Parents’ survival guide

Opening hours

Every day 9.30 am - 5.00 pm (6.00 pm in January). We are closed 25 December (Christmas Day).

What's on

Check daily tour times, events and activities, and get details and directions, on the interactive touch screen in the museum foyer or visit our What's On guide. The museum also runs special kids' activities:

• Family Fun Sundays (ages 5-12 years)
• School holiday activities (ages 5-12 years)
• Mini Mariners (ages 2-5)

Ticket prices

Entry to the museum is free and includes all museum permanent exhibitions, special exhibitions, Maritime Heritage Centre at Wharf 7, the North Wharf and marina to view the small fleet of historic vessels, Cape Bowling Green lighthouse and family films on Sundays and school holidays. Buy your tickets from our ticket desk in the entrance foyer.

• Vessel tours ticket prices and group discounts
• Children's activities ticket prices

Footwear

Visits involve plenty of walking and boarding vessels, so wear comfortable shoes.

On board our vessels

• Last boarding on vessels is 50 minutes before closing.
• All backpacks and large bags must be stored at the museum cloakroom prior to boarding.
• Children under five years have free entry to all our vessels. Children under 90 centimetres tall are not permitted to board the HMB Endeavour replica or submarine HMAS Onslow.
• Children 12 years and under must be accompanied by an adult on board all vessels.
• Our vessels include confined spaces. Some areas are only 1.5 metres (4 feet 6 inches) high.
• You will be required to climb and descend ladders on all vessels.
• High-heeled shoes are not permitted on board any vessels.
• On-board access for people with special needs is limited. Please visit our access guide or phone +61 2 9298 3777 for more information.

Prams and strollers

Strollers may be left at the free cloakroom near the museum entrance. The museum is accessible to strollers and prams via ramps and lifts. Please see our access guide for more info.

Babycare

Yots café offers bottle warming for diners. There are unisex babycare facilities near the entry foyer and on the lower level.

Food and drink

Children are welcome at Yots café, where you can warm bottles and use highchairs. Yots has a children's menu, great pram access, vegetarian options and delicious meals for parents too! An adjoining kiosk offers sandwiches, light snacks and drinks. Please note that Yots waterside access is unfenced. See our eating and drinking guide for details.

Brought your own lunch? Check the map of Darling Harbour to locate one of the many grassed or waterside areas suitable for a picnic.

Food and drink cannot be consumed in the museum or on museum vessels so take advantage of one of the lovely waterside seating areas around Darling Harbour for a food break.

First aid or lost children

Please go to the Information Desk in the entrance foyer.  

Kids' activities at the museum

 Family Fun Sundays

For ages: 5-12
When: Sundays
Time: 11.00 am - 3.00 pm
Cost: $7.00 per child or free with any purchased ticket. Adults and members free  
No booking required

Join the family fun every Sunday during school term. Themed activities include craft, stories, games, puzzles and dress-ups. You don't need to book - just collect your ticket from the front desk and check the location on the What's On board in the museum's main foyer. There are Kids on Deck signs throughout the museum to steer you in the right direction. During busy times, we hold hourly sessions and issue a session ticket when you arrive in the Kids on Deck area.

More information and current activities

 School holiday activities

For ages: 5-12
When: Sundays during school holidays
Time: Hourly programs, 10.00 am - 4.00 pm
Cost: $7.00 per child or free with any purchased ticket. Adults and members free
Bookings required for groups only

Keep your children entertained during school holidays with a packed program of activities themed to complement a museum exhibition. There are activities in the Kids on Deck area and children's films each school holidays. During busy times, we issue a session ticket when you arrive in the Kids on Deck space. For information on the day's session, including location, see the What's On board in the museum foyer.

More information, current program and group bookings

 Mini Mariners

For ages: 2-5
When: Tuesdays during school term
Time: 10.00 am - 10.45 am and 11.00 am - 11.45 pm
Cost: $7.00 per child. Adults, members and under-2s free
Bookings essential: Phone +61 2 9298 3655 or email bookings@anmm.gov.au

Come join the rollicking fun of Mini Mariners! Every Tuesday during term, mini mariners and their parents/carers go on an interactive gallery tour with a costumed guide. Then it's play time in our activity area, with craft, games, books, dress-ups and story time to finish. The theme for Mini Mariners changes each month.

More information and current program

The Store

Take a little bit of us home with you. The museum Store has stacks of booty for little pirates, educational toys, DVDs, books, soft toy animals and heaps more.

Birthday parties

Fully themed children's birthday parties are led by a costumed party host. These parties include party food, games and prizes, take-home bags, helium balloons and a birthday cake. A highlight of our two-hour parties is a tour of HMAS Vampire. For bookings and enquiries, contact www.lanabananafun.com.au.

If you want to organise your own party, there are always lots of fun things to do at the museum. We offer a group discount and discounted all day parking at Harbourside parking ($12.00 per day). The museum's café Yots offers special birthday party catering. For more information about birthday parties at the museum, phone +61 2 9298 3655.