MoAD and the Courtyard Cafe are open. Some exhibitions and rooms will be closed from September 2025 for essential building works. Learn more

Explore

Democracy

Democracy

Aretha Brown, a young woman, holds a banner at a protest rally with a fist raised in the air.

Stories

Stories

Black and white image of the front of Old Parliament House with a crowd of people of gathered at the foot of the stairs. The building is white with columns and an Australian flag flies at the top.

Collection

Collection

A close up of a rainbow flag covered in signatures.

POLITICAL CARTOONS

Browse Behind the Lines, our annual exhibition celebrating the year's best political cartoons.

Explore
Visitors looking at the framed cartoons on the walls

STORIES

Australia vs America – midterm elections and their influence
Democracy

Australia vs America – midterm elections and their influence

What makes Australia's elections unique?

The Prime Minister’s seat: a case study in sleuthing
History

The Prime Minister’s seat: a case study in sleuthing

How researcher Campbell Rhodes tackled answering a deceptively simple question.

Royal commissions: what are they and how do they work?
Democracy

Royal commissions: what are they and how do they work?

A look at how royal commissions are designed to work in Australia.

A doctor in the house? Five doctors who served in the Commonwealth Parliament
History

A doctor in the house? Five doctors who served in the Commonwealth Parliament

Politicians who could call themselves 'doctor'.

Political football
History

Political football

COLLECTION

Court dress cufflinks and vesta case Court dress cufflinks and vesta case

Court dress cufflinks and vesta case

These decorated cufflinks were part of a court dress uniform for the Minister for External Affairs.
Toy koala

Toy koala

A beloved toy koala gifted to Australia's 100,000th British post-war migrant.

DEMOCRACY

Defining democracy Australian democracy

Defining democracy

What is democracy?
Australian democracy Australian democracy

Australian democracy

Every democratic society is distinct. The same is true for Australia.