Education FAQs

General

Why visit the Sir John Monash Centre?

The Sir John Monash Centre is located behind the existing Australian National Memorial site, near Villers-Bretonneux in Northern France. The Centre exists to educate new audiences about the important role Australia played in the First World War, specifically on the Western Front.

The stories and displays featured in the Centre provide additional context and history to the Australian National Memorial, and provide students with a rich multimedia experience that will be told in the first person. This will help students understand the lives and struggles of Australian soldiers and nurses during the First World War, and how their families and friends back in Australia dealt with the uncertainties of war.

How will my students receive the best experience at the Centre?

Technology is a key feature of the Sir John Monash Centre experience and students need to bring their own mobile device and their earphones. Free Wi-Fi is available on site to enable the multimedia experience and provide limited internet access. For students who do not have their own device there are a small number of devices available for loan.

What resources are available for teachers and students to support a visit to the Sir John Monash Centre?

A range of resources have been created for teachers and students and they are available on our Education Resources page.

How do I book my school groups visit to the Sir John Monash Centre?

Booking a visit to the Sir John Monash Centre is easy:

  1. Visit the Sir John Monash Centre Book now page
  2. Select the ‘Organised Groups’ booking button
  3. Nominate your preferred visit date and time (only available times will be visible), and include the number of people in your group. Note: School groups will need to be accompanied by one adult for every 15 students.
  4. You will receive an email confirmation following finalisation of your booking.

If you have any questions about the booking process please contact the Sir John Monash Centre team at [email protected]

How does the Sir John Monash Centre support school groups on site? Will we have a guide?

A Sir John Monash Centre staff member will greet each school group on arrival at the Centre. They will be there to advise teachers about the opportunities available on-site and show students how to use the technology in the Centre. They will not, however, remain with the school group for their entire visit. If teachers or students have queries during their visit, staff will be available to assist.

Additional experiences available at the Centre include holding a commemoration ceremony; and, if requested in advance, free hands-on activities.

How long should we allow for our visit?

We recommend school groups of approximately 30 people or more allow between two and a half to three hours for their visit. Note: Large groups will be broken into smaller groups of approximately 12 people to allow a better experience for all visitors to the site.

What facilities/amenities are on-site for school groups?

The Sir John Monash Centre has coach, car and disabled parking available at the Centre. There is also lift access for visitors in wheelchairs and those requiring mobility support.

The Centre has a café and small retail shop, and while students can bring their own food and drinks they cannot consume them in the Centre galleries.

A limited number of lockers are available, however, we encourage students to leave bulky or heavy items on the coach.

Toilets are located in both the Orientation Pavilion and the Centre.

In the event of accident, loss or technical difficulties, there are a small number of devices available for loan.

The Centre also has charging stations available but we encourage students to come with their mobile devices fully charged and with the Centre app already downloaded.

A vending machine stocked with earphones is located in the Orientation Pavilion.

Where is the Sir John Monash Centre located?

The Sir John Monash Centre, located on Route de Villers-Bretonneux, approximately a five minute drive from the Villers-Bretonneux town centre, is co-located with the Australian National Memorial and Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery.

Map of SJMC site

What is the weather like at the Centre?

Weather conditions vary considerably during the year so we recommend that visitors check the local weather forecast prior to their visit.  Note the journey from the carpark to the Centre, through the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery and Australian National Memorial, is outdoors and can often be windy so we recommend that visitors wear appropriate clothing.

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