Home › Port Moresby › Parliament House
Parliament House, Port Moresby - Things to Do at Parliament House

Things to Do at Parliament House

Complete Guide to Parliament House in Port Moresby

About Parliament House

Parliament House rises from a hilltop in Waigani like nothing else you'll see in the Pacific, a soaring A-frame structure that deliberately echoes the haus tambaran spirit houses of the Sepik River region. The facade is the showstopper: a vast mosaic in ochre, black, and rust-red, depicting ancestral motifs that catch the equatorial light differently throughout the day. Up close, you'll find the tesserae are slightly uneven, hand-set, which gives the whole thing a texture photographs never quite capture. The air around the forecourt tends to smell faintly of frangipani and cut grass, with the low hum of generators from the surrounding government quarter as a constant backdrop. Step inside and the temperature drops noticeably, cool marble underfoot, the echo of footsteps bouncing off carved hardwood panels depicting scenes from across Papua New Guinea's 800-plus language groups. The main chamber is surprisingly intimate for a national legislature, with timber benches polished to a deep amber by decades of use. Security guards in crisp uniforms tend to be friendlier than you'd expect, often happy to point out details visitors miss: the Bird of Paradise emblems worked into the ceiling, the kundu drum motifs along the gallery railings. It's worth noting this isn't a polished tourist machine. Parliament House is a working seat of government, and the experience reflects that, part civic monument, part architectural statement, part living workspace. Some find it underwhelming compared to colonial-era parliaments elsewhere; others (myself included) think the deliberate fusion of Melanesian symbolism with modernist scale makes it one of the more honest national buildings in the region.

What to See & Do

The Mosaic Facade

The front of the building is essentially one enormous artwork, stylised ancestral figures and clan motifs rendered in tiny ceramic tiles. Morning light tends to bring out the reds and ochres. Late afternoon shadows make the geometric patterns pop. Worth circling around to see how the design wraps.

The Grand Hall

Vaulted ceiling that draws the eye up toward carved beams, with the floor patterned in regional motifs from each province. The acoustics are unusually live, a dropped coin echoes for several seconds. You'll likely hear the soft scuff of visitors' shoes and the occasional murmur from staff offices off the main corridor.

Carved Hardwood Panels

Lining the interior corridors, these panels were commissioned from master carvers across the country. Look for the Sepik crocodile motifs, the Highlands shield patterns, and the Trobriand canoe prows, each panel tells you something about who wasn't forgotten when this place was designed.

The Main Chamber

Smaller than you'd expect, with timber benches in a horseshoe layout. The Speaker's chair sits beneath a carved canopy that nods to traditional chief's seating. When parliament's not sitting, you can often peer in from the public gallery and catch the cool, library-quiet hush of an empty legislature.

The Forecourt and Flag Court

Outside, the broad paved plaza catches strong sun, bring a hat. The flagpoles line up in front of the mosaic, and the angle from the far edge gives you the postcard shot. Local school groups often gather here, so there's usually some chatter and the rustle of uniforms in the breeze.

Practical Information

Opening Hours

Typically open to visitors weekday mornings, usually around 9am to noon, with afternoon access depending on parliamentary sittings. Closed weekends and public holidays. When parliament is in session, public gallery access may be restricted to specific viewing hours.

Tickets & Pricing

Entry is generally free, though you'll need to present photo ID at the security gate and sign in. Guided tours, when available, are arranged through the parliamentary information office, budget-friendly compared to paid attractions in the city, and often gratis altogether.

Best Time to Visit

Mid-morning on a non-sitting weekday is the sweet spot, you'll get cooler temperatures, better light on the mosaic, and likely have the interior corridors largely to yourself. Sitting days are more atmospheric but access tightens considerably. Avoid arriving right before noon when staff start winding down for lunch.

Suggested Duration

Plan for 45 minutes to an hour and a half. The exterior and mosaic deserve a slow walk-around, and the main hall and chamber don't take long but reward unhurried looking. If you join a guided tour, allow closer to two hours.

Getting There

Parliament House sits in the Waigani government district, a few kilometres north of Port Moresby's downtown. Taxis are the most practical option for visitors, agree on the fare before you set off, as meters are rare. Hotel-arranged cars are pricier but smoother, and worth it if you're nervous about navigating. Public PMVs (the local minibuses) do run through Waigani, but they're not set up for tourists and you'll want a local guide if you go that route. Driving yourself is possible if your hotel has a rental, though the road layout around the government quarter can be confusing and parking is informal. Allow extra time during morning peak when government staff are arriving.

Things to Do Nearby

National Museum and Art Gallery
A short drive away in the same Waigani precinct. Pairs well because it deepens the cultural context the mosaic gestures toward, you'll understand the carvings inside Parliament much better after an hour here.
National Botanical Gardens
Walking distance from Parliament, with orchid houses and shaded paths. A good antidote to the hard surfaces and bright sun of the government quarter, cool, leafy, and you can hear the birdlife properly.
Port Moresby Nature Park
Slightly further afield but worth combining for a half-day. Tree kangaroos, cassowaries, and walk-through aviaries. The contrast between civic architecture and rainforest canopy makes for a satisfying day.
Sir Hubert Murray Stadium Precinct
Nearby in Waigani, useful if there's a rugby league match on, PNG takes the sport seriously and the atmosphere on game day is unlike anywhere else in the Pacific.
Vision City Mall
Closest spot for a cold drink, lunch, or air-conditioning recovery after the Parliament visit. Not a sight in itself. But practical and centrally located in the Waigani area.

Tips & Advice

Bring photo ID. No ID, no entry. A passport copy sometimes fails. Guards wave originals through every time.
Photography rules change with the guard. Ask before you shoot inside. The exterior mosaic is almost always fair game.
Cover shoulders. Wear long trousers or skirts. Flip-flops draw frowns. Dress right and walk in.
Hungry after? Parliament offers almost nothing. Staff cafeteria rarely lets walk-ins inside. Eat before or head to Vision City Mall nearby.
State functions and national addresses can shut doors fast. Little notice given. Have your hotel ring ahead the morning of your visit.
Step back thirty metres. Face the main entrance. Sun behind you. Mid-morning light flatters the mosaic best.
Security is courteous yet thorough. Expect bag checks and a quick pat-down. Unusual items slow things down. Five minutes is typical.

Tours & Activities at Parliament House

Didn't see anything interesting yet?

Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Parliament House.

See All Parliament House Tours on Viator