Overview
- The Australian War Memorial officially opened its new atrium and Anzac Hall on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, showcasing larger galleries on Afghanistan, the Middle East and peacekeeping operations.
- Ben Roberts‑Smith, a Victoria Cross recipient charged earlier this year with five counts of alleged war‑crime murder, did not attend the unveiling after sources said he was struck down with gastro.
- A court earlier in June granted a bail variation allowing Roberts‑Smith to attend but barred him from discussing the cases or speaking to specific people, restrictions that shaped planning for the event.
- The Memorial continues to display an image and a uniform linked to Roberts‑Smith and has revised explanatory plaques as his civil and criminal matters progressed, which the institution says is part of its role in recording history.
- The Anzac Hall opening is part of a long‑running redevelopment funded with more than $550 million that will add over 5,000sqm of gallery space by 2028 and has intensified public debate about how contested military histories are presented.