National Collection loans
On 30 March 2021, the Memorial paused its loans program for two years. This pause has now been extended with new requests being considered from 1 July 2025 for dispatch from 30 March 2026. We acknowledge this extension may affect future plans you have to request items for loan. Please send any enquiries to loans@awm.gov.au.
The Australian War Memorial is committed to sharing the National Collection to assist communities remember, interpret and understand the Australian experience of war and its enduring impact on society. To achieve this undertaking, the Memorial operates a far reaching outward loans program for museums, galleries and other organisations throughout Australia and around the world. If your organisation is interested in borrowing items from the National Collection, please follow the subsequent steps to submit your application.
1. Application deadlines
Memorial requests that borrowing organisations submit their loan application letter and documentation 12 months prior to the start of the loan agreement. This timeframe is required to ensure that a thorough assessment of the display venue and loan items is undertaken, any conservation and display preparation work can be completed and, to allow time for packing and transport. Applications submitted with less than 12 months’ notice will be considered on a case by case basis.
2. Selecting items for loan
A significant proportion of the Memorial’s National Collection can be viewed online. If you require assistance identifying items for loan please complete the contact form.
3. Application letter and documents
The application to borrow items from the National Collection takes the form of a letter addressed to the Director of the Australian War Memorial:
Director
Australian War Memorial
GPO Box 345
Canberra ACT 2601
Australia
Please include the following information in your application letter:
- Name of the borrowing organisation
- Titles and accession numbers of the items requested
- Title and rationale of the exhibition
- Dates of the exhibition
- Contact information of your organisations officer overseeing the loan
- Attach a completed facility and security report (available below)
4. Image requests
If you intend on using any images of National Collection items in your exhibition media or publications, please contact our eSales unit as soon as you have lodged your letter of application.
5. Preliminary application response
Upon receiving a loan request, the Memorial will endeavour to respond within 10 business days. This response will include preliminary advice on the availability of the selected items and confirmation that there is sufficient time for the Memorial to prepare the loan for dispatch. The response letter will also indicate if there are any special conditions attached to the loan and what, if any, Australian and international laws need to be considered as part of the request.
6. Facility and security assessment
The Memorial will undertake a thorough assessment of all venues seeking to display National Collection items. This assessment requires the completion of a facility and security report. If your organisation does not have a current report please use this template and submit the document with your loan application letter.
7. Loan assessment
Upon determining that the exhibition venue is suitable for the display of National Collection items, the Memorial will undertake a thorough assessment of each item to ensure that they are stable enough to travel. In the event that the item can be borrowed a loan agreement will be issued to the borrower that must be completed prior to dispatch.
8. Costs to borrowers
There are fees and expenses the borrower must cover when loaning items from the National Collection. The Memorial applies a fee of $250.00 Inc GST for each individual item borrowed. This fee is applied to assist in covering part of the costs of running the outward loans program. The borrower is also required to cover the costs of museum standard crating and transport. Other costs may also be passed on depending on the number of items requested and the timeframes for dispatch.
9. Insurance
The Memorial will cover property and property in transit insurance coverage for the National Collection items on loan. All other insurances are the responsibility of the borrower.