How can I visit the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra?

Updated

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra is open to visitors through its "Visit the AIS" offering, which the Australian Sports Commission describes as a chance to experience Australia's high-performance sports hub. The visitor experience centres on tours and Sportex, with related on-site facilities including the Aquatic Centre and the AIS Shop. If you want to go, start with the Visit section of the ausport.gov.au website, which is where tours and Sportex details are directed.

What you can see and do on a visit

The AIS is presented as Australia's high-performance sports hub, so a visit is built around seeing the environment where national-level sport happens rather than a general museum visit. The site lists these visitor elements:

  • Tours — guided access to the AIS as a high-performance facility.
  • Sportex — the visitor experience element grouped with tours.
  • Aquatic Centre — an on-site facility listed under upcoming events.
  • AIS Shop — an on-site retail option.

These are the components the Australian Sports Commission names for visitors, so treat them as the core of a trip rather than a full activity list.

How to plan your visit

  1. Go to the Australian Sports Commission website at ausport.gov.au.
  2. Open the Visit the AIS section, which the site labels "Visit (Tours & Sportex)".
  3. Check the tour and Sportex information there for what is currently running.
  4. Note any listed upcoming events at the Aquatic Centre if you want to combine your visit with something else on site.
  5. Check the AIS Shop if you want to pick something up during your trip.

The expected result is that you arrive knowing which visitor experiences are operating and what else is available on the Canberra campus.

What to check before you go

The page evidence confirms that tours, Sportex, the Aquatic Centre and the AIS Shop exist as visitor-facing elements, but it does not state opening hours, tour times, prices, or booking requirements. Because those details are not given here, confirm them directly through the Visit section rather than assuming a schedule or cost.

A practical approach:

  • Check the Visit section first for current tour and Sportex arrangements.
  • Look at upcoming events if you want your visit to coincide with something at the Aquatic Centre.
  • Plan around the AIS being a working high-performance facility, since access may be organised through set tour arrangements rather than free roaming.

Where the AIS fits in the wider site

The AIS sits within the Australian Sports Commission's broader content, which also covers participation, high performance, Sporting Schools, grants and funding, the Clearinghouse for Sport, volunteering, concussion guidance, the AIS Podium Project, and female athlete performance and health. If your interest goes beyond a visit, those sections explain the Commission's role in supporting and investing in sport at all levels.

For a visit specifically, the Visit the AIS section is the right starting point, with tours and Sportex as the main visitor experience and the Aquatic Centre and AIS Shop as related on-site options.