Attractions in Canberra
Discover museums, galleries, arboretums, zoos, and more
Canberra is famous for its national museums and galleries, but those in the know also head to local treasures and attractions. Discover a garden that houses one-fifth of Australia's native plant species, a zoo where you can help save endangered animals, and a popular market housed in an old bus depot.
Many attractions are free to enter or offer family prices for an affordable getaway. Keep an eye out for tours, programs, hands-on activities, and things to do at each of these attractions.
Visit a rainforest five minutes from the city
A world all its own, the Australian National Botanic Gardens gives you a chance to explore around one fifth of Australia's diverse and spectacular flora in Canberra's bushland setting.
With over 4,300 plant species set on 35 hectares, it's the only place in the world you can see all this plant diversity in one location. Enjoy a free guided walk, a ride on the Flora Explorer (weekends and public holidays), or treat yourself at the cafe, bookshop, or day spa.
Take in the view at the National Arboretum Canberra
Breathtaking views of the Canberra skyline across the Brindabellas can be seen from the top of the National Arboretum Canberra.
With over 44,000 rare and endangered trees across a 250-hectare site, the Arboretum is a place of beauty, conservation, scientific research, education, tourism and recreation.
Learn from expert guides with Ngala Tours, which combines the cultural and scenic sites within the National Arboretum Canberra to provide insight into Indigenous interpretation of the landscape.
Feed the animals at the National Zoo & Aquarium
Get up close and personal with some of the world's most amazing creatures at the National Zoo & Aquarium in Canberra. Guided tours through the zoo allow you to pat a cheetah, feed a bear, or get friendly with a meerkat during some of the best hands-on animal experiences in Australia.
From lions, tigers, and bears to giraffes, penguins, and monkeys, the Zoo features a variety of native and exotic animals you can interact with, as well as the largest inland saltwater tank in Australia.
Find some treasures at the Old Bus Depot Markets
You're sure to find something new with each visit to the Old Bus Depot Markets, held every Sunday in Kingston. Fine handcrafted wares, clothing, local and international food, live music, and fresh coffee are just some of the usual suspects that visitors and locals flock for.
Each week you can browse over 200 stalls of exceptional wares created by local and regional makers. Afterwards head next door to visit the Canberra Glassworks where you can see glass artists creating masterpieces in the hot shop, exhibitions, and a beautifully curated gift store.
See democracy in action at Parliament House
High on Capital Hill sits Australia's iconic Australian Parliament House, where you can book a tour for Question Time to see the country's elected politicians make decisions on behalf of the nation in real time.
Choose between tours of the building's impressive architecture, a visit to the popular Queen's Terrace Cafe, and the chance to see an impressive collection of Australian art that grace the hallways of this historic site.
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