International Congress of Maritime Museums - Sydney 2026International Congress of Maritime Museums - Sydney 2026 

Congress Theme: Maritime Museums in Action – Moving Forward with Courage and Conviction

We warmly invite you to attend the pre-eminent international meeting of maritime museums in September 2026, and the 22nd ICMM Biennial Congress, the first Biennial Congress to be held in Australia. This is being hosted by the Australian National Maritime Museum in our largest city, Sydney. Renowned for the beauty of its harbour, participants will be able to discover the relationship of First Nations peoples to the bamal (earth) and badu (water), as well as explore significant sites of maritime history and archaeology. 

Planning is well underway for the 22nd ICMM in Sydney which will address the theme, Maritime Museums in Action: Moving Forward with Courage and Conviction. 

Each day of formal proceedings will commence with a keynote speaker. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to hear Dr Kim Sajet address the first day’s theme of ‘courageous leadership’. Noted for her success in broadening museum audiences and advocating for the arts, Kim was formerly the Director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery and today is the Donna and Donald Baumgartner Director of the Milwaukee Art Museum. Her presentation will be followed by a panel discussion among leaders in the museum sector. 

The Hon Kieu Van Le AC will deliver the keynote address on ‘community engagement’, drawing on his experiences as a Vietnamese refugee who arrived by boat in Australia in 1977. Following a successful career in the finance sector, Le was appointed Governor of South Australia, a position he held for seven years. In 2025 he became Chair of the Australian National Maritime Museum Council. 

A third keynote will be given by Seb Chan, the Director and CEO of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Having led the digital transformation of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York and Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum, he will be addressing the theme of ‘tomorrow’s museums’. 

On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, the keynote and plenary sessions will be followed by two sessions of short presentations. This will give delegates the opportunity to learn about developments across the maritime museum sector. Each day, four or five parallel workshops will be on offer on subjects such as historic ships and their interpretation, sustainable museums, ocean literacy, ship models, maritime refugees, underwater archaeology and collections’ care. All will be led by leaders in the field, with opportunities to access the ANMM’s facilities, including the floating naval collection, historic vessels and the Maritime Heritage Centre, home to the non-for-profit Sydney Heritage Fleet.

There will be many opportunities for informal discussions and get-togethers. Among the evening activities are a tour and drinks at Australia’s oldest museum (founded in 1827), which boasts exceptional collections in natural history and the culture and history of First Nations peoples. Also on offer are a tour of the State Library of New South Wales’ map collection, the finest in the southern hemisphere and second only to the British Museum, a late afternoon sail on the 1874 iron-hulled barque, James Craig and a race on Sydney harbour.

As is traditional at the ICMM, Wednesday will be an excursion day. Delegates and partners will visit the 1832 Quarantine Station at Manly and Cockatoo Island, the former convict gaol and shipyard.  

Visiting Australia 

Visitors to Australia may require a visa. Visas are the responsibility of delegates; ICMM and ANMM cannot provide advice or assistance. Information on visa options can be found on the Australian government’s Home Affairs website, Explore visa options.

Note that Australia has strict biosecurity laws governing what can be brought into the country. Further information can be found here, Entering Australia.

We strongly recommend that delegates and partners take out travel insurance to cover their travel and time in Australia.

More information on the city of Sydney can be found on the Sydney Tourism Website . Inner city suburbs close to the museum include Paddington, Woollahra, Surry Hills, the Rocks, Glebe, Balmain, Newtown, Marrickville, and Erskineville. To find out more about transport options to the museum, visit our website. 

Accommodation

Sydney is a large international city with a myriad of accommodation options. Ideally delegates should select accommodation within walking distance of the Congress venue or with a direct ferry or tram link for ease of access.

In planning your stay, please note early morning traffic can cause congestion. Delegates will normally be requested to be at the venue by 8.45 am each morning. All transport will also arrive and depart only from the conference venue, with no hotel pick up or drop offs.

The following chain hotels are located within 300 metres of the Australian National Maritime Museum.

• Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour – 100 Murray St, Darling Harbour
• Ibis Sydney Darling Harbour – 70 Murray St, Darling Harbour
• Aiden by Best Western, 45 Murray St, Darling Harbour

International Congress of Maritime Museums and the Australian National Maritime Museum are grateful for the generous support of our wonderful supporters, sponsors and partners who's assistance is an important parts of what makes this event possible. 

 

Financial supporters

Australian National Maritime Museum

Australian National Maritime Museum Foundation

ANMM USA Fund

International Congress of Maritime Museums

Lloyds Register Foundation

International Conservation Services

Australian Government

 

Program Partners and Sponsors

Sydney Heritage Fleet

Sydney Restaurant Group

Australian Museum

Western Australia Museum

Maritime Museum Tasmania

Federation Harbour Trust

Australian Maritime Museums Council

Sydney by Sail

Red Mill Rum