Australian National Maritime Museum

The Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney, with entertaining exhibitions in its galleries and a fleet of historic vessels at its wharves, is one of Australia's liveliest cultural attractions. It takes a broad view of maritime history, showing visitors that Australians have always been closely linked to the sea. Its mainstay exhibitions look at Aboriginal culture, European exploration, successive waves of immigration, maritime commerce, defense by sea and aquatic adventure, sport, and play. The USA Gallery, the American government's bicentennial gift to Australia, explores the sea links forged over 200 years between these two nations. The museum's treasures include artifacts from the Dutch East India flagship Batavia, which was wrecked off the Western Australia coast in 1628; the world's fastest boat, Spirit of Australia, Ken Warby's hydroplane in which he set the present world water speed record of 511 kilometers per hour in 1978; and collections of beachwear and lifesaving gear that show the evolution of Australia's beach culture. A star attraction is the magnificent Australian-built replica of Captain Cook's 18th-century ship of discovery, Endeavour, itself a floating museum presented as if captain and crew had just walked ashore. The museum's historical fleet, one of the largest in the world, also includes former Navy destroyer HMAS Vampire, the submarine HMAS Onslow, the Australian Commando boat Krait, a pearling lugger from Broome, Western Australia, two historic yachts, a tug boat, a lightship, and a Vietnamese refugee boat. The museum also presents an ever-changing program of engaging temporary exhibitions, some produced by the museum and some imported from institutions across Australia and other parts of the world.

For more information visit www.anmm.gov.au.