Parliament House

There is no charge to visit Parliament House. Visitors are welcome to watch lawmakers in action when the House is in session; outside those times, tours are given twice daily on weekdays. Most travelers choose to experience Parliament House entirely from the outside, taking it in with Adelaide’s other historic architecture on a scenic stroll. Parliament House is an occasional stop on Adelaide city tours; guides will explain how it arose from the much less impressive Old Parliament House next door.

• Parliament House is a must for fans of heritage architecture.

• All bags are scanned in security machines on entry. Avoid bringing sharp objects.

• There is limited wheelchair access to Parliament House.

Parliament House sits on North Terrace, on the north side of downtown Adelaide, a stone’s throw from Rundle Mall and an easy walk from other city center attractions. It’s a stop on the free City Connector bus service, routes 98A and 98C, and is directly opposite Adelaide Railway Station, which is also a tram stop.

If you’d like to see inside Parliament House, you’ll need to visit on a weekday. When Parliament is sitting, you can watch the action from the “Stranger’s Galleries.” Question time, immediately after lunch, is a popular time to visit. Free tours are offered twice daily when parliament is not in session, one in the morning and one in the early afternoon. The building is inaccessible on weekends.

Parliament House is just one Adelaide architectural landmark. A British naval officer named William Light laid out the city, surrounded by parklands, around the time South Australia was created, in 1836, and a wealth of early buildings have been preserved. Other city landmarks include Town Hall, Government House, and the State Library of South Australia.