Take the heat out of summer with a visit to the Sea Museum
Published
On until 1 February
More Play. More Fun. One Big Summer Festival.
With summer upon us, there’s a familiar, seasonal pull towards the water. The air is warmer, the days stretch out, and the city starts to shimmer with the promise of holidays. This year, the museum captures that feeling, with a program that celebrates sunshine, culture, and the simple pleasure of being in, on or by the water.
With activities for the whole family, there is something for everyone at the Maritime Museum this summer, including our Deep-Sea Disco Days, Skippered Sailing Experiences, art workshops, and roving performances.
Ms Daryl Karp, Director and CEO said, ‘A Sydney summer is iconic and we have a created a program of activities that brings Australians’ love of summer from the coast to Pyrmont both day and night. This is a wonderful way to spend a day with family and friends. Expect fun for all ages, a place to escape and a place to play.’
Put aside the digital and be in the moment of imagination and creation. We have something for everyone.
Learn more
Check out our website and plan the perfect summer day out with the family.
Program highlights
Deep Sea Disco Days - It’s time to shimmy like a seapig, jive like a jellyfish, grapevine like a gulper eel or boogie like a bioluminescent angler as you light up the deep-sea disco dance floor! Come in costume to enjoy our summer exhibitions, meet and enjoy photo ops with our real-life deep-sea mermaid and jellyfish-dj hosts, enjoy collaborative drawing activities, and get your face painted or your flippers tattooed with your favourite underwater creature designs.
Dates: Mondays 5, 12, 19 January
Times: 11am-2pm
Ages: All ages
Booking: No bookings required
Price: Free
Kids on Deck – Splendiferous Seashore – Get creative with a full day of beach-inspired making and experimenting. Design your own fun-glasses and papercraft goggles, craft hand-painted beach flags, whimsical windsocks, and turn summer safety slogans into eye-catching button badges.
Experiment with the science of seaweed bio-yarn, learn how to transform marine debris into new usable creations, and make a splash with water play in our outdoor area. Dress up as your favourite beach creature or wind down with a beachy book in our calm zone.
Dates: Daily
Times: 10:30am – 4pm
Ages: Recommended for kids ages 4-14 years with accompanying adults
Booking: No bookings required
Price: Entry included in any paid Museum ticket
Roving Performances - Enjoy encounters with larger-than-life cheeky seagulls, a majestic jellyfish stilt walker, whimsical hula-hooping synchronised swimmers and hip-shaking Island dance delights. Play with gigantic bubbles, tap your toes to the beats our roving beach records Dj, spot jovial jugglers, spectacular puppets and sing along to live music in our rotating program of free daily performances.
Encounter larger-than-life cheeky seagulls, a majestic jellyfish stilt walker, hula-hooping synchronised swimmers and hip-shaking Island dance performances as entertainers move through the museum.
Dates: Daily
Times: 11:30am- 2pm
Ages: All ages
Booking: No bookings required
Price: Free
Cabinet of Curiosities – Tidelines and Togs - Handle marine plant and animal specimens as you learn about intertidal species and coastal habitats. Marvel at innovations in fashion and fabrics as you get up close with kitsch and classic historic leisurewear – from floral bathing caps to Burquinis and beyond. Peer through the lens of a vintage box brownie camera or peruse gorgeous ghostnet sculptures woven from marine debris.
Dates: Daily
Times: 10:30am-11:30am, 2pm – 3pm
Ages: Suitable for all ages
Booking: No bookings required
Price: Free
Activity Trail – Go Fish! - Adventure around the galleries, exploring the museum’s collection of all things fish- from scientific illustrations to sneaky sharks- can you catch them all? Encounter curious objects, beautiful artworks and fascinating stories as you complete the trail to receive your prize.
Dates: Daily
Times: 9:30am – 5pm
Ages: Recommended for ages 4-10
Booking: No bookings required
Price: Free
Underwater Drones - Game on! Explore below the surface of the harbour with our underwater drones. Have fun testing your gaming skills by challenging family and friends to see who’s the best U-Drone Pilot.
Underwater drones’ sessions include a private workshop with our ocean-science educators and access to amazing underwater footage highlights to keep and share
Dates: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
Times: 12pm, 12:45pm, 1:30pm, 2:15pm, 3pm
Ages: Recommended for ages 8+
Booking: Bookings recommended
Price: $35 general/ $25 members (includes museum admission for one player)
Sensory Friendly Days - Enjoy a comfortable environment for kids and adults on the autism spectrum and visitors with a variety of access requirements. On Sensory-Friendly Days our galleries, a vessel, and activity areas will be open extra early or extra late with modified sound and lighting for a quieter, more enjoyable experience. Our trained staff and volunteers will be on hand to facilitate creative activities.
Early access, 8:30-11:30am: 21 December, 18 January, 1 February
Late access, 3:30-6:30pm: 9 January, 20 February
Ages: All ages
Booking: Bookings recommended
Price: $12pp
The Boatbuilding Bay - Visitors of all ages are invited to create a custom vessel whether guided by real boats on the harbour or by their own imagination. Once built, boats can be displayed as part of the shared installation.
Alongside the LEGO® building tables, experienced model makers will demonstrate their craft and share insights into boat design and construction, offering a practical look at how vessels are shaped, assembled and finished.
Dates: Daily
Times: 9:30am – 5pm
Ages: Ages 3+
Booking: No bookings required
Price: Included with Holiday Ticket
Norman B. Wright & Sons: Crafting A Legacy - This summer, explore the iconic vessels of Norman R. Wright & Sons on the museum’s Heritage Pontoon. For 117 years, this Brisbane family has been crafting everything from speedy tenders to show-stopping superyachts—all with expert care and unmatched style. Discover the legacy, craftsmanship, and innovation that have made Norman R. Wright & Sons a leader in Australian boat building and see why their vessels remain icons of the sea.
Dates: 16-20 January
Times: 9:30am – 5pm
Ages: All ages
Booking: No bookings required
Price: Free
Seabin Ocean Health Lab Tours - Sydney is leading the fight against microplastics — and you can see it up close. Join a guided tour of the Seabin Ocean Health Lab at the Australian National Maritime Museum, meet the scientists and learn how Sydney Harbour is being cleaned up, one nurdle at a time.
Dates: Mondays - Fridays
Times: 11:30am
Ages: All ages
Booking: Bookings required
Price: Free
Skippered Sailing Experience - Step aboard one of Sydney by Sail’s luxury yachts and discover Sydney Harbour’s hidden beaches and secret coves from the best vantage point – the water. This 90-minute sailing experience departs directly from the Australian National Maritime Museum, connecting the stories of our coastline with the freedom of life under sail.
As the sea breeze fills the sails, your qualified skipper will guide you past some of Sydney’s most iconic harbour beaches – from the golden curve of Athol Bay beneath Taronga Zoo to the secluded shores of Store Beach and Shark Island. Along the way, you’ll learn about Sydney’s maritime heritage and the unique ecology that has shaped our city’s relationship with the sea.
Dates: Daily
Times: 11am-12:30pm, 4pm-5:30pm
Ages: All ages
Booking: Bookings required
Price: $130 adult, $65 child, $330 family
Darling Harbour Kayak Explorer - Get ready to dip your paddles in and set off on a mini-maritime adventure! This summer, the Australian National Maritime Museum and Sydney Harbour Kayaks invite families to climb aboard (well… into a kayak!) and explore Darling Harbour in the most fun way possible.
With calm waters, comfy kayaks and guides who know all the cool stories, this tour is perfect for curious kids and adventure-loving grown-ups. There are plenty of stops for photos (and giggles), so you can capture your family’s best summer memories from the water.
Dates: Daily
Times: 10:30am – 12pm
Ages: Ages 10+
Booking: Bookings required
Price: $89 adult, $69 child, $299 family
Tucker Tuesday - Join Aunty Marie and the Koori Kulcha street warriors as they serve up a delicious range of native ingredients through sweet and savoury tastings. Learn about traditional spices, herbs and their uses in Aboriginal communities, sample Koori Kulchas ranges of condiments, catering and delicious herbal teas.
Dates: 13, 20 + 27 January
Times: 12-1:30pm
Ages: Ages 5+
Booking: No bookings required
Price: Free
Tools, weapons and watercraft – workshop with Koori Kinnections - Join Koori Kinnections and artists from the museum’s Indigenous programs team as you learn about traditional tools, weapons and watercraft through tactile discovery and hands-on object storytelling in this workshop designed especially for families. Learn to create your own model Nawi out of paperbark using traditional techniques and organic materials.
Dates: 14 + 21 January
Times: 10:30am – 12:30pm
Ages: Ages 5+
Booking: Bookings required
Price: Free
Shell Work Art with Jirribitti Dreaming - Join artists Emma Stewart & Ashweeni Mason as they share their creative practice and connection to shell working traditions in an introductory workshop, designed especially for young audiences. Learn about the stories that connect people to Country, place, and the waterways. Discover how cultural stories guide us in caring for the environment and inspire sustainable practices, as you create your own mermaid using shells and other fun crafts.
Dates: Monday 12 + 19 January
Times: 11am – 1pm
Ages: 4 – 12+ years
Booking: Bookings recommended
Price: Free
Weaving Zagal and Paper Florilegium- Artist Brian Robinson often creates works inspired by the tropical marine environment surrounding Waiben (also known as Thursday Island). He also uses traditional mark making and patterns from his culture with references to history, faith and his favourite pop culture icons.
In these activities – Weaving Zagal – and Paper Florilegium- you're invited you to learn to create a woven angel fish, or a multilayered paper flower inspired by Brian’s work.
Dates: Daily
Times: 9:30am – 5pm
Ages: All ages
Booking: No bookings required
Price: Free
