Maritime Museum goes free for all on July 6 - to celebrate families and to mark the start of NAIDOC Week
Published
The museum is going free on July 6, opening up all their exhibitions and vessels to assist families with cost-of-living pressures and also to mark the start of NAIDOC Week 2025.
Ms Daryl Karp AM, CEO & Director said, ’We are going free on July 6 as we know families are struggling and we want to make sure everyone can see all our offering not just our regular free galleries. So, the chance to open everything to everyone and to celebrate NAIDOC Week seemed too great an opportunity.”
This year’s NAIDOC Week theme is The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.
The day will begin with a Smoking Ceremony led by Elder Uncle Les, providing a foundation of respect and tradition.
From there, the celebrations continue with a range of engaging and educational activities:
- Dance workshops with the incredible Bangarra Dance Company, sharing movement and story through culture
- Bush drinks and native plant workshops with Koori Kulcha, where you’ll taste delicious beverages
- Face painting and an array of art-making activities including a drop in mural making workshop with Nioka Lowe-Brennan
- Live music performances throughout the day, bringing rhythm and energy to every corner of the celebration
Plus
- Free vessels – submarine, historical tall ships, warships and so much more.
- Wildlife Photographer of the Year & Ultimate Depth exhibitions.
Ms Karp continued, ‘July 6 is truly a day for us all to celebrate. Join us as we look at who we are past, present and future.’
Bookings essential
Program
Performance platform
11am – Smoking ceremony with Yuin Elder, Custodian and loreman Uncle Les Mcleod.
12pm – Kids Dance workshop with Bangarra Dance theatre - Explore a fusion of Traditional and Contemporary dance styles in this fun workshop designed for young learners with company dancers /teaching artists from Bangarra Dance Theatre. No previous dance experience is required.
12.30pm – Live Music set, Emily Blake - Hear from award-winning Vocalist, Recording Artist and composer Emily Blake as she shares timeless Jazz, Soul and R&B covers.
1pm – Kids dance workshop with Bangarra Dance theatre.
1.30pm – Live Music set, Emily Blake.
2pm – Live Music set, Kyarna Rose - Hailing from the Yuin Nation on the far south coast of NSW, Kyarna is a gifted First Nations singer-songwriter set to make waves in the Australian country and folk music scenes.
2.30pm – Open age dance workshop with Bangarra Dance Theatre - Explore a fusion of Traditional and Contemporary dance styles in an open-age workshop designed for participants from 13 yrs to adult and a broad range of abilities, facilitated by company dancers and teaching artists from Bangarra Dance Theatre.
3pm – Live Music set, Kyarna Rose.
Forecourt
12 - 2pm- Drop-in Bush tucker, tea tastings with Aunty Marie and Koori Kulcha - 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.
Terrace room
10.30am- 4pm – NAIDOC facepainting and drop-in activities in Kids on Deck - Make a model nawi, craft a whale lantern, design a badge to celebrate NAIDOC, and learn to make a woven ghost net sea creature. Get your face painted with NAIDOC inspired designs curated by Dakota Dixon.
11.30am, 1pm - Drop in mural making workshop with Nioka Lowe-Brennan - Learn to use watercolours, collage, paste-ups and mixed media to create a beautiful collaborative mural with Nioka.
Bamal Yarning Space
All day – Catch screenings of Tunku and Ngaadi and Barani
Tunku and Ngardi is a timeless Dreaming story from the South Coast of NSW, exploring the eternal connection between the Moon and the Earth. Passed down through generations, this powerful tale is illustrated by Walbunja and Ngarigo artist Cheryl Davison in collaboration with Studio Gilay and brought to life through the voices of the Djinama Yilaga Choir.
Barani is a story that stretches back thousands of years, exploring themes of humanity, compassion and connection.
All day - Bamal book nook - Perfect for young readers, enjoy titles by award winning Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander authors
Museum galleries
9.30am - 5pm - Adventure on a Sea Country Activity Trail - Be inspired by beautiful works and fascinating stories by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists these holidays as you follow the sea country activity trail through the museum. Collect all 5 sea creature stamps on your trail to receive your prize.
10.30am – 11.30am – and 2-3pm Cabinet of Curiosities – Saltwater Stories - Drop-in and explore touchable artefacts from our education collection at the Cabinet of Curiosities – Saltwater Stories.
On the water
10am – 4.10pm - See Gail Mabo’s Turtle shells on the Endeavour - An installation highlighting what is now considered one of the first acts of reconciliation between Europeans and First Nations people. These 12-turtle shells placed around the Endeavour’s deck were made by artist Gail Mabo, Piadram language group and clan of Mer (Murray Island), the easternmost island of the Torres Strait Archipelago. The turtle shells are made from fibreglass, as actual turtles of these sizes are a protected species.
