Free Summertime Family Activities at the Australian War Memorial

Are you visiting Canberra these holidays and looking for something to do? Why not visit the Australian War Memorial?

This summer holidays the War Memorial has a range of activities for the whole family.  

Activities Include:

Discovery Zone

Open dailyduring school holidays.

The Discovery Zone is a “hands on” learning space. It is an engaging and educational space for the whole family with things to do, touch, and hear. Look for clues and photographs to discover stories of animals during wartime.

Stories for “under 5s”

Fridays at 10.30 am

Hear stories of brave animals, extraordinary people, and faraway places. Don’t miss this very special storytime session, where puppets, uniforms, and educational toys bring real stories to life.

For children under 5, but older children are also welcome.

“Hands on History”

Open Dailyduring school holidays at 11 am and 2 pm

What jobs do servicemen and women do? What do they wear? What do they eat? Our exciting “Hands on History” program answers these and many more questions. You will have the opportunity to try on uniforms, handle real items, and hear the incredible wartime stories of Australian men and women.

Suitable for kids of all ages and their families.

Drop-in craft

12 January 2012

19 January 2012

 2 February 2012

27 January 2012

11.30 am – 12.30 pm and 2.30 pm– 3.30 pm

Drop in and make your own animal puppet, nurse’s hat, or special flower of remembrance to take home.

For children aged 5 and over.

Women in warperformances

Friday to Sunday, 2–4 December 2011

Saturday and Sunday, 10–11, 17–18 December 2011

Thursday to Sunday, 5–8, 12–15, 19–22 January 2012

11.40 am, 12.40 pm and 1.40 pm

See local actor Leith Arundel in two moving performances, Last letters and Radio silence, which present the experiences of women in wartime.

Gallery talks

Every Monday, Thursday and Friday at 11:30 am

19 December 2011 – 3 February 2012 (except public holidays)

Interested in learning more about the Memorial’s exhibits? Join us to learn the stories behind some of the exhibits on display in the Memorial’s galleries.

Also on display these summer holidays is the new Nurses: from Zululand to Afghanistan exhibition. This exhibition explores the involvement of nurses from the first known Australian in the Zulu War of 1879, right up to the experiences of the male and female nurses serving in recent conflicts and peace keeping operations.