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Discover a treasure trove of school holiday fun at the Maritime Museum

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A child with colorful face paint and a large purple ribbon sits at a craft table selecting markers, while another participant sits nearby; other people are engaged in activities in the background.

Travel back in time at the Australian National Maritime Museum these school holidays with an exciting program of themed activities based around the Museum’s latest exhibition, Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard.

From spectacular scientific circus performances to photography and music workshops, to underwater drone operation, and Museum tours and activity trails designed especially for kids, there is so much to discover at the Maritime Museum these school holidays.

See the highlights of this exciting program below and view the full program here:

Spring School Holidays

Kids on Deck

From raiders and traders to crafty artmakers, journey back in time and be inspired by life in the Viking Age at our Kids on Deck maker space.  

Build a marvellous model longship that floats, learn to hammer and emboss jewellery or craft a clever clay vessel. Channel your inner archaeologist as you uncover treasures from our dig site, experiment with the alchemy of transforming materials into new objects in our felt making and plastic recycling workshops.  Dress up in costume and step inside our very own Viking longhouse-inspired cubby. Make a splash in the outdoor waterplay zone.   

Dates: Daily 
Times: 10:30am – 4pm 
Ages: Recommended for ages 4-14 and accompanying adults     
Booking: No bookings required 
Price: Entry included in any paid admission 

Photo taken from behind a man and a young child doing craft together.

Slippery Cephalopod Science Circus

Encounter clever characters and fun facts as performing artists and science communicators unlock the wonders everyone’s favourite keystone species - cephalopods! Enjoy spectacular science demonstrations investigating the most curious of ocean dwelling creatures and marvel at daring displays of circus skill in this lively and interactive show.    

Dates: 27 Sept – 1 Oct, 6-9 Oct, 11 Oct 
Times: 11:30am & 12:30pm  
Ages: Suitable for all ages 
Booking: No bookings required 
Price: Free 

Photo of 2 Circus performers in front of a crowd of children seated on the floor.

Whale-Song DJ: Digital Music Workshop

1 Day Workshop

Become a DJ for a day! Remix, reverb and record your own aquatically inspired songs in a fun filled 1-Day workshop on digital music making.  Learn to use underwater technology including hydrophones and experiment with digital audio workstation applications to compose a soundtrack of the sea. Take home your finished tracks to share with your friends and family at home! Suitable for all experience levels.  

Dates: 7 Oct 
Times: 10am – 4pm 
Ages: Suitable for ages 8-14 
Booking: Bookings essential 
Price: $90 General $80 Member/Earlybird 

Photo of a boy taken from behind. He is wearing a red cap and over ear headphones.

Book Nook and Drop-In Activities

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 you're invited to learn to create a woven angel fish, or a multilayered paper flower inspired by Brian’s work.    

Dates: Daily  
Times: 10am – 4pm 
Ages: Suitable for all ages     
Booking: No bookings required 
Price: Free 

Photo showing 4 children doing a craft activity with strips of coloured paper. They are at a table in front of a bright, coloured mural.

Museum Treasure Trail

Adventure around the Museum galleries to uncover a trove of mysterious treasures and hidden gems. From pirate loot to historical relics, discover each precious piece in this fun-filled activity trail. Complete the trail to receive a treasure of your own! 

Dates: Daily 
Times: 10am – 4:30pm 
Ages: Recommended for kids ages 4-10 years     
Booking: No bookings required 
Price: Free 

Photograph showing 3 children lying n the floor looking up at a bronze sculpture of a Dugong.

Photography with OM System

1 Day Workshop

Be inspired by the photography in our collection and the museum's scenic surrounds as you adventure on a photo shoot in and around the museum, led a professional photographer and OM SYSTEM ambassador, including access to using high-performance OM SYSTEM cameras. Explore harbour views through the camera’s lens as you go on outdoor photo shoots, master the art of shooting various subjects in different environments.  

This workshop is an opportunity to learn and build on skills in using various modes on an advanced camera to capture amazing images that tell a story.  All participants get a large format printed copy of their best photo, which is displayed in a special pop-up exhibition at the museum after the workshop.  Suitable for all experience levels.  

Course presented in partnership with OM SYSTEM, proud supporters of the Ocean Photographer of the Year Sydney Exhibition.  

Dates: 30 September  
Times: 10am – 4pm 
Ages: Suitable for ages 8-14 
Booking: Bookings essential 
Price: $100 General $90 Member/Earlybird 

Photo of a boy with light hair and blue jacket, standing on a wooden tall ship and taking a photo using a large camera.

Mini Mariners – Drip, Drop, Splash!

Dive into the wonderful world of water in a character guided tour through the museum galleries for under 5s and their carers. Discover stories about water and how we use it every day. Sing songs, enjoy messy play activities and make your own bubble painting to take home. 

Dates: Every Tuesday 
Times: 10:30am – 11:15am, 11:30am – 12:15pm 
Ages: Ages 2-5 and their carers 
Booking: Bookings essential 
Price: Child $12, Adult $8, Members/Annual pass holders and see it all ticket holders FREE.  

Photo of a child with curly brown hair and a white frilly top next to a woman with black hair, tanned skin, glasses and a black singlet top.

Cabinet of Curiosities: Fighting Vikings

Explore wonderful and curious Viking age tools, treasures and textiles from our education collection in this hands-on discovery device in our galleries. Wield Viking age weaponry, handle rune-carved amulets and run your hands over a reindeer pelt as you discover how archaeologists learn about the people of the past through excavation of the traces they leave behind.  

Dates: Daily 
Times: 10:30am – 11:30am & 2pm – 3pm  
Ages: Suitable for all ages     
Booking: No bookings required 
Price: Free  

Photo of a group of children looking at a table of specimens and objects they can touch

Sensory Friendly Days

Enjoy a comfortable environment for kids and adults with a variety of sensory differences. On Sensory-Friendly Days our new exhibitions and activity areas will be open extra early or late for a quieter experience and modified to suit people on the Autism spectrum and visitors with a range of differing abilities. Our trained staff and volunteers will be on hand to assist with access and facilitate creative activities. 

Dates: 27 Sept 
Times:  8:30am – 11:30am 
Ages: Suitable for all ages 
Booking: No bookings required 
Price: $12, children under 4 and members/companion card holders FREE. 

Photo of a girl stacking block and cushions into a tall tower inside a soft play space.

Spring Holidays at the museum

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