There’s never been a better time to be… in Canberra. Parliament isn’t sitting, there’s decent accommodation at reasonable rates; best of all you can take your pick of several important exhibitions. The National Gallery has a grand Tom Roberts show, the National Museum has Australian treasures from the British Museum, while at the National Library there is (until 22 May) the fascinating Celestial Empire exhibition.

In 1644 the bloody English civil war began which led to the regicide of Charles I, the lowest point in the fortunes of the Stuart dynasty. Meanwhile in China, also in 1644, a dynasty, known as the Qing or Manchu, was established which lasted until 1911. Thirteen Emperors ruled in that period; the unlucky 13th being a two year old boy who became Emperor in 1908 only to be deposed by a republic in 1911. One of the most colourful of the ruling caste was the Empress Dowager Cixi, the power behind the thrones of her son and then her nephew from 1862 to 1908. The 18th century saw the Dynasty’s best years; in the 19th century China was buffeted by the West and Japan. Chinese emperors were considered to rule by an ancient political idea: the ‘Mandate of Heaven’ which sounds familiar.

Celestial Empire features objects rarely shown outside China, a country eagerly embracing its past. The show’s diplomatic importance will see an official opening on 4 February by PM Malcolm Turnbull.