Touring exhibitions
Our expert museum team of curators, designers and educators have been creating and building touring exhibits for over 20 years.
Learn more about hiring one of our exhibitions or displays for your community.
These exhibits are specifically designed to share the museum experience with communities and organisations around Australia and internationally. We tour panel displays, exhibitions and artworks featuring objects from the National Maritime Collection, and interactive exhibitions. Some of the fascinating topics explored include ocean science and innovation, maritime archaeology, art history, Indigenous cultural history, immigration and naval history.
Whether you have a small space or a larger venue, our touring exhibitions are suitable for community groups and cultural institutions.
Timings and availability
Due to popular demand, some larger exhibits may be booked out 2-3 years in advance, so we recommend enquiring with us about availability early in your planning. Smaller displays can often be booked at short notice, though - just ask! Please be aware that there may be additional security and environmental requirements for some exhibitions.
For more information or to enquire about hosting one of the exhibitions or displays listed below, please email: touringexhibitions@sea.museum
James Cameron Challenging the Deep
Challenging the Deep is a major immersive exhibition tracing filmmaker James Cameron’s lifelong pursuit of and achievements in deep-ocean science, technology and exploration.
Dark Victory – Operation Jaywick
11 banners / 5 meters of the wall space (digital files only)
Discover the dramatic story of Operation Jaywick, the daring 1943 commando raid on Japanese shipping in Singapore’s Keppel Harbour, and its devastating consequences for civilians. This compelling exhibition explores one of World War II’s boldest operations, revealing the human cost for local Chinese and Malay communities, prisoners of war and European civilians caught in its aftermath.
Valerie Taylor - An Underwater Life
3 sustainable graphic structures / 40sqm
Inspire your audiences with this powerful exhibition celebrating one of Australia’s great ocean advocates. Through photographs and stories from Valerie Taylor’s remarkable career, it highlights her lasting impact on marine conservation and encourages visitors to become ocean change-makers. This exhibition is supported by the Australian Government’s Visions of Australia program.
Sea Monsters – Prehistoric Ocean Predators
10 graphic banners / 12 to 20 meters of wall space (digital files only)
Captivate your audiences with a thrilling prehistoric ocean adventure. This flexible print-your-own exhibition brings ancient marine predators to life through striking graphics and fascinating science, revealing how ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and mosasaurs ruled the seas. Easy to scale for your space, it offers strong family appeal and engaging educational content.
Cats & dogs - all at sea
10 running metres of wall space
Cats and dogs have been cherished on board ships for as long as people have made sea voyages. In a life from which children and families are usually missing, and are often very much missed, pets provide a focus for emotions and affection.
Brickwrecks
450 sqm
Discover these stories of extraordinary shipwrecks, revealed in incredible LEGO® model detail. This new exhibition is developed and designed by the Western Australian Museum in partnership with the Australian National Maritime Museum. Please contact touringexhibitions@sea.museum to find out more.’
Mission X
Banner Show (10 Banners)
In 1942 a ragtag flotilla of Australian freighters, fishing trawlers, tugs, ketches, schooners and launches was assembled to sail under the American flag. As Mission X of the US Army Small Ships Section they plied deadly waters from Queensland to Papua New Guinea and beyond, being bombed and strafed, hiding by day, landing troops and supplies by night. Contact touringexhibitions@sea.museum for more.
Capturing the Home Front - Life at home in a world at war
50 running metres of wall space
An exhibition that pulls back the curtain and shines a light on life at home in WWII as captured by famous American photo journalist Dorothea Lange, and Australian photographers Samuel Hood, William Cranstone, Hedley Keith Cullen and Jim Fitzpatrick.
Regeneration Ocean
This four panel banner exhibition was developed by the Australian National Maritime Museum as part of its commitment to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030. Its purpose is to explain the basic principles of ocean literacy and serve as a jumping off point for in-depth discussion or activities.
The Australian National Maritime Museum is pleased to provide this resource for free download (print-on-demand).
Express of Interest for future touring exhibitions
We are continually developing new and exciting exhibitions.
By completing this form, you'll be added to our express of interest list and will be the first to be contacted once an exhibition is ready to tour.