The National Army Museum is the museum of the New Zealand Army. It was formerly known as the Queen Elizabeth II Army Memorial Museum. It is situated 94 minutes south of Taupo on State Highway One, on the southern side of the small military town of Waiouru. The 1300 square metre museum is fortress-looking in design, complete with a bridge and moat. It took the 2nd Field Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Engineers 276 days to build, and was opened in October 1978.According to the museum's literature, it functions as a memorial to those who have fallen, to those who have served and are still serving, and to the battles fought by New Zealand soldiers. It is also a research, teaching and training facility of New Zealand's military history. Associated literature reveals the museum serves as a place of connection between visitors and the nation's military past, a place where people can engage with real life stories and experiences and discover how these conflicts have shaped the nation. The museum offers a number of facilities and experiences which include a gift shop, the Home Fires Café, the Kippenberger Research Library, and the Tears on Greenstone Memorial. On display are many and varied collections, including weapons, war memorabilia, military vehicles, exhibitions of battles , a huge medal collection exhibiting medals associated with New Zealand and its army, and lifelike displays of twelve of the biggest campaigns that New Zealand troops have been involved in. Kidz headquarters provides children with fun learning activities.
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