National Memorial for Victims & Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual AbusePrint Page

The memorial is dedicated to victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, and was one of the recommendations of a Royal Commission. It is located next to the National Museum of Australia on Lake Burley Griffin, at the centre of Canberra. It is a permanent structure, to remain in perpetuity.

The Memorial can provide a place of reflection, recognition of the truth and offer a symbol of hope. For the broader community, the Memorial will acknowledge the experiences of victims and survivors. It will recognise the courage of those who have fought for justice. It will honour lives lost and those whose voices were not heard. The Memorial aims to educate people of the harmful and lasting impacts of institutional child sexual abuse. The Memorial provides a reminder of the continued responsibility we all share to protect children now and into the future.

The jury selected the design concept called ‘Transparency and Truth’ by architects Jessica Spresser and Peter Besley. The Memorial consists of a series of catenary arches made of glass blocks with a meandering path  encircling a meadow of perennial grasses and wildflowers. Rather than an object-monument, the Memorial  is designed as a landscape to move through as well as a composition to behold from afar.

In 2017, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Royal Commission) recommended building a national memorial in Canberra for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in institutional settings. In October 2020, funding of $6.7 million over 4 years was provided to establish the Memorial in Canberra. This funding includes the design, construction, launch and ongoing maintenance for the Memorial.

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