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Collection and heritage

We are a living museum of Australian political and social history. 

Our collection captures the ideas, movements, people and events of Australian democracy. Our heritage collection includes the Old Parliament House building itself, as well as objects used here when it was the home of Australia's government. We care for all the objects in the collection and share their stories with our visitors and the nation.  

Our collection

From the building itself to the furniture, oral histories and political ephemera, every part of our collection tells a story about the ideas, movements, individuals and events of Australian democracy.

We collect objects that help us understand and learn about democracy. We focus on objects relating to:  

  • democracy and government 
  • prime ministers 
  • political movements, and 
  • Old Parliament House. 

 

A selection of rail tickets with hand written cursive text and a blue leather wallet.
A close up of a rainbow flag covered in signatures.
A black bean wooden desk with a glass cover in a room with an Australian flag, leather chair and grey curtins.

Donate to our collection

We welcome new objects and stories for our collection. If you have something you think belongs at MoAD, we'd love to hear from you.

Donate to collection

Heritage  

Old Parliament House is valued as part of Australia's architectural history and for its place in the history of Australian democracy. The building and the objects housed inside tell the stories of the Australian parliament and the nation it shaped between 1927 and 1988. 

A view from across a lake looking over to Old Parliament House, a long white building with a flag on top of it. The Aboriginal Tent Embassy is in front of this.

Old Parliament House is a listed heritage site, recognised and protected on the National Heritage List, the Commonwealth Heritage List, and the Australian Institute of Architects' Register of Significant Twentieth Century Architecture. 

A close up of a white ceiling with ornate detailing, art-deco style pendant lighting and a timber gallery for the press to look down onto the floor of the House of Representatives.
Close up of a red velvet curtin falling to a red carpeted floor with a timber furniture panel next to it.
Looking in to the House of Representatives chamber from the Kings Hall entry.

Heritage management plan

How we conserve Old Parliament House and its heritage collection.

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