Our Organisation
Here is their spirit, in the heart of the land they loved; and here we guard the record which they themselves made.
Charles Bean, 1948
The Memorial's purpose is to commemorate the sacrifice of those Australians who have died in war. Its mission is to assist Australians to remember, interpret and understand the Australian experience of war and its enduring impact on Australian society.
The Australian War Memorial combines a shrine, a world-class museum, and an extensive archive.
The Australian War Memorial is established as a corporation by the Australian War Memorial Act 1980. The functions of the Memorial and the powers of the Memorial, the Minister, the Council, the Chairman and the Director are outlined in the Act. The Minister for Veterans' Affairs has portfolio responsibility for the Memorial, which is a statutory authority within the portfolio. The Council is responsible for the conduct and control of the affairs of the Memorial and the policy of the Memorial with respect to any matters determined by the Council.
The Memorial consists of three sub-programs: National Collection, Public Programs and Corporate Services. See the Organisation Chart for further details.
The Memorial is a member of the Council of Australasian Museum Directors.