- The Australian National Maritime Museum at Sydney's Darling Harbour is a repository of Australian maritime history comprising documents, relics and maritime craft from various periods.
When you're in the Sydney city centre — and you wanted to — you could walk to Darling Harbour and visit the Australian National Maritime Museum right on the water's edge.
Walk west on Market St, take the overbridge walkway from the corner of Sussex St, and you'd be on Pyrmont Bridge on the eastern side of Darling Harbour.
Cross Pyrmont Bridge and the Australian National Maritime Museum should be just to your right on the western side of the harbour.
You could, of course, also reach the Australian National Maritime Museum by bus, light rail, monorail, ferry or water taxi.
Historic ships
For a large number of visitors to the museum, its historic ships — such as the faithful and seaworthy replica of Captain James Cook's Endeavour — are a major attractions.
Aside from the Endeavour, other seacraft include the former Royal Australian Navy destroyer HMAS Vampire, the former RAN submarine HMAS Onslow, the 1874 square-rigger barque James Craig, and the yacht Blackmores First Lady in which Australian Kay Cottee became the first woman to sail solo, non-stop around the world in 1988.
There are scheduled sailings of the Endeavour and James Craig.
Galleries and heritage centre
In the museum's main white-domed building, galleries feature permanent and visiting maritime-themed exhibitions. Entry to the museum galleries is free.
At the Maritime Heritage Centre on Wharf 7, behind-the-scenes tours are available which take in the conservation workshop, picture and objects store, and the Sydney heritage Fleet vessels. Entry to the heritage centre is included in the free museum ticket.
Small historic vessels may be viewed and toured on North Wharf. This is included in the free museum ticket.
Tours of the Endeavour, James Craig and the RAN vessels involve entry fees.
Getting to the museum
Aside from walking from the city centre across Pyrmont Bridge, you can reach the Australian National Maritime Museum by:
- Taking the train to Town Hall station and either the walking route across Pyrmont Bridge or bus 443 from York St.
- Taking bus 443 from Circular Quay.
- Taking the Sydney ferry from Circular Quay to Pyrmont Bay wharf. Or go by water taxi.
- Taking the light rail tram from Central Station and other points along its route to Pyrmont Bay station.
- Taking the Sydney Harbour monorail to Harbourside station.
- Driving and parking at a nearby Darling Harbour carpark.
