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Parliament House opens closed doors to visitors

“Alfred Deakin: creating a nation” will feature documents and objects that explore Deakin’s life.

PARLIAMENT House will open areas, which are normally not seen by the public, this October long weekend. 

“People love the opportunity to get behind closed doors,” says director of visitor experience, Cris Kennedy.

The weekend will even give people an opportunity to wander around the gardens with horticultural experts who can drill down and explain the different national species planted in the national institution.

But centre stage this spring will be the newest exhibition at Parliament House, opening on Monday, October 7. Director of the art collection and exhibitions, Justine van Mourik, is especially chuffed that Judith Brett, author of “The Enigmatic Mr Deakin” will be in attendance for the opening.

“Alfred Deakin: creating a nation” will feature documents and objects that explore Deakin’s life, including his role in drafting the national Constitution. Van Mourik believes it is the first major Deakin exhibition, with 80 objects from the Deakin family and from the house, including the Duke of York Parchment , which goes back to the time of Federation.

Visitors will also see Deakin’s personal Bible. That, she says, has “a fantastic history”, with, for instance, former PM Malcolm Turnbull swearing his Oath of Office on it in recognition of the Deakin’s legacy.

Deakin’s own Bible

“Alfred Deakin was an extraordinary man,” van Mourik says.

A lawyer, journalist, anonymous columnist on Australian politics and society in London’s “Morning Post”, he was also friendly with Rudyard Kipling and Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle Doyle. He was also a theosophist who visited the grave of American  transcendentalist  Ralph Waldo Emerson.

But he was, she says, at heart an Australian, for in spite of his self-definition as an “independent Australian Briton”, he refused a knighthood.

And, for specialised garden-lovers, Kennedy tells “CityNews”, house horticulturalists are leading “Meet the Gardener” tours to private gardens normally not open to the public. The next will run from 10am-12.30pm and 1pm-3.30pm, October 13.

“Alfred Deakin: creating a nation,” exhibition area, level one, APH, until February. Free no bookings required. Spring celebrations at Australian Parliament House, bookings to aph.gov.au. Visitors should bring their photo ID.

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Helen Musa

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