The National Museum of Australia

Although we are in the grips of winter here in Canberra (with only some random-climate-change-inspired warm days) our family has been trying to get out and about.

A couple of weekends ago we took a family trip to the National Museum of Australia.

Photo Source: http://www.nma.gov.au/about_us/the_building/


The gallery was showcasing an exhibition called Not Just Ned - A History of the Irish in Australia. Although this looked really interesting, we skipped it and headed into the permanent collection instead.

I wasn't sure how the kids would take it. Being three and a half and 15 months, their tastes, refined as they are, are more along the lines of toys, parks and tv. But I needn't have worried.

Fantastic displays included the Diprotodon replica skeleton- a giant wombat which my son both loved and feared.
Photo Source: http://nma.gov.au/blogs/education/2010/09/17/big-real-stuff/diprotodon/

A car that looked remarkably like Doc Hudson from the movie Cars, but was actually a Holden prototype.


Photo Souce: http://www.nma.gov.au/collections/holden_prototype_car_no_1/

There were also some hands on displays which included listening to the Wiggles and seeing their shirts, looking at Colonial artefacts, life -size cattle and sheep displays and more.

I think the highlight was playing in the Garden of Australian Dreams.

Photo Source: http://www.nma.gov.au/about_us/the_building/

Or perhaps it was creating a car of the future in KSpace, an interactive computer-based activity for kids. We then got to watch our own inventions as they flew through a city of the future with 3D glasses.

Then again, maybe it was sitting out by the lake at the end of the visit having tea and cake and watching the kids play on real green grass and walk along really high walls.



A good day out for the family.

Where: The National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula, Canberra

When: Open 9-5 everyday, except Christmas Day

How much: Free general admission - visiting exhibitions cost

Why: Learn about Australia's history, the exciting stories of people, places and events that make this great country

What else: Gift shop, cafe, lakeside views