National Gallery of Australia, Art museum in Parkes, Australia.
The National Gallery of Australia is an art museum in Parkes, a district in central Canberra known for its major cultural institutions. The building is made of raw concrete with angular forms and large interior spaces, and it holds works from Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Australia.
The museum opened in 1982 after years of planning as part of a program to build national cultural institutions in Canberra. The collection had already been growing since the 1960s, long before the building was completed.
The collection of Australian Indigenous art on permanent display is one of the largest anywhere and sits on the ground floor. Visitors can see works made with traditional techniques alongside pieces by living artists working in entirely different styles.
The museum is on Parkes Place East, close to Lake Burley Griffin, and is reachable by public transport or car. The entrance is at ground level and the galleries are clearly marked across several floors, so it is easy to find your way around.
On the museum grounds stands a memorial made of painted tree trunks honoring Indigenous Australians who fought for their land from 1788 onward. Many visitors walk past it without stopping, even though it is one of the most direct works on the entire site.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
