Your first full week of 2026 sorted. Here’s what’s on in Canberra
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Summernats roars into town, Bluey hits the stage, and the Old Bus Depot Markets are back. Your first full week of 2026 is looking pretty good.
Street Machine Summernats 38 roars into EPIC from Thursday, The Nutcracker offers an interactive ballet experience for little ones, LEGO enthusiasts can hunt for rare sets at the Playwell Brick Market on Saturday morning, whilst tennis fans can catch the finals of the Workday Canberra International. Here’s your week sorted.
Don’t miss…
Workday Canberra International 2026
The world’s next great tennis champions compete at Canberra Tennis Centre with elite ATP 125 and WTA 125 competition and a $700,000 prize pool. The tournament has launched global stars including 2025 Male Singles Champion Joao Fonseca, who soared into the top 30 after his breakthrough Canberra victory. The week-long event provides an opportunity to see future household names before they reach the world stage. Free entry for children excludes semi-finals and finals. The tournament brings high-level professional tennis to the capital during the Australian summer season.
Sunday, 4 January–Saturday, 10 January | Canberra Tennis Centre, 3 Riggall Place, Lyneham | tennis.com.au
Street Machine Summernats 38
Summernats is Australia’s wildest horsepower party, held over four days at Exhibition Park. Since 1988, the event has grown into a diverse celebration of the modified car community, featuring competition driving events, an elite hall, show and shine, drifting, trade show and exhibitions, concerts, cruising and burnouts. The event serves as the finals showdown for the National Pro Burnout Series. Friday night features The Living End, The Screaming Jets and Killing Heidi, whilst Saturday night brings hometown heroes Peking Duk and late-night chaos from Chunky Dip. Proudly supported by Rare Spares.
Thursday, 8 January– Monday 11 January | Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC), Flemington Road & Northbourne Avenue, Mitchell | summernats.com.au
Hot Summer Nights at the NFSA
Hot Summer Nights returns for its second year, combining live local music and classic cinema in one ticket. Every Friday and Saturday evening, the heritage courtyard hosts performances by talented local artists, complemented by wines, summer cocktails and charcuterie from Dom’s Deli & Bar. Later, guests step into Canberra’s most beautiful cinema for hand-picked films ranging from sensual classics to gritty dramas and beloved musicals. Highlights include Wallabindi with The Sapphires, Belco Jazz Band alongside Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and ARCHIE with Two Hands. Full program available online.
Fridays and Saturdays, 9 January–14 February | National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, McCoy Circuit, Acton | nfsa.gov.au
Playwell Brick Market Canberra
Playwell Events brings its unique brick market to Pearce Community Centre, offering enthusiasts the ultimate LEGO marketplace. Attendees can find new, rare and retired LEGO sets, purchase new and used parts by weight, and explore a vast selection of unique minifigures. The event caters to builders of all ages, whether hunting for vintage treasures or the latest releases. The four-hour market provides opportunities to discover hard-to-find pieces and expand collections. Entry is by gold coin donation, payable at the door on the day. This paradise for LEGO lovers combines the thrill of treasure hunting with community connection.
Saturday, 11 January, 9.30 am–1.30 pm | Pearce Community Centre, Collett Place, Pearce | facebook.com
Old Bus Depot Markets
Lovers of fine hand-crafted wares, clothing collectors, food fanatics and jewellery junkies are just a few of the people who head to Canberra’s award-winning Old Bus Depot Markets every Sunday. In a fabulous old industrial building, you’ll experience the endless colour, tastes, sounds and atmosphere that is “Canberra’s Sunday Best”.
Not your average market, each week you’ll find over 200 stalls of exceptional quality, featuring items all hand-crafted by local and regional creatives. The sheer variety means you’ll discover something unexpected every visit, whether that’s a piece of pottery that speaks to you, a stunning necklace, or the perfect vintage find. There’s simply no better way to spend your Sunday in Canberra.
Sundays, 9.30 am – 2.30 pm (recommence Sunday 11 January) | 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston | obdm.com.au
Hallyu! The Korean Wave
An exhibition exploring Korea’s cultural journey to global influence through 250 objects from the V&A in London. The exhibition spans film, fashion, drama, beauty and music–from BTS to aespa, Squid Game to Parasite, glass skin to bibimbap. Visitors can discover the powerhouse behind Korea’s dramatic cultural transformation and the vibrant world of K-culture as it continues to sweep across the globe. The exhibition examines how creativity, collaboration and cultural ambition shaped Korea’s contemporary identity.
Until Sunday, 10 May | National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula, Acton | nma.gov.au
Family
Matildas: Game Face & Make and Move
National Portrait Gallery celebrates a new commissioned video portrait of the CommBank Matildas by artist Angela Tiatia with free summer activities inspired by the commissioned portrait of the team that captured hearts across Australia.
Kick off on the pop-up soccer field on the cafe lawns or challenge mates to foosball showdowns in the Western Courtyard.
Get ready to make and move with creative activities including fan bracelet making, soccer card design, and fun movement challenges.
Drop in anytime throughout summer to experience the excitement. The program runs daily from , offering families and football fans the chance to celebrate the CommBank Matildas whilst enjoying hands-on activities combining creativity with active play in the gallery setting.
Until Sunday, 1 February | National Portrait Gallery, Parkes | portrait.gov.au
Summer holidays at the National Zoo & Aquarium
The National Zoo and Aquarium presents a summer program of wildlife encounters and family entertainment throughout the school holidays. Visitors can enjoy live music, lawn games and seasonal food treats, including wagyu options and frozen refreshments alongside animal encounters and themed keeper talks. Hands-on activities include colouring, treasure hunts, hayrides and jumping castles. Special event days feature roaming dinosaurs, silent discos, outdoor movies and mascot appearances. Most activities are included with general admission and free for members, with some paid experiences available. Programming runs weather-dependent, with updates shared on the zoo’s social media channels. The extended program provides opportunities to explore the zoo’s collection whilst enjoying summer entertainment.
Daily until Sunday, 2 February, 9.30 am–5 pm | National Zoo and Aquarium, 999 Lady Denman Drive, Weston | nationalzoo.com.au/news-events/summer-holidays-are-here
Bluey’s Big Play The Stage Show
Bluey and Bingo have other plans when Dad wants Sunday afternoon time out in this theatrical adaptation of the Emmy award-winning television series. The show features an original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm and new music by composer Joff Bush. The Heelers’ first live theatre production brings brilliantly created puppets to life, presenting Bluey in a format fans have never experienced before. Join the beloved characters as they pull out all their games and cleverness in this family-friendly performance that transforms the animated series into a theatrical adventure.
Wednesday, 7 January–Thursday, 8 January | Canberra Theatre Centre, London Circuit, Canberra | canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Storytime Ballet: The Nutcracker
This interactive ballet experience invites children aged three and older into the traditional festive fairytale. On Christmas Eve, Clara receives a nutcracker doll that magically comes to life. Together they battle the Rat King before visiting the Land of Sweets for a grand celebration with the Sugar Plum Fairy. Clara awakens at the foot of the Christmas tree–but was it really all a dream? The enchanting score and charming story transport young audiences into this beloved ballet, sharing the joy of classical dance through an age-appropriate performance.
Thursday, 8 January–Sunday, 11 January | Canberra Theatre Centre, London Circuit, Canberra | canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Petals & Play workshop
Braidwood Botanicals founder Catherine Jewell presents a wholesome summer holiday workshop for children and their parents or grandparents. Participants create pressed-flower cards and decorate cupcakes with edible flowers whilst discovering the surprising number of edible flowers growing in gardens and neighbourhoods. All materials, refreshments and a sustainably printed take-home guide to edible flowers are included. The two-hour session set in Braidwood’s heritage countryside provides an opportunity for slowing down, learning and enjoying time together. Places are limited for this unique regional experience.
Saturday, 10 January, 1.30–3.30 pm | Braidwood Regional Arts Centre, 45 Wallace Street, Braidwood | braidwood-botanicals.square.site
Stage and Screen
Cyberpunk at the NFSA
The NFSA presents a season exploring the cyberpunk genre of dystopian science fiction. Emerging in the 1980s, cyberpunk blends gritty urban decay with high-tech futures. The term was coined by Bruce Bethke in his 1983 short story published in Amazing Stories, quickly being adopted to describe work exploring advanced technology, ruthless corporate capitalism, social inequality, manipulation of reality and loss of personal autonomy. The season showcases films that defined this influential genre, examining themes of teen hackers, technology and society that remain relevant today.
Thursday 8 January | National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, McCoy Circuit, Acton | tickets.nfsa.gov.au
Tennessee Williams Spotlight at the NFSA
The NFSA presents films adapted from the work of Tennessee Williams, one of America’s most acclaimed playwrights. Born Thomas Lanier Williams in 1911, his plays drew from close observation of marital conflict and family dynamics, with his sister’s psychiatric treatment influencing works like Suddenly, Last Summer. His plays attracted Hollywood heavyweights including Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Richard Burton and Vivien Leigh. Williams evoked the tension of an American South in decline, with characters trapped within rigid societal expectations, frankly presenting sexuality on stage for the first time.
Saturday, 10 January and Friday, 30 January | National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, McCoy Circuit, Acton | tickets.nfsa.gov.au
Sunset Cinema Canberra
Sunset Outdoor Cinema returns to the Australian National Botanic Gardens with new releases, classics and family favourites. The summer program includes blockbusters like Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Avatar: Fire and Ash and The Running Man, animated favourites like Zootopia 2 and The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, plus the musical spectacular Wicked: For Good. December screenings feature festive films including Love Actually, The Holiday, Elf and Home Alone. The VIP Fever-Tree Lounge offers premium bean loungers, bottomless popcorn and a complimentary gin and tonic or premium Fever-Tree soda. Food trucks and movie snacks available.
Until Saturday, 28 February | The Australian National Botanic Gardens, Clunies Ross Street, Acton | sunsetcinema.com.au
NFSA Summer Film Series
Arc Cinema presents A Summer of Love, a bold cinematic journey through peace, love and revolution from the 1960s to 2025. The program features films exploring love in chaotic, charming and complicated forms, from documentary Whoopee Blues: The Life and Times of the Conway Brothers to holiday favourite Love Actually.
Highlights include Tennessee Williams spotlight featuring A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Cyberpunk series with Blade Runner and The Matrix, European Avant-Garde program, and school holiday matinees featuring animal adventures.
Until February 2026 | NFSA Arc Cinema, Acton | nfsa.gov.au
Music
The All Ages Tay Tay Tribute Show
The Tay Tay Tribute Show features Mia Isoardi and a full rock band of Australia’s finest touring musicians delivering hits across all eras. The family-friendly all-ages event includes anthems like Shake It Off, Style, Karma and The Man, alternative rock numbers like We Are Never Getting Back Together and 22, country classics like Love Story and You Belong With Me, plus synth-pop specials like Anti-Hero and Cruel Summer. The two-hour afternoon performance takes audiences through an ever-changing journey of Taylor Swift’s catalogue, showcasing exceptional live musicianship and vocal talent.
Saturday, 11 January, 2–6 pm | The Zeppelin Room, 49 Jerrabomberra Avenue, Narrabundah | bit.ly/taytayallages
Exhibitions
Masked Memory by Rosalind Lemoh
Canberra Contemporary presents new works by NSW-based Sierra Leonean-born artist Rosalind Lemoh focusing on personal cultural objects from her family home. The exhibition reflects on her connection to Mende and Themne cultures from West Africa, bringing the African diaspora in Australia into focus. Lemoh threads together ideas of arrival, cultural masking, shifting senses of place and the blending of myth, fact and fiction through family storytelling.
Spanning sculpture and photography, the works continue her practice of using memorial and remembering to understand present and future identities. This thought-provoking exhibition explores fragility, power and gender through sculptural assemblage influenced by Arte Povera and Confessional Art.
Until Saturday 24 January | Canberra Contemporary | canberracontemporary.com.au
Skin Deep by Gabriella Bisetto
Canberra Glassworks concludes its 2025 exhibition program with a major solo exhibition by Adelaide-based glass artist Gabriella Bisetto, winner of the 2024 Tom Malone Glass Prize. Curated by Margaret Hancock, Skin Deep invites viewers to consider how beauty resides in imperfection.
Bisetto’s sculptural forms carry quiet evidence of their making–heated, cooled, slumped, scarred and pressed into being. Like human skin, every blemish and fine cut becomes an intimate record of contact, making visible the coexistence of fragility and endurance.
Bisetto interprets mechanisms and ideologies of the human body through blown glass, hot sculpting and collaborative making. Her influence is visible in the next generation of celebrated glass artists including Yhonnie Scarce, Jessica Murtagh and Liam Fleming.
Until Sunday, 25 January | Canberra Glassworks, Kingston | canberraglassworks.com
subcultures
subcultures is an open exhibition curated by Red Saunders bringing to light the rich tapestry of alternative identities, communities and expressions flourishing outside mainstream society. From punk and goth to skateboarding and street art, creators from across Australia celebrate the creativity, resistance and innovation of those carving out spaces of belonging in subversive ways. Through painting, photography, illustration and collage, subcultures reflects on how fashion, music, political ideals and shared lifestyles converge to create powerful subcultural identities. This diverse exhibition captures unique aesthetic markers and stories of solidarity, marginalisation and rebellion, paying tribute to underground movements challenging the status quo and enriching cultural landscapes.
Until Sunday, 1 February | West Gallery, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
Dialogue with Dissonance
An exhibition exploring the human disposition to live with contradiction. Local artists working in a range of media and approaches interpret the disparity between what is seen and what is expected. The series considers how people express themselves collectively and individually by creating tension through different forms, relationships and meaning. Viewers only see completed artworks, observing them with their own internal attitudes, behaviours and unconscious bias. What goes on behind the scenes–concept, composition, colour choices, deciding when a work is finished–manifests in the audience’s decision to stop and make sense. Through dissonance, audiences develop thought-provoking experiences tapping into human desire to make order from disorder.
Until Saturday, 1 February | Pivot Gallery, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
Disclosed Impressions
New works by the Migrant Women’s Art Group highlighting diverse artistic contributions in Gungahlin. These culturally relevant works explore colour, composition and personal stories using wide variety of mediums and techniques. The Migrant Women’s Art Group, presented by Gungahlin Arts, supports women who have migrated to Australia and live in the Canberra region to develop and share their unique creative voice. Throughout 2025, the group has worked with textiles, wearable art, sculpture, drawing and painting. This exhibition presents a snapshot of session outcomes and a record of social connections and relationships developed through the program celebrating cultural diversity through art.
Until Sunday, 1 February | Window Gallery, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
The Art of Celebration: Reflecting 50 years plus of Canberra Art Workshop
Canberra Art Workshop celebrates over 50 years of art making. This exhibition enables diverse and talented CAW members to celebrate their enthusiasm for art by sharing it with others through public exhibition. BelcoArts’ annual single-subject exhibition is advertised well in advance, with members responding in a variety of media and techniques. Working with BelcoArts allows CAW members to dialogue with a wide ACT and regional New South Wales audience. Be surprised and delighted at the rich array of works this talented group brings. Expect experimental and traditional art using wide range of media–drawing, painting, pastel, mixed media, watercolour in two-dimensional, three-dimensional and digital formats.
Until Sunday, 1 February | Generator Gallery, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
Questacon Presents: ZAP! CLANK! POW!
Featuring a new take on some old favourites from the past three decades, this exhibition might have been designed with little scientists in mind, but trust us when we say everyone will enjoy a visit to ZAP! CLANK! POW! at Questacon.
Featuring 17 highly interactive exhibits, you’ll get hands-on as you explore the exciting world of electricity, machines, and motion. And with a comic book theme running throughout, it will keep all ages entertained.
Until Sunday 1 February | Questacon, King Edward Terrace, Parkes | questacon.edu.au
Australia’s Home Front: 1939-1945
Explore everyday Australians’ vital role during WWII on the home front, from “make do and mend” to war bonds and women’s auxiliary work. Features unique objects and stories from Canberra and beyond, including the city’s surprising Manhattan Project connection. Presents resilience, innovation, and quiet heroism of those who supported the war effort, marking 80 years since the conflict’s end.
Until Sunday 1 February 2026 | Canberra Museum + Gallery, 176 London Circuit, Canberra | cmag.com.au
Questacon Presents: ZAP! CLANK! POW!
Featuring a new take on some old favourites from the past three decades, this exhibition might have been designed with little scientists in mind, but trust us when we say everyone will enjoy a visit to ZAP! CLANK! POW! at Questacon.
Featuring 17 highly interactive exhibits, you’ll get hands-on as you explore the exciting world of electricity, machines, and motion. And with a comic book theme running throughout, it will keep all ages entertained.
Until Sunday 1 February 2026 | Questacon, King Edward Terrace, Parkes | questacon.edu.au
Taglietti: Life in Design
Discover the world of The Global Architect, Enrico Taglietti (1926–2019), a visionary whose design principles shaped modern Australian architecture and left an indelible imprint on Canberra, the city he and his wife Franca chose to call home. Celebrating the centenary of Taglietti’s birth, Taglietti: Life in Design explores the life, philosophy, and legacy of one of Australia’s most original architects.
Until Sunday 22 February 2026 | Canberra Museum + Gallery, 176 London Circuit, City | cmag.com.au
Enjoy this trip: the art of music posters
Journey back to the Summer of Love and be transported to a time when the music was funky, the art was kaleidoscopic and psychedelia was in full swing. Drawn from the National Gallery’s expansive collection of Australian and international music posters spanning the 1960s to 1980s, Enjoy this trip: The art of music posters captures the spirit of the times as an era of experimentation.
Until Sunday 22 February 2026 | National Gallery, Parkes Place East, Parkes | nga.gov.au
Women Photographers 1853–2018
Women Photographers 1853–2018 highlights the transformative impact of women artists on the history of photography.
Since its inception, the National Gallery’s photography collection has reflected the vital place of women in the medium’s history. Some of its earliest acquisitions were major works by women.
As a result, the National Gallery is uniquely placed to consider how photography has changed the worlds in which women live, and how women have changed photography. As the great modernist photographer Lucia Moholy wrote, ‘Photography has not only changed the way we see the world but also how we see ourselves.’ For women artists, making photographs has always been an act of resistance. Photography has given women access to spaces of knowledge, artistic practices and technology from which they were previously excluded.
This exhibition features work spanning more than 160 years of women working with photography.
Until Sunday 1 March | National Gallery, Parkes Place East, Parkes | nga.gov.au
A Total Work of Art: Sidney Nolan and the Stage
Celebrate 50 years of Nolan’s cultural legacy with the Canberra Museum and Gallery’s year-long program of exhibitions, concerts, talks, and a symposium. A Total Work of Art: Sidney Nolan and the Stage showcases Sidney Nolan’s dynamic stage designs for opera, ballet, and theatre. You’ll discover costumes, set designs, and the iconic “Lyrebird” costume from The Display, 1964.
Until Sunday 8 March 2026 | Canberra Museum + Gallery, City | More information here.
50 Years on the Beat: The Legacy of Constable Kenny Koala
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Constable Kenny Koala, the AFP Museum presents a major temporary exhibition honouring the iconic community policing mascot held at the National Capital Exhibition, Regatta Point.
Known for educating children about safety since 1975, Kenny Koala is beloved by generations of Canberrans. This exhibition captures his origins, evolution, and ongoing impact on public trust and community engagement. Visitors will experience five decades of memorabilia, puppets, costumes, media, and interactive learning tools that showcase the enduring values of kindness, education, and public service.
Until Wednesday 18 March 2026 | National Capital Exhibition, Regatta Point | nca.gov.au
Super Kaylene Whiskey
Super Kaylene Whiskey celebrates one of Australia’s leading contemporary artists, proud Yankunytjatjara woman Kaylene Whiskey. This major survey brings together works from across Whiskey’s career, showcasing her dynamic practice that is grounded in stories of First Nations joy and strength. Drawn from public and private collections, the exhibition features over 80 paintings, video work and installation from her early career to now, as well as a newly commissioned portrait.
With irreverent humour, Whiskey playfully combines everyday life, Aṉangu culture and beloved pop culture icons in her work. Dolly Parton, Cher and Wonder Woman share centre stage with Whiskey and other strong kungkas (women) as together they hunt and collect bush tucker. Through her rich visual stories, Whiskey joyfully connects cultures, Country and celebrity and invites us along for the ride.
Until Monday 9 March | National Portrait Gallery, Parkes | portrait.gov.au
1975: Living in the Seventies
Step back 50 years and immerse yourself in the unforgettable year that was 1975! The National Library of Australia’s fascinating new exhibition explores what it was truly like to live in the seventies, from the dramatic political upheaval of Gough Whitlam’s dismissal to the cultural phenomena that defined the decade.
Discover iconic fashion like flared jeans and platform shoes, relive the magic of Countdown’s glam rockers Skyhooks and ABBA’s infectious pop, and explore groundbreaking Australian films like Picnic at Hanging Rock. This colourful celebration brings together objects exploring politics, conflicts, popular culture, food, fashion, and sport in iconic seventies design, revealing a complex story beyond Baby Boomer nostalgia.
Until Monday 9 March | National Library of Australia, Parkes Place, Canberra | library.gov.au
A Loving City: Queerberra Revisited
A Loving City: Queerberra Revisited explores love, identity and resilience within Canberra’s LGBTQIA+ community. In 2017, photographer Jane Duong and producer Victoria Firth-Smith created Queerberra to document queer Canberrans during the national postal vote on marriage equality. Over 100 portraits captured moments of pride, exhaustion, defiance and hope when love itself was publicly debated. Eight years later, this exhibition returns to those portraits to reflect on personal growth, community strength and the enduring power of love. The exhibition invites visitors to consider progress made and work remaining in the city that voted yes more strongly than any other in Australia.
Until Saturday, 5 April | Canberra Museum + Gallery, 176 London Circuit, Canberra | cmag.com.au
In Bloom
In Bloom explores the beauty and symbolism of flowers. Featuring more than 50 portraits from the National Portrait Gallery collection, new acquisitions and selected loans, you will discover how flowers have long been used in art to express emotion and convey messages of personal, cultural and religious significance.
The show is a weird and wonderful floral extravaganza that includes much-loved and lesser-known works from the collection. See socialites, chefs, musicians, actors, doctors and politicians who are all unified by their accompanying floral markers.
Until Sunday 19 April 2026 | National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes | portrait.gov.au
Bilong Papua New Guinea: 50 years of Independence
Bilong Papua New Guinea marks the 50th anniversary of Papua New Guinea’s independence and the birth of a new nation on September 16, 1975. The National Gallery holds the largest collection of Papua New Guinea urban art outside the country. Each of the works selected for Bilong Papua New Guinea presents a story, reflecting on cultural heritage, historical moments, the influence of ancestors, Christianity, kastom, societal changes and new technologies.
Until Sunday 19 April | National Gallery, Parkes Place East, Parkes | nga.gov.au
5th National Indigenous Art Triennial
The National Indigenous Art Triennial brings together commissioned work by established and emerging First Nations artists from across Australia. Artistic Director Tony Albert (Girramay/Yidinji/Kuku-Yalanji peoples), one of Australia’s foremost contemporary artists, leads this iteration. After the Rain presents new immersive projects resonating with ideas of rebirth and cycles of cleansing, celebrating inter-generational legacies and cultural warriors of past, present and future. Made possible through the continued generosity of Wesfarmers Arts and key philanthropic supporters, the Triennial creates an important platform for art and ideas. Following its Kamberri/Canerra presentation, After the Rain will tour nationally.
Until Saturday, 26 April 2026 | National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes | nga.gov.au
In real life: inventors, innovators and opportunists
Celebrate Australian innovation at National Archives’ latest exhibition in Canberra, In real life: inventors, innovators and opportunists. Explore the history of Australian invention, from First Nations creativity to 150 years of patents, designs and trademark registrations.
See life-changing inventions, iconic designs and household brand names with original design drawings and trademarks from the national archival collection alongside their real-life counterparts.
Australians from all walks of life have pursued their ideas in the laboratory, at the drafting table and in the humble backyard shed. Learn about the innovators behind advances such as the baby capsule, spray-on skin and the stump-cam. Discover the origins of everyday products and national icons such as the Victa lawnmower, Hills Hoist and ‘goon bag’.
From pedestrian crossing buttons to dual flush toilets, see how the Australian Government played a vital role in supporting inventions and designs that you regularly see, hear, use – and flush. Spark your own imagination and be inspired by stories of bold dreams, determination and Australian ingenuity.
Until 17 May | National Archives of Australia, Kings Avenue, Parkes | naa.gov.au
Trent Parke: The Christmas tree bucket
Trent Parke’s photographic series The Christmas tree bucket 2006–09 is a tender and darkly humorous portrayal of his extended family coming together to celebrate Christmas. The series showcases Parke’s distinctive and acclaimed visual style and his skilful use of light and colour, to transcendent effect.The Christmas tree bucket is a candid, unsettling and often absurd portrait of family life—centred on the chaos, rituals and contradictions of the suburban Australian Christmas. It is a fond, insider’s view—sharp but affectionate—and one that the participants, after initial bemusement, actively embraced.
Parke draws from the legacy of postwar American photography while retaining a distinctly personal visual language, using light and colour to transform the everyday. The resulting photographs are both intimate and theatrical, sometimes hilarious, sometimes poetic and haunting. The exhibition also features a small selection of work from Parke’s black-and-white series Minutes to midnight 2003‒04 and a number of his handmade concertina photobooks, which he sees as a central part of his practice.
Until Sunday 6 September | National Gallery, Parkes Place East, Parkes | nga.gov.au
National Library of Australia Treasures Gallery
The National Library has millions of books, and the Treasures Gallery answers the frequently asked question, ‘Where are they’. They also collect other items. From maps and manuscripts to photographs and paintings, the Treasures Gallery is where you can find highlights from their vast physical and digital collections. Behind-the-scenes videos, pages from William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice from the First Folio, a cedar bookcase carved by Dorothea Mackellar, photographs from the nation’s photo album, and a display of The Wiggles’ websites from 1997 to today from the Australian Web Archive are among the new additions.
Until December 2030 | National Library of Australia, Parkes | library.gov.au
Behind the Lines 2025: ‘Are We Rolling?’
Behind the Lines 2025: ‘Are We Rolling?’ celebrates the year’s best political cartoons.
Featuring established and emerging cartoonists from across Australia, this exhibition highlights the significant contribution they make to cultural and political debates through witty, insightful and often poignant satirical drawings.
This year our Behind the Lines theme is the cinema, acknowledging that, like some of our favourite movies, 2025 has been full of thrills and spills, romance and heartbreak, with plenty of unexpected plot twists. Australia’s cartoonists and illustrators have tackled many of the issues that made news, including the federal election, the cost of living, energy policy, interest rates, housing security, the economy, climate change and stories from overseas.
Until December 2026 | Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House | moadoph.gov.au
Gurindji Freedom Banners
A powerful new exhibition commemorating the pivotal 1966 Wave Hill Walk-off opens at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Gurindji Freedom Banners: Mumkurla-nginyi-ma parrngalinyparla–From the darkness into the light unites all ten hand-painted banners for the first time in years, telling the story of when Gurindji and neighbouring peoples, led by Vincent Lingiari AM, walked off Wave Hill Station on 23 August 1966.
Their demands for fair working conditions and return of traditional lands sparked landmark change, leading to the first handback of Aboriginal land in 1975 and paving the way for the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976. The textile banners were created in 2000 by 35 Gurindji people, many walk-off participants, with one recently recreated after going missing.
Now showing until late 2026 | Museum of Australian Democracy, Old Parliament House | moadoph.gov.au
Reflection: 50 Years of the Australian Honours System
Discover the remarkable story of Australia’s honours system through a fascinating exhibition at the Royal Australian Mint. “Reflection” celebrates five decades of recognising extraordinary Australians, featuring original medal sketches by Stuart Devlin, finished medals, and commemorative coins from the National Coin Collection.
Explore the journey from design concept to final recognition, including the 2003 Volunteers Fine Silver Proof Set, Afghanistan Medal displays, and stunning wattle-themed collectables. This free exhibition honors over 500,000 Australians who have contributed to our nation’s spirit.
Now open | Royal Australian Mint, Deakin | Free entry | ramint.gov.au
Know My Name: Kee, Jackson and Delaunay
Know My Name: Kee, Jackson and Delaunay showcases two of Australia’s leading fashion designers: Linda Jackson and Jenny Kee, in conversation with international, multidisciplinary artist Sonia Delaunay (1885–1979).
The iconic and vibrant early designs of Kee and Jackson from the 1970s and early 1980s were directly inspired by the dynamic legacy of Delaunay, who was a member of the School of Paris and co-founder of Orphism, an art movement noted for its use of intense colours and abstract, geometric forms. As well as working in traditional mediums such as painting and printmaking, Delaunay’s practice also included textile, fashion, and theatre design.
For Jackson and Kee, who were beginning their shared journey in creating clothes as works of art, the discovery of Delaunay was revolutionary. This powerful display feature a rarely-seen collection of Kee and Jackson’s garments from their archives and are shown with the National Gallery’s collection of Delaunay’s prints, drawings, textiles and costumes.
Showing now | National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes | nga.gov.au
