This Spring, the Australian National Maritime Museum invites families to dive into a program full of discovery, creativity and adventure. Enjoy a wide variety of exhibitions, vessels, hands-on workshops, themed activities and live science performances designed to spark curiosity in visitors of all ages.
Explore new exhibitions, including Ur Wayii (Incoming Tide), and catch the final days of the acclaimed Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Kids can get hands-on in the Kids on Deck maker space with artmaking and science experiments, while the Cabinet of Curiosities offers a tactile experience with fascinating objects and specimens.
With something for everyone, the Museum's Spring holiday program promises a memorable day of fun, learning and imagination.
See the highlights of this exciting program below and view the full program here: https://www.sea.museum/en/whats-on/events/school-holidays
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Splashing Science Circus - Encounter clever characters and fun facts as performing artists and science communicators unlock the wonders of water –from cool chemistry to fun physics, buoyancy to bubbles! Enjoy spectacular science demonstrations and marvel at daring displays of circus skill in this lively and interactive show.
Dates: Select dates in school holidays, see website for dates. Times: 12:30pm & 2pm Ages: All ages Booking: No bookings required Price: Entry included in any paid Museum ticket
Kids on Deck – Be inspired by our new exhibition Ur Wayii (Incoming Tide), seafaring traditions and celestial navigation as you enjoy art making and experiments with your family. Create your own spectacular paper watercraft/canoe, craft clever clay sculptures, make amazing nightscapes using rubbing plates and watercolour, transform bottlecaps into new usable creations like bubble wands and carabiners with our plastic recycling machine. Join in some slippery experiments in making biomaterials, explore the microscopic marvels of the plankton world or dress up as your favourite aquatic creature.
Dates: Daily Times: 10:30am – 4pm Ages: Recommended for kids ages 4-12 years with accompanying adults Booking: No bookings required Price: Entry included in any paid Museum ticket
Tools, weapons and watercraft workshop - Join Koori Kinnections and artists from the museum's Indigenous programs team as you learn about traditional tools, weapons and watercraft through tactile discovery and hands-on object storytelling in this workshop designed especially for families. Learn to create your own model Nawi out of paperbark using traditional techniques and organic materials.
Dates: 1 + 8 October Times: 10am – 12pm Ages: Suitable for ages 5+ Booking: Bookings essential Price: Free
Weaving Zagal and Paper Florilegium – 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 – Weaving Zagal and Paper Florilegium- you're invited you 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 ages 4 to adult Booking: No bookings required Price: Free
Photography Gel Printing - Learn to snap spectacular SLR photos and transform them into colourful, wearable works of art in this hands-on photography and printmaking workshop presented in partnership with Spitting Image Photography. Take home your newly handprinted t-shirts decorated with your very own photography design!
Dates: 1 & 2 Oct Times: 10am – 4pm Ages: 8-14 yrs Booking: Bookings essential Price: $100 general, $90 members
Whale Song DJ - Remix, reverb and record your own aquatically- inspired songs and make animated videos in a fun filled workshop on digital music making. Learn to use underwater technology including hydrophones and underwater drones to explore and record the world beneath the surface. Take your compositions to the next level by creating digital animations for your own music video. Have your finished work showcased on YouTube for family and friends to enjoy.
Dates: 7 & 9 Oct Times: 10am – 4pm Ages: 8-14 yrs Booking: Bookings essential Price: $80 members, $90 general
Cabinet of Curiosities – Lost and Found at Sea - Explore wonderful and curious navigational devices, model boats and artmaking inspired by celestial forms, from spyglass telescopes to shark constellations, mini planetariums to miniature canoes in this hands-on discovery device in our galleries.
Dates: Daily Times: 10:30am-11:30am, 2pm – 3pm Ages: Suitable for all ages Booking: No bookings required Price: Free
My Museum Sketch Trail - Become a museum curator as you adventure around the galleries, explore the exhibitions, and spy objects to add to your very own mini museum. Be inspired by curious artefacts, beautiful artworks and fascinating stories as you complete your trail to receive your prize. Dates: Daily Times: 10am-4pm Ages: All ages Booking: No bookings required Price: Free
Underwater Drones - Game on! 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.
Underwater drones' 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)
Sensory Friendly Days - Enjoy a comfortable environment for kids and adults on the autism spectrum and visitors with a variety of access requirements. On Sensory-Friendly Days our galleries, a vessel, and activity areas will be open extra early or extra late with modified sound and lighting for a quieter, more enjoyable experience. Our trained staff and volunteers will be on hand to facilitate creative activities. Early access: Sundays 28 September, 12 October, 8:30am – 11:30am
Late access: Friday 10 October 3:30pm - 6:30pm Ages: All ages Booking: Bookings recommended Price: $12pp
