The Centenary Exhibition

The design and content for the exhibition has been inspired by the Memorial’s buttress sculptures, which depict the wide-ranging military roles performed by Australians in the First World War.

The exhibition does not attempt to provide an encyclopaedic history of NSW at war. Rather, it is the stories of individuals – sailors, soldiers, medical personnel and airmen and airwomen – as case studies to put a human face to the experience of war or deployment on peacekeeping operations and allow the visitor to make an emotional connection to the exhibition content. 

Treasures on display include:

• a rare collection of historic swords, pistols, medals and other artefacts belonging to Australia’s first general, Sir Maurice O’Connell from the early 1800s

• the hauntingly poignant medals and memorabilia kept by the family of 15-year-old Lance Corporal Jack Harris of Waverly in Sydney who was killed in action at the Battle of Lone Pine

• a souvenir of the Red Baron in the form of a piece of fabric cut from the wreck of the Baron’s plane by 26-year-old Second Lieutenant Nigel Love of Kurrajong, NSW, a fighter pilot with No 3 Squadron Australian Flying Corps on the Western Front in 1918

• the Distinguished Service Cross awarded to Sub-Lieutenant Bruce Harvey for sinking the only Japanese fleet submarine destroyed in Australian waters.

Entry is free and open daily, 9am to 5pm.