Our Prime Facts series of short information leaflets has proved a highly popular feature of the museum and its website. The series is constantly expanding; in addition to covering the 27 people who have been Prime Minister, there are fact sheets on Australia’s system of government, elections, Deputy Prime Ministers, Governors-General, the Prime Ministers’ wives and more.
Each year the Australian Prime Ministers Centre supports a number of research projects into the history, origins, traditions and practice of Australian democracy, with a focus on Australia’s prime ministers.
The museum is undertaking an object reconstruction project that will ensure that visitors continue to enjoy the unique heritage of the Old Parliament House building and its collection.
In this oral history excerpt, veteran journalist, Wallace ‘Wal’ Brown, recalls how Prime Minister Robert Menzies gave him a scoop – without saying a word!
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be in Australia from 19-28 October. While her visit will culminate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Perth, the itinerary for the Queen and her husband Prince Phillip is a busy one, and in just eight days they will spend time and attend official functions in Canberra, Brisbane and Melbourne.
In 1936, the Commonwealth government approved a memorial to the recently deceased King George V. George V had an important association with Australia; besides being king from 1910-1936, he had also, as Duke of York, opened the first Commonwealth Parliament in Melbourne on 9 May 1901.
The museum is in the final stages of implementing the Democracy Download, an online learning resource that will complement student programs incorporating Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology.
The dedication and commitment of long serving Museum of Australian Democracy volunteers was acknowledged at a special presentation on Friday 16 September, 2011.
The recent decision that Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, will need to vacate the Lodge while urgent renovations are undertaken reminds us that the PM’s official Canberra residence is as old as Old Parliament House, home of the museum and jewel in its collection.
Located on the main floor of the Old Parliament House building and across the Opposition (northern) lobby from the Senate Chamber the Senate Opposition Party Room evokes a rich character in its warm timber panelling, frosted-glass-fronted bookcases and the convivial groupings of its generous furniture.
The Museum of Australian Democracy has just released a brand new trail on Exploring Democracy. The Parliament trail uses 24 sites around Australia and the world to explore the growth of parliamentary government in Australia, and the role of parliament in relation to both the legislative and the executive branches of government.
Discovering Mildenhall’s Canberra is a collaborative website between the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House and the National Archives of Australia.
Last Wednesday 14 September, the museum hosted 53 students from local schools participating in the ACT Constitutional Convention.
Elizabeth (‘Lizzy’) Scott was the hairdresser in the provisional Parliament House from 1978 to 1988, when the parliament moved to its permanent building. She continued her role in the new Parliament House until 2002.
Come along to the Museum of Australian Democracy in the October school holidays to answer this intriguing question at the ‘Hats Off to Democracy’ workshop.
On 15 September 2011, the United Nations International Day of Democracy, Minister for the Arts, the Hon Simon Crean MP announced the six recipients of this year’s Australian Prime Ministers Centre Fellowships.
Probably the most common type of enquiry received by the research staff at the Australian Prime Ministers Centre are family history enquiries. If there is a parliamentarian in your family tree, we can help you find out about their political career.
The Museum of Australian Democracy’s Living Democracy exhibition features the voices of a wide range of Australians – including the little voices that sometimes may not be heard.
An unusual aspect of the museum’s Killen collection is a large group of ties, selected from several hundred in his wardrobe when Lady Benise Killen donated Sir James’ memorabilia to the museum.
Forget speed dating, it’s all about speed debating here at the Museum of Australian Democracy.
