Plan your visit | National Museum of Australia

See Plan your visit for important visitor and safety information including a request to provide your first name and a contact number.

Welcome back

Your health and safety are our priority. In line with ACT government recommendations, walk-in visitors are asked to provide their first name and contact number. These details will only be used if contact tracing is required.

Enter contact details

Landmarks, First Australians, Talking Blak, our Gandel Atrium, Shop, Cafe, Forecourt Garden and Endeavour Voyage exhibition are open. Although not mandatory in the ACT, front of house Museum staff are wearing masks as an extra safety measure.

Endeavour Voyage exhibition

Book a free, timed ticket for our landmark exhibition, Endeavour Voyage: The Untold Stories of Cook and the First Australians.

Book Endeavour tickets

Tickets are timed to assist in social distancing. Visitors who arrive without a ticket will be welcomed into the exhibition when space permits.

Have you recently been in a COVID-19 hotspot?

COVID-19 is highly contagious and can spread very quickly. We urge anyone from COVID-affected areas to reconsider their travel to the ACT.

Since hotspots and isolation requirements can change at short notice, you must check the latest developments and advice on the ACT’s COVID-19 website before visiting the Museum.

For the health and safety of other visitors and our staff, please do not visit the Museum if you are required to be in quarantine or self-isolation.

Onsite safety measures include:

Staff interacting with visitors are wearing masks
Social distancing signage encouraging visitors to stay 1.5m apart
Hand sanitisers placed throughout the Museum
Increased onsite cleaning regime
Visitor number management in accordance with ACT regulations
Visitor flow and queue management measures
Contactless payments are preferred but cash is accepted in our Shop and Cafe
Exit through the Garden of Australian Dreams deck only.

We ask visitors not to bring large bags, coats, umbrellas or other items that may need cloaking. Our friendly Hosts are on hand to assist during your visit.

Please observe hygiene and social distancing measures and postpone your visit if you are feeling unwell.

All visitors are encouraged to consider the Australian Government’s Department of Health advice before coming to the Museum.

Schools and public programs

Onsite school visits are available, with a limited offering in Term 4 2020.

The Museum continues to deliver public and education programs online.

Closures

The Museum’s virtual reality experience and Kspace are closed. Teacher-guided visits and some onsite school programs are not available. Some of our spaces are closed for redevelopment.

Stay tuned

Please check our website and social media channels for updates on all Museum news and COVID-19 related measures.

We thank you for your support and understanding.

covid

Where to find us

National Museum of Australia
Lawson Crescent
Acton Peninsula
Canberra ACT 2601

Contact details

Freecall: 1800 026 132
Phone: +61 2 6208 5000

General admission is free

Costs apply for some special exhibitions and events. A $5 donation on arrival enables us to continue delivering world-class exhibitions and programs.

Our location

Getting here

Local bus

Transport Canberra bus route 53 services the Museum on weekdays, weekends and public holidays. The bus stop is on Lennox Crossing, about 200 metres from our entrance

Walk or cycle

Shared paths from the city and by Lake Burley Griffin. Bike parking is in the Forecourt Garden and near the lakeside entry

Taxi or ride share

Pick-up is at the taxi zone sign under the loop, near our main entrance.

Parking

Pay parking

8.30am to 5pm weekdays, $3.30 per hour or $15 per day. Short-stay machines accept Visa, MasterCard and coins

Free parking

Weekends and public holidays and always for limited mobility spaces and motorbikes

Car park map

Download Museum car park map301.1 kb pdf [ PDF | 301.1 kb ]

Length of stay

Monitored weekdays by the National Capital Authority. Check the short-stay and long-stay signs for details and contact the NCA if you receive a fine

Limited mobility

Accessible parking spaces for visitors who have a mobility impairment and the required permit are available free of charge near our main entrance, under the loop. Coach bays 5 and 9 are suitable for coaches fitted with mobility access lifts, hoists or ramps

Reuse your ticket

At Questacon, National Library and Old Parliament House car parks. Not valid at the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery or ACT Government car parks

Coach parking

For schools and groups

Nine spaces marked ‘bus stop’ near the main entrance, with a set-down and pick-up zone near the red fire-hydrant boosters, and overflow parking on Lawson Crescent