Whale, whale, whale, what do we have here?
18 Feb 2021
DNA analysis reveals the origins of a curious object in the museum's collection.
Read more
Discover stories behind the latest exhibitions, fascinating explorations into maritime science and archaeology, and the surprising details of what happens inside (and outside) a modern working museum.
Defying Empire: 3rd National Indigenous Triennial
31 Jan 2021
An exhibition closing soon at the museum reflects on two significant events in the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – the arrival of James Cook in 1770 and the 1967 Referendum that recognised them as citizens in their own country.
Read more
Beach Couture: Art and activism for the oceans
21 Jan 2021
It is estimated that every year, 8 million tonnes of plastics enter our ocean. This is in addition to the estimated 150 million tonnes that currently circulate in our marine environments. A new exhibition at the museum, aims to raise awareness of this problem and prompt a change in our wasteful habits.
Read more
The PS 'Herald' VR Experience: Seven students, one virtual dive
14 Sep 2020
How do you share a historic shipwreck with those who aren't divers or maritime archaeologists? The museum's Curator of RAN Maritime Archaeology, Dr James Hunter, teamed up with Professor Holger Deuter and seven masters students from Germany's University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern to allow anyone to participate in a 'virtual dive' on PS Herald, a wrecked sidewheel steamship that lies off North Head at the entrance to Sydney Harbour.
Read more
Submerged secrets: Life thrives beneath Sydneys waterways
11 Sep 2020
Beneath the surface of Sydney's waterways and coastal strip is a surprising and wild marine metropolis waiting to be discovered, writes photojournalist and marine biologist Justin Gilligan.
Read more
A deadly shipmate: Surviving 'Spanish flu' aboard HMAT Orsova
19 Mar 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 is turning many eyes back to 1919. Coinciding with the end of World War I, the risk of ‘Spanish’ flu coming to Australia aboard troop transports was very real. Dr Peter Hobbins explores what troopship records reveal about life, death and discipline during the pneumonic influenza pandemic.
Read more
MOOCs, makers and monsters: Bringing prehistoric marine reptiles to life
16 Dec 2019
If you don’t know a pliosaur from a plesiosaur, how do you devise an exhibition about them and other prehistoric marine reptiles? How do you decide what approach to take and what items to include? And how do you find fossils or make replicas? Em Blamey takes us through the creation of Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Ocean Predators.
Read more
Encounters around Australia: Investigating our history
13 Dec 2019
Travelling to 38 different locations around Australia by sea and open road, Encounters 2020 will bring to life perspectives from the sea and from the shore.
Read more
Polar opposites: What's the difference between the Arctic and Antarctica?
24 Sep 2019
At a glance, the two extremes of planet earth seem almost identical – cold, snowy and untamed. If you can get past those icy temperatures, however, the Arctic and Antarctic regions are completely unique. We’ve investigated exactly what makes the Arctic and Antarctica so different, and so special.
Read more![Sylvia Earle celebrating the ocean at the top of the world [Michael Aw]](/-/media/anmm/images/blog-content/2019/september-2019/wrktsn0v_sylviaearle_2160x1080.jpg?h=1080&la=en&w=2160 "Sylvia Earle celebrating the ocean at the top of the world [Michael Aw]")
Her deepness: Dr Sylvia Earle
13 Sep 2019
Sylvia Earle has lived underwater for a week, walked the sea floor at a (record-breaking) depth of 381 metres and has led over 50 ocean expeditions. At 84, Time’s ‘Hero for the Planet’ isn’t slowing down. We explore Sylvia's incredible career and how she is saving the ocean through Hope Spots.
Read more