Albert Hall, Canberra facts for kids
.jpg)
The Albert Hall is a special building in Canberra, Australia. It's used for many fun events and shows. You can find it on Commonwealth Avenue, right between the Commonwealth Bridge and the Hotel Canberra. It's located in the area called Yarralumla.
A Look Inside Albert Hall
The Albert Hall first opened its doors on March 10, 1928. The Prime Minister at the time, Stanley Bruce, officially opened it. He chose the name "Albert Hall" for a few reasons. It was named after the famous Royal Albert Hall in London. It also honored the first name of the Duke of York, who later became King George VI. Plus, it remembered Albert, Prince Consort, who was married to Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria was the Queen who announced the start of the Australian Commonwealth.
The building was designed by David Limburg, an architect from the Federal Capital Commission. He worked under the chief architect, Henry Rolland. The hall has a classic style, known as Federal Classical. At the front, there's a covered area called a porte-cochere. This allows people to get out of their cars without getting wet if it's raining.
The main hall can comfortably seat about 400 people. It has rows of seats with plenty of space.
At the east end of the Albert Hall, you'll find the Foyer. There are three sets of doors from the covered entrance and three more leading into the main hall. On the south side, there's the original ticket booth and restrooms. On the north side, there's a small room for parties with a kitchen. This is also where the chairs for the main hall are stored when not in use.
Upstairs, there are small offices for meetings. Overlooking the main hall, there's a mezzanine level with sloped seating for about 50 people. You can reach this area by stairs from the Foyer.
Behind the stage, at the west end, there are two rooms for performers to get ready. These rooms are on opposite sides and don't connect directly.
When the hall first opened, it didn't have heating. People had to bring blankets and warm coats to stay cozy! Singers even performed in fur coats. Heating was finally added after World War II.
The Albert Hall has always been an important place for the community. On January 27, 1949, it hosted the very first meeting of the Canberra branch of the Liberal Party of Australia.
Before the Albert Hall was built, the biggest hall in the Australian Capital Territory was in Kingston. For many years, until the Canberra Theatre opened in 1965, the Albert Hall was one of the only places in Canberra that could hold large audiences for shows and events.
Today, the Albert Hall is still a very busy place. It's like the "city hall" for Australia's capital. It's used for many different events, including community gatherings, cultural performances, dances, and private parties. It's often booked on weekends and during the week.
More Information
- ACT Government - Albert Hall information
- Australian National University Archives: Albert Hall, Yarralumla, Canberra
- Environment ACT: Albert Hall
- A History of Albert Hall from the ACT Library
- Albert Hall: Entry for the ACT Heritage Register (pdf)
- Our Albert Hall
