War museums and memorials to visit

Memorials in Australia

The Australian War Memorial (AWM) and Anzac Parade are at the centre of the nation's commemoration of defence personnel who served in wars, conflicts, and peace and humanitarian operations. These inspiring national landmarks encourage public and personal reflection on the Australian experience of war.

Australian War Memorial

The Australian War Memorial in Canberra is Australia's national memorial to members of our armed forces. Dedicated in 1941, the memorial features:

• a commemorative area with the Roll of Honour
• Hall of Memory with the Tomb of the Unknown Australian soldier
• Hall of Valour
• a military history museum with many galleries
• a large archive with a research centre
• a memorial sculpture garden.

Anzac Parade memorials

This broad ceremonial avenue was named in honour of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. It opened in 1965 to mark the 50th anniversary of the landing at Anzac Cove.

Each side of Anzac Parade has memorials to commemorate specific services or military campaigns:

• Australian Hellenic Memorial
• Australian Army National Memorial
• Australian National Korean War Memorial
• The Australian Vietnam Forces National Memorial
• Desert Mounted Corps Memorial
• National Boer War Memorial
• New Zealand Memorial
• Australian Peacekeeping Memorial
• Rats of Tobruk Memorial
• Royal Australian Air Force Memorial
• Australian Service Nurses National Memorial
• Royal Australian Navy Memorial
• Kemal Ataturk Memorial and Gardens.

Do the Anzac Parade Self-Guided Walking Tour.

Elsewhere in Canberra, you can visit:

• For our Country – First Nations veterans memorial
• Merchant Navy Memorial
• National Service Memorial
• Prisoner-of-War National Memorial, also known as Changi Chapel

Anzac Parade from the Australian War Memorial, Wikimedia Commons

Memorials of national significance

The Military Memorials of National Significance Act 2008 (Cth) is an Australian law that allows the Australian Government to officially recognise military memorials outside Canberra as nationally significant.

Declared memorials include:

• Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Ballarat, Vic
• HMAS Sydney II Memorial, Geraldton, WA
• The Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne, Vic
• Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park, Sydney, NSW
• NSW Korean War Memorial, Moore Park, NSW
• The Cenotaph, Martin Place, Sydney, NSW
• Queensland Korean War Memorial, Cascade Gardens, Broadbeach, Qld
• Desert Mounted Corps Memorial, Albany, WA
• Bradleys Head Naval Memorial, Mosman, NSW.

Learn more about applying for a military memorial to be declared nationally significant.

State and territory memorials

Each Australian state and territory has a principal memorial that serves as a permanent shrine and focal point for the major commemorative ceremonies in that capital city.

Australian Capital Territory

The Australian War Memorial, dedicated in 1941, serves as the centre for commemorations in Canberra.

New South Wales

The Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park, Sydney, was first dedicated in 1934 and rededicated in 1984. It serves as the centre for commemorations in New South Wales.

Northern Territory

The Darwin Cenotaph, dedicated in 1921, is in Darwin's Bicentennial Park. It serves as the centre for commemorations in the Northern Territory.

Queensland

The Queensland National Anzac Memorial in Brisbane was dedicated in 1930. It serves as the centre for commemorations in Queensland. For more information, visit Anzac Square and Memorial Galleries.

South Australia

The South Australian National War Memorial in Adelaide was dedicated in 1931. It serves as the centre for commemorations in South Australia.

Tasmania

The Hobart War Memorial (Cenotaph) in Queen's Domain was dedicated in 1925. It serves as the centre for commemorations in Tasmania.

Victoria

The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne was dedicated in 1934. It serves as the centre for commemorations in Victoria.

Western Australia

The State War Memorial in King's Park, Perth, was first dedicated in 1929 and rededicated in 2005. It serves as the centre for commemorations in Western Australia. For more information, visit King's Park and Botanic Garden.

Regional memorials across Australia

Memorials are at the heart of community commemorations for our defence personnel. On Anzac Day and Remembrance Day, people gather around their local memorials. They recognise and remember those who left their community to serve in defence of freedom.

These memorials are often established and managed by the local community through RSLs and other groups with support from local government.

The Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) provides grants to restore, preserve, upgrade and improve access to community war memorials. Learn more about Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants.

Find a local site to visit:

• Great War Memories presents World War I memorabilia in towns across Australia
• Places of Pride: National Register of War Memorials
• Find Cemeteries & Memorials

Museums honouring veterans

The National Anzac Centre in Albany tells the stories of our first Anzacs. Opened in 2004, the museum is run by the City of Albany. Visitors can look across King George Sound. During World War I, this bay was a departure point for the first convoy of Australian and New Zealand troops.

The National Vietnam Veterans Museum was opened as an independent museum in 1996. It commemorates the wartime experience of our Vietnam War veterans. The museum was established by Vietnam veterans, their family members and other volunteers. It's run by a large volunteer workforce.

Wikipedia publishes a list of military and war museums in Australia.

Overseas memorials and museums

The Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG) within DVA maintains official Australian memorials in many countries overseas. From time to time, it also builds new memorials.

Find a site to visit overseas:

• Overseas war memorials
• Find Cemeteries & Memorials Graves

Australian War Memorial, London

The AWM London commemorates veterans who served in World War I and World War II. It lists the names of the towns where they were born. On top of 23,844 town names, you can see the names of 47 of the battles in which they served.

You can either:

• search the memorial online to find the name of your town
• visit the memorial on Hyde Park Corner in London.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II dedicated the memorial on 11 November 2003.

Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum, Thailand

The Burma-Thailand Railway was completed in 1943 by Australians and others who became prisoners of the Japanese during World War II. Construction of the 420 km railway began in October 1942, through harsh jungles and mountains. The Japanese built the railway to maintain their armies in Burma.

The Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre remembers the service and sacrifice of those who died from disease, starvation and ill-treatment. Over 2,800 Australians died while working on the railway, as well as 12,500 Allied prisoners and 75,000 Asian labourers.

Sandakan Memorial Park, Malaysia

Sandakan Memorial Park was created on the site of the notorious Sandakan prisoner of war (POW) camp in north-eastern Borneo.

Between January and August 1945, about 2,400 Australian and British POWs died in Sandakan as prisoners of the Japanese forces. Only about 6 of them survived. Many more died on the 3 forced marches from Sandakan to Ranau, known as the Sandakan Death Marches.

Within the Sandakan Memorial Park, an interpretive pavilion provides visitors with historical information.

Sir John Monash Centre, France

The Sir John Monash Centre (SJMC) tells the story of more than 295,000 Australians who served on the Western Front from 1916 to 1918, including 46,000 who died there.

DVA built the centre in the heart of the Somme region, near Amiens in France. Opened on 25 April 2018, the museum is on the grounds of the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux.

You can visit the SJMC to hear Australia's story of the Western Front and learn about society, military affairs and international politics during the war. Online resources and centre-based activities support the stories of Australia's service men and women.

The SJMC and the nearby memorial show the strong and everlasting bond forged between the peoples of Australia and France more than 100 years ago.

CWGC Experience, France

The CWGC Experience highlights the remarkable work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It will give you a behind-the-scenes look at the teams that work to care for the fallen. From the story of how the dead are still recovered and reburied today, to the skilled artisan craftspeople at work maintaining the world's most impressive and recognisable monuments and memorials. A trip to the battlefields of the Western Front is not complete without a visit to the CWGC Experience.

Get in touch

If you have any questions or comments, email us at education@dva.gov.au.

You can also reach us at this postal address:

Community Engagement Section
Department of Veterans' Affairs
GPO Box 9998
Brisbane Qld 4001