Explore your creativity and curiosity at the Australian National Maritime Museum these school holidays with a jam-packed program of exciting activities to spark the imagination.
From photography and art workshops to underwater drone operation, sensory play spaces, and Museum tours and activity trails designed especially for kids, there is so much to see and do at the Maritime Museum this Autumn.
See the highlights of this exciting program below and view the full program here: Autumn School Holidays | Australian National Maritime Museum -- Deep Ocean Dive And Draw - Experience extraordinary deep ocean dive footage through the eyes of expert marine scientists and artists. Enjoy beautiful live music and guided drawing activities as you learn astounding fun facts. Dive and draw sessions will include a short ocean science presentation alongside a film screening, as well as beautiful musical accompaniment and a facilitated creative workshop in drawing or story making inspired by marvellous and mysterious aquatic life forms. Program presented in collaboration with Schmidt Ocean Institute.
Dates: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, 15 – 27 April (excl. April 23) Times: 11am, 12:15pm, 1:30pm Ages: Suitable for all ages Booking: No bookings required Price: Entry included in any paid Museum ticket
Cabinet of Curiosities: Prehistoric Aquatic - Explore wonderful and curious fossils and specimens from our education collection in this hands-on discovery device in our galleries. Handle both real and replica fossils and sea creature specimens that tell the story of our ancient oceans. Run your fingers over the jagged jaws of a marine reptile, feel the weight of an ichthyosaur flipper, marvel at the chambers in a nautilus shell, learn about sedimentation, fossil formation and the ancient creatures who still survive in today's oceans. Dates: Daily Times: 10:30am – 11:30am & 2pm – 3pm Ages: Suitable for all ages Booking: No bookings required Price: Free
Under Sea Bubble-ology - Encounter clever characters and fun physics as performing artists unlock the wonders of everyone's favourite experiment- bubbles! Experiment with the effects of light, water, weather and gravity as you play with gorgeous gigantic bubbles.
Dates: Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays 12-27 April Times: 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm Ages: Suitable for all ages Booking: No bookings required Price: Free
Deep Sea Lounge - Take a time out in the deep-sea lounge – a calm space and creative play opportunity. Star in your own sea creature shadow play on the big screen, wind-down and relax amidst rock pillows and luminous sculptures. Open up a deep-sea story book and add your mark to the collaborative colouring walls.
Dates: Daily Times: 10am – 4:30pm Ages: Suitable for all ages Booking: No bookings required Price: Free
Sea Country Activity Trail - Be inspired by beautiful works and fascinating stories by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists these holidays as you follow the sea country activity trail through the museum. Collect all 5 sea creature stamps on your trail to receive your prize.
Dates: Daily Times: 9.30am – 5pm Ages: Recommended for kids ages 4-10 years Booking: No bookings required Price: Free
Kids on Deck - Create your own creative underwater explorer's device from recycled materials, craft curious creatures from the midnight zone into spectacular glowing prints or wearable creations, make slippery saltwater slime and transform marine debris into new usable creations. Enjoy experiments in buoyancy and bubbles in our outdoor area. Dress up as your favourite aquatic creature for a selfie at the photo booth or take a quiet time out in our coral reef reading zone.
Dates: Daily Times: 10:30am – 4pm Ages: Recommended for kids ages 4-14 years with accompanying adults Booking: No bookings required Price: Entry included in any paid Museum ticket
Mini Mariners - Pack your bags for an imaginative journey up, off and away, over- seas in a special character tour for under 5s and their carers. Explore different cultures and places from across the seas. Sing songs, dance and enjoy story time, and then you can create your own printed book bags and whale puppets 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.
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. For our Autumn sessions, we're offering early access to the museum galleries including Ocean Photographer of the Year exhibition, Journey to the Ultimate Depth exhibition, tall ship Duyfken, an Underwater drones workshop (suitable for visitors 7+ years) and our activity areas for Sensory-Friendly guests. Our trained staff and volunteers will be on hand to assist with access and facilitate creative activities. Dates: April 27 Times: 8:30am – 11:30am Ages: Suitable for all ages Booking: Pre-Booking recommended Price: $12, children under 4 and members/companion card holders FREE.
Underwater Drone Challenge - Explore below the surface of the harbour with our underwater drones. Have fun testing your gaming skills by challenging family and friends to see who's the best U-Drone Pilot. Undertake challenges to get your u-drone pilot licence, survey vessels and explore marine habitats around the harbour. Underwater drone sessions include a private workshop with our ocean-science educators and access to amazing underwater footage highlights to keep and share.
Dates: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays Times: 12pm, 12:45pm, 1:30pm, 2:15pm, 3pm Ages: Recommended for ages 8+ Booking: Bookings recommended Price: $35 general/ $25 members (includes See it All museum admission for one player)
Torchlight Tour - Join character guide, Antonio Ponto, for a dramatic after-dark tour aboard the HMB Endeavour replica. Enjoy creative capers, light refreshments and exclusive after-hours access to the vessel for an evening of family fun.
Dates: 24 April Times: 6:30pm – 8pm Ages: Recommended for kids ages 4-14 years with accompanying adults Booking: Bookings essential Price: $25 child, $16 adult, $75 family (2 adults and up to 3 children)
Reporting Live from the Abyss, 2 Day Workshop - Create and star in your own imaginative TV segments inspired by our Ultimate Depth and Ocean Photographer of the Year exhibitions. Learn clever techniques in green-screen, scripting, directing, acting and filmmaking as you produce your own creative digital stories. Have your finished work displayed for family and friends in a special-event cinema screening.
Dates: 23 & 24 April Times: 10am – 4:30pm Ages: Suitable for ages 8-14 Booking: Bookings essential Price: $170
Photography with OM System, 1 Day Workshop - Be inspired by the Ocean Photographer of the Year exhibition and the museum's scenic surrounds as you adventure on a photo shoot in and around the museum, led by award winning travel and adventure photographer and OM SYSTEM Ambassador Matt Horspool, 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. Course presented in partnership with OM SYSTEM, proud supporters of the Ocean Photographer of the Year Sydney Exhibition.
Dates: 15 – 16 April Times: 10am – 4pm Ages: Suitable for ages 8-14 Booking: Bookings essential Price: $110 General, $95 Member, $100 Earlybird
