Hello Sailor! SA Maritime Museum, Adelaide

During the recent Port Festival I popped into the South Australian Maritime Museum on Lipson Street, Port Adelaide.
During the Festival, the Museum was offering free entry to all visitors, so camera in hand, I joined the throng and shot some video footage of some of the many displays and exhibitions that can be seen there. But first, a bit of background may be in order.

Housed in the old port Bond Stores, the Museum showcases life on the waves from the early days of exploration to more idyllic times, as Australians developed a beachside culture that is envied around the world.

The Maritime Museum features exhibitions, ships models, interactive displays, an anchor from explorer Matthew Flinders’ ship HMS Investigator, a full sized replica ketch, the Active II, and the largest collection of ships figureheads in the southern hemisphere, among many other delights and maritime curiosities.

Located nearby at Queens Wharf visitors will also find the historic lighthouse from South Neptune Island, and the decommissioned steam tug, Yelta, both of which form part of the Museums extensive collection.

Here, appropriately enough, to the tune of the old sea shanty Bound For South Australia, is my quick tour of the South Australian Maritime Museum:

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More information:
Address:126 Lipson Street, Port Adelaide
Phone: (08) 8207 6255
Online: www.samaritimemuseum.com.au/
Open daily from 10am to 5pm (ex Christmas Day)

Admission:
Adult: $10 | Concession: $8 | Child: $4.50 | Family: $25 (2 adults & up to 5 children) Groups of more than 10 people: 10%discount, bookings essential
School Groups: $3.00 per student, bookings essential

South Australian Maritime Museum

~ Welcome to a world of explorers, uncharted waters, seafarers trading across heaving oceans, new migrants in search of a new life, and bold adventurers from many lands.

Step aboard some of the ships that carried them and explore a life-sized ketch that draws you back to the days of sail.

Admire the extensive collection of intricate model sailing ships, steamships and passenger liners.

Immerse yourself in the voyages that brought people to Australian shores as you experience life onboard an 1840s sailing ship. Then step into a third class cabin to feel what life onboard must have been like for thousands of migrants travelling to Australia from Europe and beyond.

You could even discover your own slice of history as you search through a database of migrants to find your own ancestors.

All this and more awaits you at the South Australian Maritime Museum in Port Adelaide.

The Museum is renowned for its innovative approach to maritime history and education. Its three floors of exhibits houses Australia’s oldest nautical collection started in Port Adelaide in 1872. Among the huge collection of iconic treasures is the anchor of the Investigator that carried the explorer Matthew Flinders to Australia. You will also find the largest collection of carved ships’ figureheads in the southern hemisphere.

In addition to all this, the Maritime Museum’s new and ever changing exhibitions cover every aspect of Australia’s maritime history. From stories of those who lived at sea and on shore, to the dolphins and marine ecosystems that contribute to Australia’s natural heritage.

The exhibitions also provide visitors with a hands-on experience, giving them opportunities to learn through discovery and adventure. The themes and displays cater for all age groups, and provide a unique experience for all the family.

Port Adelaide is home to the most urbanised dolphin pod in the world. The Maritime Museum runs Dolphin Spotting Cruises which provide a fantastic opportunity to see the Port River in the Museum’s heritage vessels.

South Australian Maritime Museum
Location:
126, Lipson Street
Port Adelaide
PH: (08) 8207 6255

Open daily (except Christmas Day)
10am to 5pm

Getting There:
Bus: from city routes 151 or 153
Train: to Port Adelaide station (then sort walk)