'Took my breath away': Afghanistan gallery opening soon at Australian War Memorial

Former SAS corporal Ben Roberts-Smith faces charges of war crimes after his arrest earlier this year. (AAP: Bianca De Marchi)

The Australian War Memorial in Canberra is set to open a gallery focused on the 20-year war in Afghanistan.

It is part of the War Memorial's $550 million redevelopment.

War veteran Ben Roberts-Smith, who faces five counts of war crime murder, has had his bail conditions varied to attend the gallery's opening in Canberra next week.

Australian War Memorial director Matt Anderson has said it is "standard practice" for Victoria Cross recipients to be invited to major commemorative events.

Mr Anderson was asked today about an invitation issued to Ben Roberts-Smith, who is being prosecuted over alleged war crimes, for the upcoming opening of a new gallery space at the Canberra institution.

"It's important to note that over the last 125 years, two million women and men have worn our nation's uniform," Mr Anderson said.

War veteran Ben Roberts-Smith's bail conditions have been varied so he can attend an opening at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra next week.

"There are four living recipients ... and it is standard practice for the memorial for them to be invited to major commemorative events.

"Beyond that, I'm not prepared to say I'll do anything that would undermine presumption of innocence or a chance for fair trial."

Mr Roberts-Smith, a former Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) soldier, faces five counts of the war crime murder, which relate to deployments in Afghanistan in the years 2009 and 2012 and involve what investigators allege were unarmed Afghan nationals.

He has categorically rejected the allegations and said he planned to fight to clear his name in court.

On Tuesday, it was revealed his bail conditions had been varied so he could attend the event in Canberra next week.

Australian War Memorial director Matt Anderson says inviting Ben Roberts-Smith is "standard practice". (ABC News: Niki Burnside)

Speaking to media about the new gallery space, dedicated to the 20 years Australia spent in Afghanistan during the conflict, Mr Anderson said it was his job to "speak to the causes, the conduct and the consequences of war".

He said credible evidence was uncovered during the inquiry, involving "25 people out of 40,000 who served in the Middle East area of operations".

"As [former US] president John Adams famously said, 'facts are stubborn things'. There was an IGADF Afghanistan inquiry report. It's in the galleries. We acknowledge that, but then we put it into the context of that longest war," he said.

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