The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House opened on the weekend of 9 May 2009 in Canberra. It’s the first and only museum in Australia dedicated to telling the story of our democracy. The new Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House will connect Australians with more than 2000 years of history and heritage within a network of exhibitions that will trace democracy from its earliest origins through the stories of real people using their voice to achieve extraordinary things.

The Museum was opened by the the last prime minister to serve in the House - the Hon RJL Hawke AC. He was joined by Chairman of the Advisory Council, actor William McInnes and Cabinet Secretary and Special Minister of State, Senator John Faulkner. Senator Faulkner’s speech emphasised the importance of having a museum dedicated to telling the story of Australian democracy.

Director of the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, Jenny Anderson remarked that, “We have designed the museum to appeal to visitors of all ages including families, students and scholars looking to be inspired by the amazing real life stories of the Australians who actively fought to shape the society we live in today. It will present a balanced view on our democracy; people will be able to decide what we have done well, what we could have done better and the challenges that lie ahead of us as a democratic society. The museum will be constantly evolving, so there will always be something fresh and new to experience.”

William McInnes said, “This won’t be a ‘finger-wagging’ exercise in democracy, rather it will be an adventure. It will be a place where Australians can come and renew their knowledge of our history and be inspired and indeed challenged. There is a need for everybody, whatever age, whatever part of life they are from, to reacquaint themselves with the history of Australia’s democracy to understand where we have come from and where we might be headed.”

To mark the launch a weekend of celebrations was staged, starting on Friday 8 May with the What’s on your mind? debate in the former House of Representatives chamber. On the Saturday, performers John Williamson, Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter entertained a large and enthusiastic crowd.

Along with the exhibitions Australian Democracy—more than 2000 years in the making and Hands on Democracy, visitors enjoyed a preview of the innovative, Living Democracy—the power of the people exhibition, with a mosaic of footage collected by a team of interviewers including journalist Andrew Urban, who has interviewed Australians to see how democracy plays a role in their life. As well as gaining insights from people on the street, the mosaic offered a unique opportunity to meet a range of Australians with a diverse range of opinions, including key Australian figures such as the actor Jack Thompson and Terry Hicks, the Adelaide father of captured suspected terrorist David Hicks, who discussed how democracy has changed his family’s life.

Other Museum of Australian Democracy experiences include Cabinet-in-Confidence, where visitors will be immersed in some of the dilemmas that have faced members of Cabinet over the years, such as attempts to ban the Communist Party and the 1976 refugee crisis.

Further reading

• Senator John Faulkner’s speech at the opening
• The Hon RJL Hawke’s speech at the opening (MS Word, 80kb)