Australian National Maritime Museum

Australian National Maritime Museum logo

Discover Australia's museum of the sea and dive deeper into our connection with oceans, rivers, and lakes.

Free entry to permanent galleries

Regular hours, open 10am—4pm (Last vessel boarding 3:10pm)

Photo showing two boys and a girl on board a tall ship and pose behind the ship's wheel.

What's on

Photo taken underwater showing an adult and a baby manatee, with round grey bodies swimming above green sea grass.
exhibitions

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Open now

illustration of the bow of a tall ship in a storm, with a chain coming out towards the viewer.
exhibitions
Maritime archaeology
Shipwrecks
Pram
Wheelchair

A Graphic Tale of Shipwreck – Rediscovering South Australian

Open now

World War II 80 Years - A world remade

The world most of us live in started 80 years ago this year, in the aftermath of the Second World War. Much of the architecture and rules underpinning global order – the United Nations, NATO and ANZUS – flowed out of those tumultuous events.

Close up photo of MV KRAIT with floral wreaths.
Illustrations on a blue background of ocean animals mixed with human made objects.

Watch Big Blue Ideas

Dive into the thought-provoking discussion on Big Blue Ideas - who owns the ocean? 

Thumbnail image showing a group of people seated at the front of a theatre.

Figurehead of a First Nations woman

Believed to be the earliest known surviving ship carving of a First Nations person from Australia, the museum is working to unravel her story, 

Wooden carved Figurehead representing a First Nations woman
A Photo taken over the heads of the audience showing 3 seated people at the front of a theatre talking.

In conversation with James Cameron

Join ocean explorer, filmmaker and technology innovator, James Cameron, veteran of eight pioneering deep-sea expeditions, in conversation about his record-making dive to the deepest point on Earth. 

Come aboard our vessels

vessels
British seafaring
Replica vessel
5-12 years
12+ years

Endeavour

Photograph showing a family on the deck of a Navy destroyer.
vessels
Royal Australian Navy
5-12 years
12+ years
Adults

HMAS Vampire (II)

Uncover history, explore the present.

Photo of a person diving underwater, holding a camera and swimming towards a shipwreck.

Maritime archaeology

First Nations ceremony

First Nations

Black and White photograph, three passengers on the deck of migrant ship MV NAPOLI as it moves up Sydney Harbour. The Harbour Bridge can be seen in the background.

Migration

Close up photo of the number 11 and an anchor on the side of a navy ship.

Navy and fleet

photograph of an orange clown fish

Ocean futures

Photo of the museum's lighthouse, taken from a low angle looking up, with a clear blue sky background.

Society and water

Dive deeper

Discover the wider world of the museum. Find answers for your research, explore stories about significant events and remarkable people, and browse through a rich and diverse range of vessels, photography and artefacts.

Become a member

Enjoy exclusive access to the museum. 

Join our vibrant membership community and enjoy year-round benefits. Your membership helps provide critical support to the museum's conservation, research and education programs that bring our mission to life.

A couple standing on the deck of replica wooden tall ship Endeavour

Support us

Australia’s National Monument to Migration

The National Monument is one of the museum's most important and visible tributes to our migration heritage 

Two people in front of the National Monument to Migration
Woman pointing at her family name on the National Monument to Migration
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