Museum at home

The Australian War Memorial is temporarily closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it is still telling the stories of our nation’s servicemen and servicewomen, and the Australian experience of war.

The Memorial’s Head of Digital Experience Amanda Dennett said this was particularly important in the lead up to Anzac Day 2020.

“During these difficult times it is important that we continue to remember those Australians on the Roll of Honour and share their stories,” she said.

“The Memorial’s website has always been a portal for people to connect with the collection from home, or from overseas, or through their mobile phone, so we’ve created a space on the website, which we have called Museum at Home.

“It ties in to a broader international museum push to take museum content to people in their homes, and puts together a range of the Memorial’s digital offerings in one place so that they are available at people’s fingertips.”

People can visit the Memorial’s online exhibitions, watch videos with curators, listen to podcasts, and share community stories through the Places of Pride website.

They can also learn more about their family’s military history and ask the Memorial’s Research Centre for help or advice via an online form.

“People can also follow the Memorial’s social media channels and ask questions and share content and even suggest content that they might like to see,” she said.

“We also have ‘virtual visits’ so that people can view the Commemorative Area and the Hall of Memory, as well as our various galleries, and we are producing a series of videos with some of our curators and historians to give people a more in-depth look at particular items from the collection and the stories behind them.

“People want to know about the Gallipoli landings, what the origins of the Dawn Service are, and where the poppy comes from, so we are making sure that information is available to people and that people can still connect with the Memorial.

“Now, more than ever, it’s really important that we ensure we remain open and accessible to people online so that we can continue to share the stories of our servicemen and women and the Australian experience of war.”

To learn more, visit here