WHAT WILL STUDENTS EXPERIENCE AT THE MACARTHUR MUSEUM?

Students who visit the Museum will learn the inspiring story of how a “country town” of 300,000 people rose to its greatest challenge when Brisbane became headquarters for General Douglas MacArthur, Commander of the forces in the South West Pacific during World War Two.

Our exhibits introduce topics such as children’s contributions to the war effort, women’s participation in the war both in the home and in the workplace, entertainment during the war, the war’s impact on Brisbane transportation, as well as the role of the three branches of the armed forces.  Exhibits also include war brides, intelligence work done in Brisbane, the “Battle of Brisbane,” Japan and Korea.

Our video of  Brisbane at War  will show the students what the city looked like and how the arrival of thousands of  troops changed a country town into a garrison city with soldiers and sailors everywhere.

By pre-arrangement with our Education Co-ordinator prior to your visit, you and your class may also –

• experience a classroom lesson, using authentic materials from Queensland wartime textbooks
  
  
• try your hand at plane spotting

• familiarise yourselves with pounds, shillings and pence

• complete simple exercises in codes and cyphers, similar to the important work done in the Central Bureau, Brisbane on Japanese codes

• see and in some cases, use period technology, such as the whistle and wooden rattle, a manual typewriter, Morse Code transmitter and field telephone

• measure the “carbon footprint” of a family in the 1940’s and compare it to today

Should you prefer, we will accommodate an alternative activity, where  possible.

See “Arranging a Visit” to learn how you and your class can discover what it was like in Brisbane at a significant time in this City’s history.

See also: Education Boooklet - Student Pre-Test