About the Collections

Art

The Memorial is home to one of Australia’s major art collections. The holdings number over 30,000 works of art and contain paintings, watercolours, drawings, prints, cartoons, posters and sculpture. Many of Australia’s leading artists are represented in the collection, including Will Dyson, Arthur Streeton, George Lambert, William Dargie, Ivor Hele, Stella Bowen, William Dobell, Russell Drysdale, Grace Cossington Smith, Donald Friend, Albert Tucker and Sidney Nolan. Also included are prints by internationally renowned artists such as C.R.W. Nevinson, Otto Dix and Paul Nash.

The Australian War Memorial operates the Official War Art Scheme, the longest running and largest commissioning program of art in Australia. A continuing process of selective acquisition builds the collection with additions of work from Australia's colonial period to the present. More recently, works by present-day artists Rick Amor, Wendy Sharpe, Peter Churcher, Jan Senbergs, Jon Cattapan and Lyndell Brown and Charles Green have been added.

Works of art also enhance the commemorative focus of the Memorial, the Hall of Memory, which contains the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier, interred in 1993. Stained glass windows and mosaics by Napier Waller embellish the interior of the hall and encourage reflection upon the sacrifice of Australians in war.

See the Artist Profiles for more on some of the artists represented in the Memorial's collections.

Art collection access

Exhibitions

Works of art from the Memorial's collection are on display throughout the galleries. Travelling exhibitions and loans to regional galleries are developed to commemorate significant events.

Research

You can search the Collection Search database to find works of arts in the collection. Access to works of art not on display is available by appointment only with the Art Section. Public access for research is available in the Research Centre.

Publications

Publications about the Memorial's art collection are available from the Memorial Shop.

Reproduction service

Over 4,000 works of art have been photographed and it is possible to buy copies of these images through our online shop. You can contact eSales for more infomation.