National Vietnam Veterans Museum Business Case
National Vietnam Veterans Museum Business Case
Client
Vietnam Veteran’s Association
Location
Newhaven VIC
Architect
Architectus
Project Budget
$35 million
Traditional Custodians
Awabakal
A once-in-a-generation project, the National Vietnam Veterans Museum repositions Australia’s only dedicated Vietnam War museum as a national cultural institution of civic, commemorative, and educational importance. Preserving access for future generations, a new purpose-built museum will secure access to this significant collection for future generations.
The museum will be a place where visitors can reflect on and connect with a significant chapter in our history through a collection of objects, thoughtfully displayed within a purpose-built home on Phillip Island in southeastern Victoria. Integrated within the site and overlooking existing wetlands, the building will incorporate indoor and outdoor amenities for visitors including commemorative spaces and retail and food offerings. Supporting the business case and design of the new museum, Maytrix scoped commercial spaces integrating program and event flexibility into planning, informing the resolution of retail shop, destination café and event capability into planning.
“This investment will preserve and honour those sacrifices so future generations will never forget.”
Today the museum safeguards over 40,000 artefacts — including restored aircraft, vehicles, personal objects, oral histories and memorial items — preserving personal and collective memory for future generations. The new purpose-designed museum integrates immersive galleries, large-object displays and flexible exhibition zones. Galleries and adaptable spaces designed for large object display will feature restored aircraft and vehicles including the Canberra Bomber and a Huey Helicopter, supported by personal narratives that provide visitors with deeply human perspectives on service and sacrifice. Outdoor commemorative spaces and integrated wetlands frame the site’s civic and reflective landscape.
Feasibility and concept design included assessment of site opportunities, definition of functional and operational requirements, preparation of preliminary area schedules, and resolution of functional adjacencies. Planning supports integration of large-object displays, immersive galleries, education suites, commemorative spaces, civic meeting areas, and visitor precincts incorporating retail, café, and flexible event facilities to enable year-round activation.
Anchoring a nationally significant cultural institution, the National Vietnam Veterans Museum preserves memory, deepens public understanding, and honours the legacy of Australian Vietnam veterans. Our approach draws on extensive experience across museums and the cultural sector, and in commercial strategy development and design, to inform the business case for a new National Vietnam Veterans Museum. The museum integrates commemoration, adaptable programming, and year-round engagement with sustainable operations to preserve access to this significant collection for future generations.
National Vietnam Veterans Museum Redevelopment
Image - Architectus Conrad Gargett
“This story is told without fear or favour at the National Vietnam Veterans Museum at Phillip Island, and I would encourage anyone who has a chance to visit it to do so and learn more. ”
National Vietnam Veterans Museum Redevelopment
Image - Architectus Conrad Gargett
National Vietnam Veterans Museum Redevelopment
Image - Architectus Conrad Gargett
National Vietnam Veterans Museum Redevelopment
Image - Architectus Conrad Gargett
