Darwin Military Museum
Darwin Military Museum things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
Plan your stay
Posts
This is a recommended attraction for any history buffs visiting Darwin. Although the main attractions are focused around the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese Imperial Forces in Feb 1942, you’ll also learn about the history of Darwin itself, Japanese expansionism in Asia and the Pacific, starting in the early 1930s, and the events that took place subsequent to the infamous bombing. It’s an interesting museum, beautifully curated with love, care and attention to detail. There are inside and outside displays and a movie theatre where you can watch a short movie on the actual event of 19 Feb 1942. It’s full of tension and foreboding, and extremely cleverly put together, with original footage, and recreated animations to show how the Japanese perpetrated the dastardly deed, and the grim aftermath. Inside just next to the ticket office is a little cafe selling coffee, sandwiches and snacks etc. Next to that is a shop selling the usual souvenirs and books. The day we visited, it was pretty quiet, just a smattering of other visitors. The museum is in a bit of a remote location on East Point reserve, about 8km from Darwin city centre. There’s no public transport, but a taxi or uber will cost about $20 each way. Seniors tickets are $15 each, regular ones are $20 each. Make this your no 1 attraction to visit in Darwin.
Arthur HurwitzArthur Hurwitz
20
This is one of the must-visit attractions in Darwin. It features a wide variety of tanks, cannons, firearms, uniforms, badges, and more, both indoors and outdoors. The largest cannon in Australia is here, and it’s truly impressive. Interestingly, there was a frog sleeping inside the barrel of one of the outdoor cannons, which was adorable. It’s recommended to visit the indoor exhibits first before heading to the outdoor area. The indoor section has a very well-done video that uses sound and imagery to transport you to the scene of the Japanese bombing of Darwin during the war, which is quite powerful. If you get tired from touring the exhibits, there's a café where you can grab a snack and take a break. This attraction is great for local families with children and is also a good spot for tourists to learn about Darwin’s history.
Vicky ZhuVicky Zhu
10
Fabulous collection of war machines, stories, equipment, weapons, and personal memorabilia. The 12 min movie for Darwin bombing is on display after every 20 min. At the entrance gallery you’ll enjoy the story of early arrival in Darwin with only a population of 3000 people. This display on side walls seems like you are watching some action out of a train window. The placards with descriptions in gallery are embossed from the wall and when you are concentrating on reading something, it seems like it is zooming in and expanding. Pretty interesting. The display in yard outside of cafe is tremendous and for me it was the key highlight. Do not miss this section and enjoy your time here ! Plan at least 2 hours if you are keen and interested. For a quick run through, 45 min should be enough.
Rahul ChawlaRahul Chawla
90
Adult ticket $20. Receptionist briefly introduced it concluded outdoor exhibition. We spent 2hrs, including taking rest at little Gunner's Rest Cafe, and shopping souvenirs. The main building exhibits all about the Japanese bombing on 12 February 1942. Very informative and interesting. Siren alert us to watch the video and closed the door every 20minutes. The few minutes video let us feel the bombing in Darwin. At the rear, there are few shacks (air-conditioned or with fan only) displaying other wars, military materials, uniforms, etc. Outdoor: a lot of used heavy war weapons, tanks, and machines in the sun. Toilets: good maintenance. Using good quality of toilet papers.
Sze Mei NGSze Mei NG
00
Excellent small museum mostly focused on World War II, featuring stories from the Darwin air raids. There is an immersive video presentation of the first air raid on 19 February 1942 which was really moving. Outside there are tanks, trucks naval guns and other buildings holding themed exhibits such as the Royal Australian Navy and the civilian experience of war. Part of the museum is in one of the gun emplacements which were built as part of Fortress Darwin. Just inside the main entrance is a small shop selling snacks, souvenirs, books and replica medals. Very impressed with the whole experience and will be back again for another visit. Highly recommended.
Damian GreenwoodDamian Greenwood
00
The indoor museum describes the 1942 bombing of Darwin in great detail, however the museum is much more than that. Various artillery and armoured equipment is on display in the beautiful tropical grounds, while bunkers provide information on different wars and tools of war. The electromechanical artillery computers and range finding equipment was of particular interest. The museum is on the site of the gun emplacements protecting Darwin and you can see the huge 9 inch gun mounted in one. Even if you are not particularly interested in military matters there should be enough here to make it worth a visit. For military and history buffs it is a must see.
Andrew Wright (allrite)Andrew Wright (allrite)
50
Nearby Attractions Of Darwin Military Museum
Dudley Point Lookout

Dudley Point Lookout
4.6
(207)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Darwin Military Museum
Pee Wee's at the Point

Pee Wee's at the Point
4.6
(458)$$$
Click for details
Basic Info
Address
5434 Alec Fong Lim Dr, East Point NT 0820, Australia
Map
Phone
+61 8 8981 9702
Call
Website
darwinmilitarymuseum.au
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.6
(978 reviews)
Ratings & Description
cultural
accessibility
attractions: Dudley Point Lookout, restaurants: Pee Wee's at the Point

- Please manually select your location for better experience