Sydney, June 17: The Australian Maritime Museum will open its doors to all visitors for free on July 6, providing access to all exhibitions and historic vessels in a bid to ease cost-of-living pressures for families.
The initiative coincides with the beginning of NAIDOC Week 2025, which this year celebrates the theme “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.”
In addition to the museum’s permanent and special exhibitions, the day will feature a diverse program of cultural activities designed to honour First Nations heritage and engage visitors of all ages.
The celebrations will commence with a Smoking Ceremony led by Elder Uncle Les, grounding the day in tradition and cultural respect. Guests can then participate in dance workshops run by the renowned Bangarra Dance Company, and enjoy bush drinks and native plant tastings with Koori Kulcha.
For families, there will be face painting, art-making activities, and a collaborative mural workshop led by artist Nioka Lowe-Brennan. Live music will provide a festive soundtrack throughout the day.
The museum’s full fleet of vessels will also be available to explore — including its iconic submarine, historic tall ships, and warships. Visitors can also access popular exhibitions such as Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Ultimate Depth, usually ticketed.
CEO and Director Daryl Karp AM said the decision to go free was about accessibility and community support during a challenging time for many Australians.
“We are going free on July 6 as we know families are struggling and we want to make sure everyone can see all our offering not just our regular free galleries. So, the chance to open everything to everyone and to celebrate NAIDOC Week seemed too great an opportunity.”
Editor’s Note:
We visited the museum in January and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, particularly the tour of the submarine — an engaging and educational highlight that we highly recommend.
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