Australian War Memorial | |
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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] | |
Established | 1925 |
Unveiled | 1941 |
Location | 35°16′50″S 149°08′57″E / 35.2805°S 149.1491°E |
Designed by | Emil Sodersten and John Crust (Memorial Building) Denton Corker Marshall (Administration Building, ANZAC Hall, CEW Building) |
Unknowns | 1 |
Official name | Australian War Memorial, Anzac Pde, Campbell, ACT, Australia |
Type | Listed place |
Criteria | A., B., D., E., F., G., H. |
Designated | 22 June 2004 |
Reference no. | 105469 |
The Australian War Memorial (AWM) is a national war memorial and museum dedicated to all Australians who died during 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 Commonwealth 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 servicemembers of the First World War, the institution's scope was expanded to include servicemembers of the Second World War in 1939, servicemembers 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.