Parliament House, Darwin's premier building, is the first permanent residence of the Northern Territory Legislature. It forms part of State Square, which also includes the Supreme Court and Liberty Square, a turfed area that adjoins the Office of the Administrator and Government House.

The former Legislative Council, which was established in 1948, was housed in various temporary buildings around Darwin until 1955 when it moved to part of the bombed Post Office on the site of the present Parliament House.
The foundation stone was laid by the then Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Nick Dondas, MLA, on 2 August 1990 and the building was officially opened by the then Governor-General of Australia, Bill Hayden, AC, on 18 August 1994. Meldrum Burrows, an architectural firm, was responsible for the design of the building.
It is intended that Parliament House will serve the Northern Territory Legislature for 100 years and it was designed to address changing and increasing usage. It is a fully-occupied building and houses the offices of the Executive, the Department of the Legislative Assembly, offices for all Members, the Northern Territory Library and Parliamentary Counsel.
The entrance of Parliament House is located adjacent to the ceremonial forecourt, with the main feature being a stylised Northern Territory Coat of Arms placed over the ceremonial doors. This interpretation, created in stainless steel and bronze, was crafted by a Darwin artisan, Mr Geoff Todd.
The building was designed to accommodate Darwin's tropical climate and its façade across the exterior screens and defuses 80% of direct sunlight from the interior of the building.
Timbers used throughout the building are Tasmanian Golden Sassafras and Tasmanian Brush Box, a fine-grained forest timber used because the light colour does not absorb natural light.  Tasmanian timbers were used throughout the public areas of the building,   whilst West Australian Jarrah was used in the executive areas, because the Northern Territory does not produce similar timbers.
The Main Reception Hall is used extensively for Parliamentary and Government receptions and public exhibitions. Access to the Northern Territory Library, the Speaker's Green and Speaker's Corner Cafe is also gained through the Main Reception Hall.
A feature of the Main Reception Hall is the pendant lighting suspended from the ceiling. The glass vanes of the pendants are green (to signify a lower house of parliament) and etched with eucalyptus leaves. They were designed by a Darwin-based interior designer, Joe Librio, and constructed in Bellingen, New South Wales.
The Legislative Assembly Chamber, while designed in an uncompromisingly modern style, also incorporates evidence of the Northern Territory's history, together with its inherited Westminster Parliamentary tradition. A ceremonial first Sitting was conducted on 4 October 1994 and guests included Presiding Officers from interstate and Pacific Region Parliaments.
Surrounding the Chamber are three public galleries, two of which are open while the third is enclosed by glass. This gallery is frequently used by students in order that they can be briefed while observing the Assembly in session. Total seating capacity in the public galleries is approximately 200. The fourth gallery, located above the Speaker's Chair, is the parliamentary Press Gallery and behind it are located the interview rooms and broadcast studio.
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