What an amazing experience and so much to see. Recommend the 80 min free tour. We had Henry as our guide. Professional, knowledgeable and extremely passionate in conveying the history of our service women and men. Thank you Henry.

This is by far the best war memorial in all of Australia...and we've been to a few of them. The grounds are huge and well kept and the building is imposing (from the outside) and extremely well laid out on the inside. From the scores of tributes to Australian and other country's servicemen and women to the dioramas and displays...this was just well done. People who have been awarded some of the highest medals in the nation have a short bio and then a description of the act that earned their decoration. Each of these has a photo of the person and a display of their service medals. The artifacts range from small pieces of equipment to vehicles and aircraft. There is a nice reflective pool leading to the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Solder from World War 1. The building is under renovation but the staff has done a nice job of keeping it clean, organized, etc. If you are going to be in Canberra then this is a MUST DO for you!

Make sure you book ahead to get a timed ticket and do bear in mind that the memorial is in the middle of a huge expansion. There is a lot to see an do here. I focussed on post 1945 and enjoyed the galleries on Korea, Vietnam and other recent conflicts. You could spend hours here. And it is free!

Amazing! Both historical and moving. Has to be crown jewel of Australia’s museums. A must see. You may need more than the two hours allocated. 10 minutes before our expiry time, we checked for availability to extend our stay, which was granted for another 2 hours.

A highlight to my trip to Canberra. I had attended the dawn service here about 29 years ago and attending the War Memorial today did not disappoint. The newer areas portrayed the continued sacrifice our servicewomen and men make for our freedom and country safety in this ever changing world. It was an honour to lay a wreath at the Last Post Ceremony a memory I will cherish forever. Definitely a must do if you are visiting Canberra. friendly for all. Lots of Parking. Staff amazing and hence the experience.

We love visiting the Australian War Memorial. Despite the renovations taking place at the moment, we filled in two hours easily perusing the amazing information and displays. All staff were friendly and helpful in directing us around the building and when researching and finding information on our relatives from past wars. The views from the upstairs across Canberra are amazing. We loved our lunch at Poppys restaurant afterwards.

Despite the extensive renovations currently in play, there is still much to see. We were lucky enough to go on one of the free guided tours. David gave a clear overview of Australia’s war history but with human stories and interesting facts. Something for young and old. Staff all very helpful. Book online before you go even though it is free.

Visited the War Memorial on our Highlights of Canberra Tour and returned five days later to revisit the galleries and spend additional time viewing the amazing exhibits. Even after a combined five hours, we found that more time was required to appreciate the history of Australian Forces, their involvement in various war theatres and the supreme sacrifice paid by many for the freedoms that we enjoy in this country. Particularly poignant are the Memorial Galleries and the Roll of Honour surrounding the courtyard area and Pool of Reflection with the Eternal Flame. Combined with the Roll of Honour, they provide a perpetual reminder of the service and sacrifice of more than 103,000 Australians in various theatres of war. The Last Post Ceremony was a very moving tribute with the introduction, National Anthem, piper's lament, wreath laying, and the story of an individual selected at random from the names recorded on the Roll of Honour followed by the Ode and bugler playing the Last Post.

We visited the War Memorial on a busy day! Traffic was banked up due to an accident which made visiting/accessing difficult (hopefully access has been fixed by now) and with the AWM under heavy renovations. Still a fabulous place to visit to recognise and remember all the elements of war. Spend a while looking through all the areas!

I visited in July 2024 with my 11yo son. Be aware that you need to make sure you’re organized and plan your visit whilst the major renovations and expansion works are being undertaken. We arrived at 10am and hadn’t booked, and the first few sessions of the morning were full so ended up deciding to come back the following day. The renovations are expected to continue on through to some time in 2028 so it’s best to check on the website and make sure you can get in as they’re restricting visitor numbers during this time. It seems that you will be allocated a two hour visiting window. We were given a sticker that said ‘10am - 12pm’ to wear for the duration of our visit. We did manage to see everything my son was interested in inside that time frame however, if I had visited on my own I would’ve needed much longer so if you’re a real war history enthusiast I would suggest booking two time slots with maybe a lunch break in between. Entry is free but you still need to book tickets and be allocated an entrance time slot. As far as the museum itself goes, it’s second to none. Even with lots of sections reduced and some significant things not on display this is still a masterpiece of history storytelling. A trip to Canberra should always include a visit to the War memorial.