Arts, sport & collectionsStatutory authorityExists today
Australian National Maritime Museum
ANMM
1990 – present
National museum of Australia's maritime history at Darling Harbour, Sydney, holding the National Maritime Collection and a fleet of historic vessels.
How it came into existence
Established as a statutory authority by the Australian National Maritime Museum Act 1990, as the Commonwealth component of the Darling Harbour redevelopment begun for the Bicentenary; the museum opened to the public in November 1991.
Legislation: Australian National Maritime Museum Act 1990
Changes during its life
- November 1991Opened to the public at Darling Harbour, Sydney.
- 27 December 1991The Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories became the Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment and Territories when tourism moved to a separate department.
- 24 March 1993Moved with the arts functions to the Department of the Arts and Administrative Services.
- 30 January 1994Moved with the arts functions to the Department of Communications and the Arts.
- 21 October 1998Arts portfolio became the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.
- 3 December 2007Moved with the arts functions to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
- 14 September 2010Moved with the Office for the Arts to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
- 14 December 2011Moved with the Office for the Arts to the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.
- 18 September 2013Moved with the arts functions (Ministry for the Arts) to the Attorney-General's Department when the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport was abolished.
- 21 September 2015Moved with the arts functions to the Department of Communications and the Arts.
- 1 February 2020Moved with the arts functions to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.
Main functions
- development and care of the National Maritime Collection
- exhibitions and a fleet of historic vessels
- maritime history research and publications
- Australian Register of Historic Vessels
- public, education and outreach programs
Where it sits
In the portfolio of Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.
- Type of body
- Corporate Commonwealth entity
- Portfolio
- Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts
- Accountable authority
- ANMM Council – Australian National Maritime Museum Act 1990 sections 5 and 11 with reference to sections 21 and 36 notes (membership section 17)
- ABN
- 35 023 590 988
Lineage
Loading lineage…
Sources
Primary sources
- List of Commonwealth entities and companies under the PGPA Act, 1 July 2026 (Department of Finance)
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 11 December 2014 to the latest release (30 June 2026))