14 May 2018

Parliament House, completed in 1988, is the center of national government. It was designed by the Philadelphia architectural firm Mitchell/Giurgola whom also designed the Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center in Kill Devil Hills and Davis Library at UNC near our home in Raleigh, North Carolina. The shape was based on two opposing boomerangs. Instead of sitting it on Capitol Hill above the surrounding structures, the design buried most of the structure below grade allowing the public to enjoy the green space above. The concept was to put the people above the politicians instead of the other way around.

Parliament House is open to the public. We were lucky the Senate and House were not sitting the day of our visit so we had access to both chambers.

The Old Paliament House (1927-1988) was intended to be temporary until a suitable capitol building could be constructed. Sixty-one years later the original building transitioned into the Museum of Australian Democracy. We enjoyed seeing the Old Parliament House however the highlight was a gallery of 2017’s best political cartoons.

Parliament House

Old Parliament House, Museum of Australian Democracy