Visitors to the Australian War Memorial will be able to book free, timed, tickets from today, ahead of the institution's reopening on July 1.
The memorial is set to reopen to the public next month as the ACT relaxes restrictions on the number of people in various venues, but in order to maintain social distancing and protect visitors and staff, tickets must now be booked.
Visiting the memorial will remain free, but there will be three specific types of tickets:
- Two-hour sessions for the museum galleries and commemorative area;
- One hour sessions for the Anzac Hall galleries; and
- A one-hour ticket to attend the Last Post ceremony.
Visits to the research centre will be by appointment only, and the memorial has posted suggested itineraries on its website so people can plan their time before attending.
Memorial director Matt Anderson said he appreciated people's patience as the institution made arrangements to re-open.
"The safety of memorial visitors and staff remains our key priority as we reopen on 1 July," he said.
"Visitors will notice that we have made a few changes to our operations, but it is important that we all continue to play our part as we move through the stages of easing restrictions."
Mr Anderson said staff were keen to see visitors again at the memorial.
"I'm proud of the efforts of memorial staff in preparing for the reopening, not only considering visitor health and safety, but also seeking to ensure the visitor experience remains as meaningful and memorable as always," Mr Anderson said.
While the tickets are time-limited, it will still be possible to plan a full-day itinerary at the memorial, visiting the different galleries, stopping for lunch at Poppy's Cafe and experiencing the Last Post ceremony.
- Tickets can be purchased at awm.gov.au/visit.
