to the economy of the country. Canberra houses many tourist attractions, which include the following:

• The High Court of Australia
• Parliament House
• Australian National University
• Australian War Memorial
• Australian Institute of Sport
• National Museum
• National Gallery
• National Library
• National Portrait Gallery
• Australian Academy of Science
• National Archives
• Royal Australian Mint
• National Dinosaur Museum
• National Zoo and Aquarium
• Questacon – the National Science and Technology Center
• The Canberra Museum and Gallery
• Stonefest
• Royal Canberra Show
• National Folk Festival
• The Summernats Car Festival
• Black Mountain Tower
• Australian National Botanic Gardens
• Canberra Theater and Playhouse
• Celebrate Canberra Festival
• Lake Burley Griffin

The High Court of Australia is the apex court in the Australian Court System. It was founded in 1901. The court is empowered by the Constitution of Australia. At present, the Chief Justice of Australia is Robert French.

Parliament House is the meeting place of the Parliament of Australia. The house was inaugurated by the Queen of Australia in 1988. At one time, Parliament House of Australia was the costliest structure in the Southern Hemisphere. Previously, the meetings of the Parliament of Australia were conducted in the Provisional Parliament House, currently known as Old Parliament House.

The Australian War Memorial was constructed to commemorate the personnel of military forces who died or took part in battles of the Commonwealth of Australia. There is a huge national military museum inside this monument. The War Memorial was opened to public in 1941.

The Australian National University is a public university situated in Canberra. It is popularly known as ANU. The Australian National University was founded in 1947. It is one of the premier academic and research institutes in the country. ANU is also one of the top rated universities across the world. It is affiliated to various university networks like the following:

The Australian Institute of Sport offers sports training with state-of-the-art facilities and other assistances. It was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Canberra. It is a part of the Australian Sports Commission.

The National Museum of Australia was founded in 1980. The museum rightly showcases the social background of Australia. It is a home to various paintings and art objects and is involved in a number of activities like holding exhibitions and publishing a comprehensive range of books and magazines.

The National Gallery of Australia is the main art gallery and museum in the country. The gallery exhibits over 120,000 pieces of art. The National Gallery of Australia was founded in 1967. It was opened in the form of a public art gallery.

The National Library of Australia is the biggest reference library in the nation. It was set up according to the National Library Act. The National Library was established in 1960 and is famous for its Asian Collections, Australian and General Collection, and Manuscripts.

The National Portrait Gallery of Australia showcases a variety of portraits of renowned Australian artists. The gallery was founded in 1998.

The Australian Academy of Science was established in 1954 by an association of famous Australians, which included Fellows of the Royal Society. The Academy has similarities with the design of The Royal Society. The goal of the institution is to encourage science and it is performed through an array of activities.

The National Archives of Australia is an organization founded by the Government of Australia. The idea was to maintain the documents of the Commonwealth Government. The organization was formed in 1961. The National Archives works in the form of an Executive Agency of the Department of the Prime Minister and Australian Cabinet.

The Royal Australian Mint is located in the suburb of Deakin in Canberra. It was founded in 1965 and came out with the first coin in the same year.

The National Dinosaur Museum is the biggest permanent exhibition of prehistoric objects in the Southern Hemisphere. It was founded in 1993. The museum is situated in Gold Creek Village, which is quite close to Canberra. The objects displayed at the museum highlight the development of all forms of life, with a specific emphasis on dinosaurs. The museum draws approximately 55,000 visitors every year.

The National Zoo and Aquarium is a famous zoo and aquarium in Canberra. The zoo is home to many species including the indigenous species of Australia, which include the biggest collection of big cats. You will find many exotic and rare species of animals in this zoo.

Questacon – the National Science and Technology Center was founded in 1986 and was opened to public in 1988. This Science and Technology Center is home to over 200 interactive displays of science and technology.

The Canberra Museum and Gallery is a storehouse of art and regional history. It was founded in 1998. The museum is famous for a collection known as Reflecting Canberra.

Stonefest is a music festival held at the University of Canberra campus. It takes place at the end of October every month and goes on for two days. It is one of the biggest music festivals in the country.

The Royal Canberra Show is an agricultural program. It takes place every year in the Australian Capital since 1927. The event features various contests, rides, and academic activities.

The National Folk Festival is also popularly known as The Nash or The National. It is held for five days. The objective is to observe the folk culture of Australia.

The Summernats Car Festival is a car carnival organized in the city. It is normally held at the beginning of the year. The festival is one of the most famous car festivals in the country and makes a considerable contribution to the economy of the Australian Capital Territory. The Summernats Car Festival continues for four days and boasts various customized and renovated cars.

Black Mountain Tower was earlier known as Telecom Tower and Telstra Tower. It is a telecommunications tower located at the Peak of Black Mountain in Canberra. Black Mountain Tower is a popular tourist destination. The revolving restaurant on the tower is an added attraction. You can get a bird’s eye view of the whole area from an interior observation platform.

The Australian National Botanic Gardens are situated in Canberra. The garden is supervised by the Department of the Environment and Heritage of the Government of Australia. The Botanic Gardens feature the biggest collection of Australian indigenous flora.

The Canberra Theater and Playhouse or the Canberra Theater Center is the main performing arts center in the country and the oldest performing arts center in Australia. The center was opened in 1965.

Lake Burley Griffin is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Canberra. It is located in the heart of Canberra. The lake was opened in 1964. All the major tourist destinations in the city like the National Museum, National Gallery, Australian National University, National Library, and the High Court are closely located near the lake.