Description of the attraction
The Darwin War Museum was created as an artillery museum by the Royal Artillery Association of Australia to display photographs and other artifacts from Darwin's history during World War II. Today, the collection of the museum contains many items related to the activities of the fleet, army and air force not only of Australia, but also of the United States and other allied countries. Its design used real shotcrete installations and other fortifications from one of the most fortified territories in Australia during the war. In 1943, more than 100,000 troops were based in and around Darwin. It was from here that General Douglas MacArthur began the campaign to liberate the Philippine capital Manila from Japanese occupation. During the war, Darwin was bombed 64 times in 2 years! According to various sources, as a result of these air raids, from 243 to 1000 people died (on the memorial plaque on the city embankment, the figure is 292 people).
The creation of the museum began in the 1960s due to the destruction of the East Point fortifications. First of all, the area around the 9, 2-inch cannon of the command post was taken under protection - a fence was installed around it. Two other six-inch cannons, which were attacked by vandals, were also transported behind the fences from their former places. The Royal Artillery Association of Australia has continually added weapons, vehicles and other items of military history to its collection. Once open only on weekends, today the museum is open seven days a week. In 2008, the Northern Territory State government announced its intention to spend AU $ 10 million on various projects for the museum.
