Maritime Museum Tasmania

30/10/2026

We’re suckers for a good exhibition… 🐙

And we’re particularly excited about our next one...

Our upcoming temporary show brings the extraordinary underwater photography of Matt Testoni into the Maritime Museum, taking visitors below through sunlit reefs and sandy seabeds into the darker depths of Tasmania’s marine world.

Opening Friday 20 November.

📷 by Matt Testoni

28/10/2026

We've actually sold all our physical copies of the latest Maritime Times, but you can find the digital version, along with all the previous issues here: https://www.maritimetas.org/heritage/maritime-times

27/10/2026

⚓ Ever wondered what it takes to safely guide vessels through Tasmania’s ports?

Join the Maritime Museum Tasmania for its November Lunchtime Talk with TasPorts’ Tasmanian Harbour Master, Mick Wall.

Mick will share stories from his maritime career and take a closer look at the safety, compliance and planning behind vessel transits through the Tasman Bridge.

📅 Tuesday, 3 November
⏰ 12 pm–1 pm
📍 Royal Society Room, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

Read more and reserve your spot below ⬇

Join us at TMAG for our November Lunchtime Talk with TasPorts' Tasmanian Harbour Master, Mick Wall.

21/10/2026

We’re open for tomorrow’s local public holiday, drop in and say ahoy!

18/10/2026

Last Friday a group of Museum volunteers and members joined a guided tour of Parliament House.

The tour traced the building’s history from its early days as a Bond Store through to its current role as the home of Tasmania’s Parliament.

After visiting both chambers, we headed downstairs to the museum in the original Bond Store rooms beneath Parliament House. It holds an impressive collection covering the history of the building and Tasmanian politics through the decades.

Thanks to Parliament House staff for hosting us!

08/10/2026

04/10/2026

Hobart’s sailing season officially got underway over the weekend, with yachts and vessels gathering on the Derwent for the traditional opening sail past.

Westward was among them, taking part with our volunteer crew aboard. The annual event brings together Hobart’s sailing community to mark the start of another season on the water, and it’s always a good sight to see the river filled with boats.

Built in 1947, Westward has been part of Tasmania’s sailing history for almost 80 years, and loves an opportunity to get out and get some wind in the sails! ⛵️

02/10/2026

School holidays start tomorrow! The Maritime Museum is open every day and is a fantastic place to while away an hour while exploring the galleries.

We're still showing David Neilson's 'Antarctica is Melting', a photographic display of the landscapes of the deep south. Spot penguins, seals and seabirds in the vast icy spaces of Antarctica and see how the area is evolving over time.

01/10/2026

The Lake Illawarra Tasman Bridge disaster: how it happened.

After visiting the Museum earlier this year, video animator Rod Clifton felt the story of the 1975 collision of Lake Illawarra with the Tasman Bridge could be told more clearly through an animated simulation.

Using official reports on the disaster, Rod created and generously donated a video reconstruction showing how Lake Illawarra approached and struck the bridge on the night of 5 January 1975.

The collision claimed 12 lives and led to changes in the management of large vessels on the River Derwent.

The animation is now showing in our ground floor gallery beside the model of the Tasman Bridge, helping visitors understand how the collision unfolded and how lessons from maritime disasters can shape the practices that follow.

Can't get to the Museum? You can now watch Rod’s animation in full online here:

On 5 January 1975, the bulk carrier Lake Illawarra struck the Tasma...

30/09/2026

How did Europeans begin to piece together the shape of Australia?

Join author Ian Burnet next Tuesday for a Lunchtime Talk exploring the early Dutch voyages of discovery and the creation of the remarkable Tasman Map.

Between 1606 and 1644, Dutch navigators charted large sections of Australia’s northern, western and southern coasts. Ian will trace these voyages through the Indonesian archipelago and the Dutch East India Company, culminating in Abel Tasman’s expeditions of 1642 and 1644.

Ian has spent more than 30 years living, working and travelling throughout Indonesia and is the author of several books exploring the maritime connections between Australia, Indonesia and the wider region.

Tuesday 6 October
12:00pm
Royal Society Room, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Free, but bookings are essential

Places are still available, so book now and join us next week: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/lunchtime-talks-series-ian-burnet-the-tasman-map-tickets-2000907541319?aff=oddtdtcreator

Our Lunchtime Talks are supported by Arts Tasmania.