Damon Mcknight
The Australian War Memorial (AWM) is a national war memorial, museum, and archive dedicated to all Australians who died as a result of war, including peacekeeping duties. It is located in Campbell, a suburb of the Australian capital city of Canberra. The grounds include five buildings and a sculpture garden. The AWM features galleries dedicated to the World Wars, and thematic exhibits such as the Aircraft Hall and the Hall of Valour. It is an important part of the Parliamentary Vista and is situated at the northern end of the land axis of Griffin's plan for Canberra.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Campbell, a suburb of Canberra, Australia's capital city |
| Date opened | 1941 |
| Buildings | 5 |
| Other features | Sculpture garden |
| Style | Art deco with Byzantine and Egyptian influences |
| Number of floors | 2 |
| Galleries | First World War, Second World War, Colonial Conflict, Conflicts 1945 to Today, Aircraft Hall, Hall of Valour |
| Exhibits | More than 7,000 objects from the National Collection, including the world's largest collection of Victoria Crosses, a Lancaster bomber, and dioramas from the 1920s |
| Services | Last Post (nightly), Anzac Day, Remembrance Day |
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What You'll Learn
The Australian War Memorial is in Canberra
The memorial is a significant part of the Parliamentary Vista, situated at the northern end of the land axis of Griffin's plan for Canberra. It is an iconic national landmark, honouring the courage and sacrifice of generations of Australian men and women who served in wars. The memorial is also a centre for national commemorative services, including ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day.
The Australian War Memorial was formally established through federal legislation in 1925. However, the onset of the Great Depression delayed its construction. Work on the Memorial Building progressed in the mid-1930s, and it was officially opened to the public in 1941. The main building is stone-faced, designed in the art deco style with Byzantine and Egyptian influences. It has two floors of galleries, a library, war records storage, office space, and workshop facilities.
The memorial houses a rich collection of artefacts, personal and public records, art, and media. This collection tells the story of Australia's involvement in world wars, regional conflicts, and international peacekeeping efforts. Notable items include the world's largest collection of Victoria Crosses, a Lancaster bomber, and dioramas from the 1920s. The memorial also features galleries dedicated to specific conflicts, such as the First and Second World War galleries, as well as thematic exhibits like the Aircraft Hall and the Hall of Valour.
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It was opened to the public in 1941
The Australian War Memorial (AWM) is a national war memorial, museum and archive dedicated to all Australians who died as a result of war, including peacekeeping duties. It is located in Campbell, a suburb of the Australian capital city of Canberra. The AWM was officially opened to the public in 1941.
Plans to build a national war memorial and museum were initiated shortly after the First World War, during which 60,000 Australians were killed, and 156,000 were wounded, gassed, or taken prisoner. The unimaginable scale of loss led to the creation of memorials across the country as a new way to express national grief. Charles Bean, Australia’s war correspondent, envisioned a national war memorial to commemorate the Australian soldiers and their sacrifice. His idea was to create a place where families and friends could grieve for those buried far away. Designs for the AWM were created by Emil Sodersten and John Crust, although the onset of the Great Depression delayed its construction. Work on the Memorial Building progressed in the mid-1930s, and the memorial was opened to the public in 1941.
The AWM is located at the northern end of the land axis of Griffin's plan for Canberra. The main building is stone-faced, designed in the art deco style with Byzantine and Egyptian influences. It has a cruciform plan with two floors of galleries, a library, war records storage, office space and workshop facilities. The AWM houses a collection of relics, personal and public records, art, and media, which tell the story of the nation's experience in world wars, regional conflicts and international peacekeeping. The collection contains unique objects including the largest collection of Victoria Crosses in the world, a Lancaster bomber, and outstanding dioramas dating from the 1920s.
The Memorial Building's museum and exhibits are located on its lower levels and surround the building's commemorative sections. Several galleries in the Memorial Building are organised by conflict, like the First World War gallery and the Second World War gallery. The AWM also operates galleries that are not specific to a single conflict, like the Colonial Conflict gallery, Conflicts 1945 to Today gallery, the Aircraft Hall, and the Hall of Valour. The AWM features galleries dedicated to the World Wars, and thematic exhibits such as the Aircraft Hall. The memorial and museum are open daily except for Christmas Day. The AWM holds several commemorative services on its grounds, including a nightly Last Post service, and national services for Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.
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The memorial includes a museum and exhibits
The Australian War Memorial (AWM) is a national memorial, museum, and archive dedicated to all Australians who died as a result of war, including peacekeeping duties. The AWM is located in Campbell, a suburb of the Australian capital city of Canberra. The grounds include five buildings and a sculpture garden.
The Memorial's galleries and exhibitions explore Australia's involvement in major conflicts and help tell the country's continuing story of service, sacrifice, and military history. The AWM features galleries dedicated to the World Wars and thematic exhibits such as the Aircraft Hall and the Hall of Valour. Several galleries in the Memorial Building are organised by conflict, like the First World War gallery and the Second World War gallery. The AWM also operates galleries that are not specific to a single conflict, like the Colonial Conflict gallery, Conflicts 1945 to Today gallery, and the Hall of Valour.
The AWM holds more than 7,000 objects on display from the National Collection. Through a diverse collection of exhibitions, artworks, large technology objects, and personal records, the Memorial plays an important role in shaping how Australia's history and national identity are understood by Australians and international visitors alike. The Memorial commissioned Latham's Vietnam Requiem, which was first performed in June 2021, and works are planned to commemorate the Korean War, the Holocaust, and World War II.
The Memorial Building's museum and exhibits are located on its lower levels and surround the building's commemorative sections. The AWM is open daily, except for Christmas Day, and offers a range of guided and self-guided tours. Entry is free and tickets are not required.
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Galleries are organised by conflict
The Australian War Memorial (AWM) is a national war memorial, museum, and archive dedicated to all Australians who died as a result of war, including peacekeeping duties. The AWM is located in Campbell, a suburb of the Australian capital city of Canberra. The grounds include five buildings and a sculpture garden.
The Memorial's galleries and exhibitions explore Australia's involvement in major conflicts and help to tell Australia's continuing story of service, sacrifice, and military history. Several galleries in the Memorial Building are organised by conflict, like the First World War gallery and the Second World War gallery. The Second World War gallery features an immersive sound and light experience in the Bomber Command experience. The First and Second World War galleries are made up of four interconnected galleries and are located in the oldest portions of the building. The Cold War Galleries take visitors through the Korean War, Vietnam War, Malayan Emergency, and Indonesian Confrontation. The Memorial also operates galleries that are not specific to a single conflict, like the Colonial Conflict gallery, Conflicts 1945 to Today gallery, the Aircraft Hall, and the Hall of Valour. The Aircraft Hall features classic aircraft, including a Mustang, Zero, Sea Fury, MiG-15, Avro Anson, and the Lockheed Engine from a Hudson Bomber A16-19. The Hall of Valour is another gallery located below the Hall of Memory and honours Australia's Victoria Cross and George Cross recipients. The Hall of Valour displays 76 of the 101 Victoria Crosses awarded to Australian soldiers, the largest publicly held collection of the medal in the world.
In 2022, director Kim Beazley announced that the memorial would cover the Australian Frontier Wars for the first time as part of a new "Pre-1914 gallery" expected to open in 2028. The Peacekeeping and Modern Conflicts galleries, representing Australia's operational commitments since 1975, are currently in development and will open soon in the Memorial's new Anzac Hall.
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The AWM holds commemorative services
The Australian War Memorial (AWM) is a national war memorial, museum and archive dedicated to all Australians who died as a result of war, including peacekeeping duties. The AWM is located in Campbell, a suburb of the Australian capital city of Canberra. The grounds include five buildings and a sculpture garden.
The AWM holds several commemorative services on its grounds, including a nightly Last Post service, and national services for Anzac Day and Remembrance Day. The Last Post ceremony began in 2013 and it will take nearly 300 years to commemorate every person on the Roll of Honour. Each of the 364 Last Post stories told each year is carefully researched and written by Australian War Memorial historians. The ceremony begins with the singing of the Australian National Anthem, followed by a piper descending from the Hall of Memory. Visitors are invited to lay wreaths and floral tributes beside the Pool of Reflection. Men and women of the Australian Defence Force volunteer each day to read the story and recite the Ode. The ceremony ends with the sounding of the Last Post.
The AWM features galleries dedicated to the World Wars, and thematic exhibits such as the Aircraft Hall and the Hall of Valour. The memorial and museum is open daily except for Christmas Day. The Memorial's galleries and exhibitions explore Australia's involvement in major conflicts and help to tell Australia’s continuing story of service, sacrifice and military history.
The idea for a national war memorial to commemorate veterans and to showcase war trophies in the Australian capital was conceived by Charles Bean in 1916. The Commonwealth Government was supportive of Bean's efforts and established an Australian War Memorial committee in 1919. Bean, together with John Treloar, the officer-in-charge of the Australian War Records Section and later the AWM's first director, guided the creation of AWM. A museum to display collected war relics was also incorporated into the institution, with Bean and Treloar believing that the museum was philosophically and operationally inseparable from the memorial.
In 1923, the Commonwealth Government officially announced its intentions to build a national war memorial, with the AWM being formally established through legislation in 1925. Designs for the AWM were created by Emil Sodersten and John Crust, although the onset of the Great Depression delayed its construction. Work on the Memorial Building progressed in the mid-1930s, and the AWM was officially opened to the public in 1941.
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Frequently asked questions
The Australian War Memorial is located in the Australian Capital Territory, in the suburb of Campbell in Canberra.
The Australian War Memorial (AWM) is a national memorial, museum and archive dedicated to all Australians who died as a result of war, including peacekeeping duties.
The AWM was formally established through federal legislation in 1925, but it was officially opened to the public in 1941.
The AWM houses a collection of relics, personal and public records, art and media, which tell the story of Australia's experience in world wars, regional conflicts and international peacekeeping. The collection includes the world's largest collection of Victoria Crosses, a Lancaster bomber, and dioramas from the 1920s.
Yes, entry to the Australian War Memorial is free and tickets are not required. The site is open daily except for Christmas Day.
