Canberra - Australia 2004 - page 602

including a space suit, space food, and archive film footage of the Apollo moon
landings. The complex is still active, tracking and recording results from the
Mars Pathfinder, Voyager 1 and 2, and the Cassini, Soho, Galileo, and Ulysses
space exploration projects, as well as providing a link with NASA spacecraft.
This is a great stop-off on the way back from the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve
(p. 607).
Tidbinbilla, 39km (24 miles) southwest of Civic. & 02/6201 7880. www.cdscc.nasa.gov. Free admission.
Summer daily 9am-8pm; rest of year daily 9am-5pm. No public bus service, but several tour companies offer
programs that include the complex.
High Court of Australia The High Court, an impressive concrete-and-glass
building that overlooks Lake Burley Griffin and stands next to the National
Gallery of Australia, was opened by Elizabeth II in 1980. It is home to the high-
est court in Australia's judicial system and contains three courtrooms, a video
display, and a huge seven-story-high public hall. When the court is in session,
visitors can observe the proceedings from the public gallery. Call or e-mail for
session details.
Overlooking Lake Burley Griffin, Parkes Place. & 02/6270 6346. www.hcourt.gov.au. Free admission.
Mon-Fri 9:45am-4:30pm. Closed public holidays. Bus: 34.
National Capital Exhibition If you want to find out more about Canberra's
beginnings—and get a memorable view of Lake Burley Griffin, the Captain
Cook Memorial Water Jet, and the Carillon in the bargain—then head here.
The displays are well done, and there's a film that provides an overview of the
city's design.
On the lake shore at Regatta Point in Commonwealth Park. & 02/6257 1068. Free admission. Daily 9am-
6pm (5pm in winter).
National Gallery of Australia Linked to the High Court by a pedestrian
bridge, the National Gallery showcases both Australian and international art.
The permanent collection and traveling exhibitions are displayed in 11 separate
galleries. You'll find paintings by big names such as Claude Monet and Jackson
Pollock, and Australian painters Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan, Arthur Streeton,
Charles Condor, Tom Roberts, and Albert Tucker. The exhibition of Tiwi
islander burial poles in the foyer is also interesting (the Tiwi Islands include
Melville and Bathurst islands off Darwin), and there's a large collection of Abo-
riginal bark paintings from central Australia. A sculpture garden surrounding
the gallery has 24 sculptures and is always open to the public.
Parkes Place. & 02/6240 6502. www.nga.gov.au. Free admission (except for major touring exhibitions).
Daily 10am-5pm, closed Christmas. Guided tours daily at 11am and 2pm; Thurs and Sun at 11am there's a
free tour focusing on Aboriginal art. Bus: 36 or 39 from Old Parliament House, or 34 from Parkes Place in front
of the High Court.
National Museum of Australia This, the first official all-encompassing
museum dedicated to the nation of Australia, opened in 2001 to rave reviews.
Using state-of-the-art technology and hands-on exhibits, the museum is based on
three main themes: Australian society and its history since 1788; the interaction of
people with the Australian environment; and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
cultures and histories. In reality it doesn't so much rely on actual historic objects
to tell the stories of Australia but on images and sound. Allow a couple of hours
if it grabs you, and 30 minutes to rush around baffled if it doesn't.
Acton Peninsula (about 5km/3 miles from the city center). & 1800/026 132 or 02/6208 5000. www.nma.
gov.au. Free admission (fees for special exhibitions). Daily 9am-5pm.