Parking

There are paid, short-stay spaces at the front and on either side of Old Parliament House.

Paid, long-stay spaces are behind Old Parliament House on Queen Victoria Terrace and next to the Treasury and John Gorton Buildings, all a 5-minute walk from our front entrance.

Free accessible parking and accessible pick-up and drop-off are located at the front of Old Parliament House. All parking is uncovered. Parking can be paid for via the EasyPark app or credit card. Only some machines accept coins.

Walking and Cycling

We’re within walking distance of the National Gallery of Australia, Questacon, the National Library of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery and Parliament House.

Bike racks are available at the museum entrance.

Buses

Find out the best way to get to us by bus with Transport Canberra's Journey Planner. 

From Canberra City:

• Routes 57 and 58 stop near the Treasury Building on Langton Crescent, a 5-minute walk.
• Rapid routes 2 and 6 stop at the John Gorton Building on Parkes Place, a 6-minute walk.
• Rapid routes 4, 5, 7 and 10 stop opposite Albert Hall on Commonwealth Avenue, a 10-minute walk.

From Woden, Molonglo and South:

• Routes 57 and 58 stop opposite the Treasury Building on Langton Crescent, a 5-minute walk.
• Rapid route 6 stops opposite the John Gorton Building on Parkes Place, a 6-minute walk.
• Rapid routes 4, 5, 7 and 10 stop at Albert Hall on Commonwealth Avenue, a 12-minute walk.

From Kingston, Queanbeyan and East:

• Rapid routes 2 and 6 stop opposite the John Gorton Building on Parkes Place, a 6-minute walk.
• QCity Transit route 830 stops at the Barton Bus Station on National Circuit, an 8-minute walk.

Taxi and Rideshare

Many services pick up and drop off next to the museum entrance at the front of Old Parliament House.

Standard and accessible taxis can be booked through:

• ACT Cabs: 02 6280 0077
• Canberra Elite: 02 6126 1600
• Silver Service: 02 6239 3555

Available rideshare services include Uber, Ola and Didi.

Getting Around the Building

Entrance

The entrance to the museum is at the front of the building, up the central staircase and through the glass doors. Here you'll find reception.

For lift access, enter through the doors on either side of the staircase. These doors have signs marked accessible entry. There is step-free access to every level of the museum.

Quiet spaces

The lounge in HiveMind on the Main floor is a place you can sit and relax. This space is usually quiet.

Toilets and Baby Change

Accessible toilets are located on the Lower floor and on the Main floor. Baby changing facilities are located on the Lower floor and the Main floor.

Inspiring, informing and connecting people with the Australian flora.

The Australian National Botanic Gardens maintains a scientific collection of native plants from all parts of Australia. The plants are displayed for the enjoyment and education of visitors and are used for research into plant classification and biology. A herbarium of preserved plant specimens is closely associated with the living collection.

The Gardens also cultivates plants threatened in the wild. This helps protect them against extinction and provides information which might assist reintroduction to their natural habitat.

Getting to the Gardens is easy by foot, bicycle, bus or car.

Only minutes from the Canberra CBD, the Gardens are located on the lower slopes of Black Mountain. The main entrance is on Clunies Ross Street, Acton.

Getting here by foot or bicycle

The Gardens are approximately a 2.5 km walk or ride from central Canberra. Google Maps can help you plot the quickest and safest route.

There are bicycle racks near the visitor centre and carpark.

Getting here by bus

A range of bus options will take you to the Gardens. Find the best bus route for you using Google Maps’ public transport directions.

Getting here by car

You can access the main entrance on Clunies Ross Street via Parkes Way to the south or Barry Drive to the north.

Parking

The Gardens has plenty of car parking. Fees for each vehicle are $3.80 per hour up to a maximum of $16.00 per day. Accessible parking spots are free of charge. 

Customers of the Botanical Bookshop can park for free in four designated parking spaces near the Visitor Centre. These spaces have a strict 30-minute time limit.

Free coach parking is available in the main carpark.

Accessibility

The Gardens has many experiences suitable for people with a disability.

The Main Path Walk has no steps, making it suitable for both wheelchairs and strollers. All slopes meet Australian standards for wheelchair access.

There are disabled access car spaces at the northern end of the main car park (close to the Visitor Centre and cafe) as well as behind the Crosbie Morrison building.

You can book a free wheelchair or electric mobility scooter to use during your visit to the Gardens. Bookings can be made by:

• visiting the Visitor Centre in person

• calling us on 02 6250 9588 between 9.30 am and 4.30pm.