On the first Monday of the National Youth Science Forum, we were all lucky enough to participate in a very informative tour of Parliament House. For many of us, this was the first time we had visited our country's Parliament House and so it was an exciting experience and one that we will not forget.

After taking numerous photos of Old Parliament House and passing through security, we entered the new House, only to be struck by the beauty of the marble interior. In a number of large groups, we were taken around Parliament House in a 45 minute tour by specially trained guides. Each of us learnt a lot about Australia's political system and how the country is run. We got to sit in the public galleries of both houses and we saw where John Howard would normally sit.

Our friendly guide explained to us that the Australian flag, which has to be swapped frequently, is put up and taken down by engineers who go up in a lift. We saw paintings and heard stories of previous Prime Ministers, and we viewed the neat and pretty courtyards where politicians can mingle with privacy.

After the tour, we all gathered in the main foyer of Parliament House, which is home to the second largest tapestry in the world. We were also in awe of the number of clocks in the room and how they were all in time with each other to the exact second. We were told that weddings and school formals are often held in this foyer.

We were sad when the tour had to end – we really hadn't known much about how our country is run and we were eager to learn even more than we had. Who can blame us though – we are the future leaders of this country!

Elizabeth Brown