But behind each door, members and senators can inject a little of their own personality, adorning their office with art, mementos and significant objects.

The Parliament House art collection numbers more than 6000 artworks and parliamentarians can choose from just under 4000 from the rotational collection to furnish their suites. The number of works allocated depends on the position held.

What artworks they choose reflects their tastes and what they hope to reflect in their office. But it's also the little bibs and bobs collected along the way, the books, the mementos, which tell a story about each politician.

We went behind the white door into the office of ACT Liberal Senator Zed Seselja; Labor member for Canberra Gai Brodtmann; Labor member for Fenner Andrew Leigh and ACT Labor Senator Katy Gallagher, to see what they were all about.

The artwork that dominates assistant shadow treasurer Andrew Leigh's office is a Rover Thomas painting of the Canning Stock Route. It has special significance for Leigh, the Labor member for Fenner and shadow assistant treasurer,

"I used to work for the late WA Senator Peter Cook and he used to have this painting hanging over the lounge in his office," Leigh said.

"It's a delightful reminder for me of Peter who was a senator of great integrity as well as a wonderful depiction of a great WA icon, the Canning Stock Route.

"I love telling visitors to the office about it and, of course, about Peter who died of cancer too young [in 2005 aged 62]."

There's also a photograph of Leigh running in last year's New York marathon with runners from the Indigenous Marathon Project who are mentored by Robert de Castella. Leigh's time was a more than respectable 2 hours 58 minutes.

"They are a group of inspiring young indigenous leaders, and to run in their colours was pretty memorable," he said.

There are also lots of photos of his sons, Sebastian, 9, Theodore, 7 and Zachary, 3. Zachary was famously pictured having a bit of a strop in the family Christmas card from last year – an image that went viral.

"We've shown him pictures of the card on CNN and he still thinks it's funny. At some stage in his life, he might have a different view. It will definitely come out at his 21st," he said.

Sebastian does pottery and there's his "amphibious dragon" in the office. There's also a bust of Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the Treasury of the US - "one of the great public policy economists" for Leigh, also a former professor of economics.

Leigh has retired Labor MP Lindsay Tanner's book Politics with Purpose and Tony Atkinson's Inequality: What can be done? in his office. He says Tanner led the way for any economist going into politics, arguing "policy with passion". And he has co-authored work with Atkinson.

"I learnt a lot from him," said Leigh, who will also be Labor's spokesman on competition and productivity and charities and not-for-profits.

If there is an antidote to any potential stuffiness in Parliament House it might just be ACT Labor Senator Katy Gallagher.

She loves a vibrant orange painting, by Long Tom Tjapanangka but happily admits her assistant chose it for the office.

"There are a lot of cartoons of myself, so I look like I'm loving myself sick," she said, with a laugh.

Gallagher has silver goblets from US President Barack Obama, a thank-you gift from his 2011 visit to Canberra when she was ACT chief minister, on the same bookshelves as a gift from her 10-year-old son Charlie – a Groot doll from the movie Guardians of the Galaxy.

She's more interested in talking about Groot than Obama, saying Charlie gave her the toy for Christmas but then found another version of Groot laughing and was worried he should have given that one to mum instead.

Her bookshelf has an Annabel Crabb cookbook and Aaron Patrick's Credlin and Co: How the Abbott government destroyed itself.

There are some vases from CraftACT which Gallagher's partner Dave Skinner gave her when she retired as chief minister in 2011.

"I love them because he gave them to me but I never fully understood why I got four vases," she said, with a laugh.

There's a glass horse, a gift from a mayor during a trip to China.

"It's lucky apparently," she said. "I'm not a superstitious person but when someone tells me it's lucky, that's that. That's why the Rooster is there too."

There are also lots of family shots, with younger daughter Evie, now eight. Older daughter, Abi, is nearly 19.

There is artwork by Trevor Dickinson, famous for his Canberra bus shelters. And a paperweight from a friend which features the quote, "You must do the thing you think you cannot do". A friend also gave her a pack of "gender cards" to give out for code yellow or code red violations. Eg you'll cope a yellow card for "ignoring a woman's view".

And lots of briefs on superannuation as Gallagher studies up in her her new role as shadow minister for small business and financial services. She also has a bag of Mexican worry dolls and is not afraid to use them.

As the newly minted Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs, ACT Liberal Senator Zed Seselja had only been in his new suite a few days last week. There were shelves to fill and cardboard boxes to empty.

But the office was already festooned with photographs of his family – wife Ros and their five children aged from 16 to three.

He points to a favourite one of his son William now 11, when he was two. "He had taken the eggs out of the fridge and dropped every one on the floor. My wife could have got annoyed or taken a photo. It's a great shot," he said. There's also one of himself as a toddler at the beach with mum Kate.

Seselja happily admits to not being expert on art but he did bring to his new office a commanding painting of a rural scene by Alexander Jamieson called Winter Wester Tuville from the parliamentary collection.

"It looks like something that could be from the Canberra region but it's the frame that really sets it apart," he said.

His shelves have biographies from one-time Labor leader Kim Beazley to tennis player Andre Agassi.

There are landscape shots by his dad Loui, a photographer. There is also a photograph of Seselja with Hollywood star Hugh Jackman. He worked with Jackman's wife Deborra-Lee Furness on adoption and went with Ros to see Jackman in a show in Brisbane where the shot was taken. "I've got a lot of time for them, they do great work," he said.

There's also a couple of telling front pages from The Canberra Times – one when Seselja was made leader of the Liberal ACT opposition in 2007 and the other headlined War in Liberal Ranks about past in-fighting in the party. He said that was a constant in his office in the Assembly to remind him the party had to be united.

And after so many years in opposition in the ACT, he is relishing becoming an assistant minister in the federal Parliament.

"I do feel the weight of the responsibility," he said, adding it was also exciting.

The Labor member for Canberra's Parliament House office could almost double as a gallery for Canberra artists.

She has made sure to select works from local artists which resonate with her. The office is dominated by a work by the late Canberra printmaker Jorg Schmeisser.

"I first saw his work in 1993 at the Drill Hall Gallery and coveted his work ever since," she said.

There is also an exquisite glasswork by Jenni Martinello, Multi-Coloured Fish Trap 2012. And also a sculptural work by Rosalie Gascoigne, New Wave. And a large ceramic vase by Bison.

Other views of Canberra are on the wall by artists Basil Hall and Toni Robertson. Even the cushions on the lounge feature a print of Parliament House by local label Gatbi.

There is also a striking green ("House of Reps green") Fink water jug by Canberra designer Robert Foster who tragically died in a car accident last month.

"It was a gift when I got elected from a dear friend with whom I share a godchild and it's made even more special now," she said.

There is also a painting by Cooma artist Imants Tillers.

A gorgeous photograph hangs near her desk of Indigenous army cadets. Brodtmann, a former public servant and communication specialist, worked with the ADF cadets before she entered parliament and the photograph was a gift.

There's a thank-you card from Duffy Primary School, one of the schools that benefits from a program Brodtmann funds, giving schools a dispatch box so they can act out parliament in school.

There's also a fun Bruce Wayne doll that is the spitting image of her husband, journalist Chris Uhlmann. And a paperweight with the words "Think Big, Dream Big". An award for her time on the Gift of Life board. And a textile of the Indian god Ganesh from a friend who was head of mission in Nepal.

"The god of benevolence, my favourite Indian god," Brodtmann said.