Growing up Modern: Alex Jelinek and Canberra's Round House is a first-hand account of how one of Canberra's best loved examples of mid-century modern architecture, the 'Round House' came to be designed, built and made into a home.

Curated by Professor Roger Benjamin, art historian, curator and author of the book of the same name, this exhibition tells how Benjamin's parents, Audrey and Bruce, came to commission Czech emigree architect Alex Jelinek to design this piece of radical architecture as a home for their young family. Quickly acknowledged as Australia's 1957 House of the Year, its continuing significance was recognised with ACT Heritage Listing in 2004.

Reunited for the exhibition are some of the original commissioned furniture designed by Jelinek and made by by Schulim Krimper, paintings by leading Australian and international artists including Ian Fairweather, John Coburn and Paul Klee and original family archival material that tells the story of how the house captured both international and popular attention.  Through the 1970’s the house evolved to reflect changing tastes and teenage energy.