Australian War Memorial Canberra - A Tribute to Heroes

The museum to visit to know more about our history is the Australian War Memorial Canberra.

You must see it when you visit the capital of Australia.

It is a place to honour heroes, their courage and sacrifice.

You can easily spot its stately, solemn silhouette from the Capital Hill.

Draw an imaginary straight line going from the New Parliament House towards the old one and then across the Lake Burley Griffin towards the broad Anzac Parade.

There it is.

Click here to see it on the Canberra map.

australian war memorial canberra view from the parliament triangle

The Old Parliament House at the front with the Memorial against the mountain backdrop

Great view to capture pictures, when you are around the Parliamentary Triangle.

australian war memorial canberra - barrel from a railway gun from Amiens

The museum has collected an impressive amount of photos, films, documents, objects, which tell the story of wars, regional battles or peacekeeping missions in which Australian were involved.

The outdoor displays include a barrel from a railway gun seized in Amiens, France in 1918, and another one from an Australian battle ship which serviced in the Atlantic, during World War two.

Many exhibits and works of art show how mates helped each other to survive through terrible conditions.

australian war memorial canberra - mates helping each other sculpturee

Australian War Memorial Canberra - The Interactive Experience

If you're thinking war is bad enough and you don't feel like seeing the hell people had to go through you may be right. But then war museums exist to raise alarm bells about the evils of conflicts and human suffering. You're visiting them to make sure you're doing your best that similar things don't happen again.

At the Australian War Memorial you do not just see the ammunition, the war vehicles: terrestrial, seaborne or airborne, and the dioramas that re-enact the battlefields.

You are actually experiencing those battles with movies that bring to life the times and the people. You hear the frightening bomb alarm sound and the loud noise of the aircrafts. You follow the pilots as they are boarding their planes and fighting the enemies.

You see all that on screen and hear the noises next to you as the aircraft exhibited sound like their pilots are just switching on their engines and firing their weapons.

You can immerse yourself in the World War I air combat with a short film by the Lord of the Rings' director, Peter Jackson, as vintage fighter planes are flying around you on huge curved screens for a powerful effect.

Then experience a naval battle. Follow the battleships as they move from island to island and their shapes are projected on the floor. If you have kids with you they will be crawling on the floor or stepping on the contours of the ships trying to catch and play with them.

A truly interactive experience, one that you will not forget easily.

Australian War Memorial Canberra - Location

The museum, a massive sandstone building that looks like a Byzantine church is just a 30 minutes walk from the city centre.

It is located on Treloar Crescent, in the suburb of Campbell. The admission is free and so is the parking.

Visiting time is from 10 am to 5 pm, every day of the year, with the exception of Christmas Day.

There are many exhibitions and events around, and the hosts organise free guided tours of the museum.

Here is more interesting stuff about the city and things to see in the capital of Australia:

  • Canberra info - some basic information: where is it and how to get there?
  • Canberra tourism - in the city or driving out for some exploration of the surroundings or...the space.

Continue reading here: The Capital of Australia

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