Australian War Memorial

Australian War Memorial
Australian Government
The Memorial Building from the central precinct of the Australian War Memorial, 2015
For Australians who died as a result of war[1]
Established1925; 99 years ago (1925)
Unveiled1941; 83 years ago (1941)
Location35°16′50″S 149°08′57″E / 35.2805°S 149.1491°E / -35.2805; 149.1491
Treloar Crescent Campbell, Canberra, Australia
Designed byEmil Sodersten and John Crust (Memorial Building)
Denton Corker Marshall (Administration Building, ANZAC Hall, CEW Building)
Official nameAustralian War Memorial, Anzac Pde, Campbell, ACT, Australia
TypeListed place
CriteriaA., B., D., E., F., G., H.
Designated22 June 2004; 20 years ago (2004-06-22)
Reference no.105469

The Australian War Memorial (AWM) is a national war memorial and museum dedicated to all Australians who died as a result of war. The AWM is located in Campbell, a suburb of the Australian capital of Canberra. The grounds include five buildings and a sculpture garden. Most of the museum galleries and commemorative areas are contained in the Memorial Building.

Plans to build a national war memorial and museum were initiated shortly after the First World War, with the AWM formally established through federal 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. Several structures designed by Denton Corker Marshall were built on the grounds from the 1980s to 2000s, to house additional museum exhibits and administrative offices. In 1993, the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier was installed inside the Memorial Building's Hall of Memory.

Although the memorial was initially envisioned to only commemorate those who had died as the result of the First World War, the institution's scope was changed to include service-members of the Second World War in 1939, service-members from all other wars in 1952, and all Australians who died in conflict in 1975.

The memorial and museum is open daily excluding 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.

  1. ^ AWMMHMP 2022, p. 14.