Australian Army Artillery Museum facts for kids
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| Dissolved | 19 December 2010 |
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| Location | Sydney, Australia |
The Australian Army Artillery Museum was a special place that showed the history of artillery (big guns) in Australia. It was located at North Fort, which is a historic area at the entrance to Sydney Harbour in Sydney.
This museum used to be called the "National Artillery Museum." It had a huge collection showing the heritage of the Royal Australian Artillery, which is a part of the Australian Army. The Army History Unit managed the museum. Volunteers from the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company also helped out.
Contents
What Was Inside the Museum?
The museum had many interesting things for visitors to see. It displayed over 50 different types of guns and mortars. These are all kinds of weapons used by artillery units.
Amazing Collections
The museum also featured other important items. There were many paintings, special displays, and memorials. You could also see various medals that soldiers had earned. The museum's library was very impressive. It held more than 2,500 photographs. There were also about 4,000 books about history and technology. Plus, it had unique research materials.
A Journey Through Time
The collections covered a long period of Australian history. They started from the first European Settlement in 1788. They continued all the way up to more recent army operations. This allowed visitors to learn about artillery through many different eras.
Exploring the Museum Grounds
The museum was not just inside a building. It had a large outdoor area with many things to explore.
Outdoor Fun and Views
The museum grounds offered shaded picnic areas. These spots even had barbeques for cooking. There was also a special Harbour Lookout Area. This was called the Observation Platform. From here, you could see amazing views of Sydney Harbour.
Historic Fortifications
The grounds also included World War II fortifications and tunnels. These old military structures were very important. They are even listed on the Australian Commonwealth National Heritage list. This means they are protected because of their historical value. There was also a Café with incredible views. You could see the entrance to Sydney Harbour and the channels leading to Bradleys Head and the Sydney central business district.
Why the Museum Closed
The Australian Army Artillery Museum closed its doors on December 19, 2010. All its collections were moved into storage.
Moving to a New Home
The plan was to create a new army artillery museum. This new museum would be at the Puckapunyal army base in Victoria. The Artillery School had moved to Puckapunyal in 1997. However, the museum had stayed behind at North Head in Sydney.
Different Goals Led to Closure
The main reason for the move was that the owners of the site, the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, had different goals from the Army History Unit. The Trust wanted the historic North Fort area to be open to the public every day. This was part of their goal to let more people visit former defense lands around Sydney Harbour. They also said that if the area wasn't open daily, the army would have to pay rent.
The Army, however, said their funding only allowed them to open the museum on weekends. They also explained that army museums are meant to help train young soldiers. The artillery museum at North Head was nearly 1,000 kilometers away from the Artillery School at Puckapunyal. This made it hard for the museum to help with soldier training. Because of these different goals, the museum eventually closed at North Head and its collection was moved.
