It was a chilly Canberra day and turtle soup was on the menu.
A nervous Duke of York was clutching a 14-carat gold key ready to open the doors of the nation's new parliament and thousands had come from far and wide to camp out for the occasion.
Ninety years on a new exhibition to mark the opening of Old Parliament House on May 9, 1927 is showcasing the opening from the point-of-view of "average punters" who travelled to see the royals.
The crowd of 15,000 was much lower than expected leaving organisers well over-catered in their spread of meat pies, turtle soup and something called Canberra pudding.
"They had to bury a whole lot of it at Queanbeyan tip," Speaker Tony Smith recalled at the exhibition's official opening at what's now the Museum of Australian Democracy in Canberra on Tuesday.
Curator Stephanie Pfennigwerth said the museum thought it was fitting to celebrate the 90th birthday of the building which is seen by many as the heart of the capital.
Amongst the treasures on display is a home-sewn navy blue dress with a dropped waist and matching shoes worn by Ionie Farr.
Her husband Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Farr scored an invitation as he was responsible for the transfer of government departments from Melbourne to Canberra.
"She made the dress herself, you can tell and that's part of the charm of it," Ms Pfennigwerth told AAP.
While Mrs Farr kept her own reminder of the day, others pilfered a souvenir for themselves.
"We have a few little suspicious objects we're delighted to showcase."
They include a square of the red carpet onlooker Mary Banvill from Maryborough in Queensland pinched using a penknife.
Her family had to camp with others in calico tents in neighbouring Queanbeyan during sub-zero temperatures, with the handful of Canberra hostels booked up by VIPs.
Photos in the days before iPhones tell more of the story from the perspective of onlookers, with their blurriness part of their charm, Ms Pfennigwerth believes.
"I particularly like the photographs, almost paparazzi-type photographs, as the Duke and Duchess sailed by in their carriage," she said.
Mr Smith has lent the key used by the Duke to the exhibition for six weeks - but is happy to offer it for longer.
The 90th birthday is next Tuesday - the day of the federal budget - with the dispatch boxes Treasurer Scott Morrison to stand before also celebrating the milestone.
They were a gift from the King - first used that day.
