defence of darwin experience

I live in Canberra with the National War Memorial up the road so it's hard for me to give this exhibition 5 stars in comparison. But for what it is, it's great. A good little museum with some interesting pieces and articles. The movie experience was great but the voice acting in the film was a tad over the top which took away from the intensity for me. We travelled on the hop on, hop off bus which also only gave us an hour and a half to walk through - two hours would have been much better. Also, the bus only heads out here in the afternoons, so you'll need to find something else to do in the morning if you want to catch the bus here later in the day.

This exhibit should be a must-see for all visitors to Darwin. We all know that Darwin was bombed during World War 2 but until I saw this museum I had no idea how deadly and extensive this particular bombing mission was. This was only one of many bombing sorties over Darwin and the Northern Territory but it is the one that most people remember and so they should. The interactive displays and the movie are very poignant and I had tears in my eyes while watching it. The grounds are very well set out with displays of tanks and equipment and there are displays in outhouses throughout the grounds. It is a very grave reminder of when war came to Australia and also a fitting remembrance to all those who died. Lest we forget.

Tip 1 - A great way to get here is via the HopOn-HopOff double decker bus. We easily spent 2 hours here. It cost $14 per adult to get in - well worth it. Tip 2 - during wet season they downstock the cafe, so only really drinks and icecream, but as long as you know, that is fine.The entrance building has great exhibitions including a theatre room that runs a video for 12 minutes, every 20 minutes. It makes you feel you are in the middle of the battle. We were surprised at the ferocity of the attacks - more bombs dropped than on Pearl Harbour (by the same Japanese squadron) and how long they lasted - 20 months! Never knew this and my grandfather served in Darwin! Then out to the grounds with a large arrangement of military hardware, great signage explaining each piece. Then as you wandered you came across other rooms/bunkers that had different displays in them from medals and uniforms to horses and radio rooms.Well worth the visit.

very well set out exhibit, loved wandering around outside looking at all the artifacts. gives you a window into what the war was like in darwin.

This has to be THE best interactive realistic experience ever. We all, kids included, came away wowed and talking about it for ages and recommending it to anyone we knew going to Darwin. It is a must do. Such a fantastic resource and attraction.

Best presented footage I have ever seen a mix of the old and the new. Outstanding experience for the whole family.

This place really opened my eyes about the attack on Australia in 1942, i highly recommend anyone who hasn't been to visit and spend some time looking around.

Lost of history, stories and old gear. The interactive display & movie are great. Worth a visit, check it out.

Because of Darwin's involvement during the war it is so great to see how proud the people are of their heritage. The amazing museums and historic places are a must to see

We had know idea about all the bombs dropped on darwin so I would definitely recommend this this site as it's a real eye opener.

As a pivotal event in Australia's military history this museum is an excellent set up portraying such an important time

Australia’s equivalent of Pearl Harbour was 19 February 1942 - the almost complete destruction of the town of Darwin, its air force base and a convoy in the harbour (including the sinking of the destroyer USS Peary and the damaging of the hospital ship Manunda) in the first of 64 Japanese air raids on the Top End of Australia. At this small museum, housed inside the command post for the massive guns that once guarded the harbour approach, you can learn what happened via historic film and photos. It is even more poignant to recall that the first raid occurred only four days after the fall of Singapore, where 15,000 Australian troops became prisoners of war. Many died in captivity.

The Military Museum at East Point is an experience for all Australians to enjoy.It is an eye opener as it details the 22 bombing raids by the Japanese on Darwin from February 1942.There is a small entry fee but worth the cost.

This is a fantastic place to visit. There is a cost involved for entry. Parking is easy. You could spend 30 minutes or 3 hours walking around this place. It give you a fantastic background to what happened here in Darwin during the war. The interactive exhibits are fantastic. The people who upgraded the facility and the volunteers are to be commended for what they have achieved - a fantastic facility. This is a must see if you are in Darwin.

This attraction has some of the best audio visual displays I've ever seen. Well set out, top class and thorough coverage of all thing military. A must di in Darwin.