Teachers may use discretion in allowing younger siblings to accompany the group, provided that the program capacity limits and supervision ratios are not exceeded. Children under 5 years of age can enter the museum free of charge

We have a gift shop onsite with a range of souvenirs, books and other items. School groups are welcome to browse, time permitting, with adult supervision. Please note that our shop is cashless.

In the case of extreme heat, or otherwise unfavourable weather conditions (such as high winds), the Archie tour will be cancelled. Schools will be given the option of moving their excursion to another date or selecting another program on the day.

The South Australian Maritime Museum will remain open and is air-conditioned inside. Shared spaces for eating are outdoors, so please consider this if the weather is very hot.

Yes, we have an emergency management plan and all our visitor engagement staff are

trained in emergency evacuation procedures. In the event of an emergency, you should follow the directions of staff.

Yes, all our staff have their Working with Children Check and have completed training in Responding to Reports of Harm and Neglect – Education and Care.

You will be emailed after your visit with a link to a survey in which you can submit feedback on the education programs you participated in. If you have any other feedback on your experience at the museum, please call us on 8151 3260 or email maritime@history.sa.gov.au.

Once you have completed our booking request form, one of our team will reach out to you to confirm your booking. They will then create a schedule for your day and send through any necessary documentation, including risk assessments. An invoice will be sent after your visit.

The South Australian Maritime Museum is cashless. Schools can either pay on the day with a credit card or a tax invoice can be sent to the school for the cost of the visit.

We will only invoice for the number of people who visit on the day, so we do not issue invoices in advance of the visit. Please provide the school finance or administration email address for payment of the invoice.

Due to limited space, our education programs run in small rotating groups.  The maximum number of students that can be accommodated in a four-hour visit with three rotations is 90.  Larger school groups may need to plan their visit across multiple days.

Please note: tours on our historic vessel MV Archie Badenoch have a maximum capacity of 20 students and 4 adults.

Once a booking is made with us, we will create a schedule for your visit including recess and lunch breaks, which allows all students to participate in the chosen activities. This schedule is based on the programs and activities booked, staff availability, and whether other school groups are visiting that day. For this reason, it may be difficult to change the schedule on the day of your visit. We ask that you check your schedule prior to your visit, and ensure all staff and adults follow it to ensure your visit runs smoothly.

The museum doors open at 10am and most schools aim to leave around 2pm.

The museum is a 5-10 minute walk from the Port Dock railway station, and a 12-15 minute walk from the Port Adelaide railway station.

The South Australian Maritime Museum welcomes all visitors. The museum has an accessible toilet on the ground floor and lift access to all floors. Sensory bags for adults and children are available upon request. Guide dogs and assistance dogs are welcome.

Please note that the police launch MV Archie Badenoch is not wheelchair accessible.

Parking in Port Adelaide requires pre-planning.  Buses can park in the loading bay for embarking/disembarking on the corner of Divett and Lipson St, near the museum.  It is not recommended that buses plan to park in the Port area without prior arrangement.  Possible bus parking can be negotiated with the nearby Railway or Aviation museums, or Hart’s Mill.  Private cars can park in metered car parks in the streets surrounding the museum.

We want students to enjoy their visit, interacting appropriately with both exhibits and each other. Please ensure that students respect the shared space by using quiet voices, walking safely, staying with their group and following the instructions of their supervising adults. Objects on display should not be touched unless there is signage or a staff member permitting you to do so.

Please take special care when students are exploring the ketch, as there are potential fall and trip hazards. The ketch is not a play area, and students should be reminded not to swing on the ropes.

The SA government’s Camps and Excursions Procedure requires that the following minimum adult-to-child and young person ratios be adhered to:

• 1:6 for preschool to year 2
• 1:10 for years 3 to 6
• 1:15 for years 7 to 12

For some programs, additional adult support may be recommended to facilitate a smooth experience.

The SA Maritime Museum consistently receives more booking requests than we can accommodate. We operate on a tight schedule and endeavour to provide our education programs to as many students as possible. This requires careful planning and means that changes can be difficult to accommodate, particularly with short notice.

When bookings are changed by the client and the request can be accommodated by the program, there will be no charge. If we cannot change the booking, the rules for cancellation will apply.

The museum must be notified for all cancellations by calling us on 8151 3260.

Cancellations received within 10 working days of a program will incur an administration fee of 30% of the program cost. Cancellations received on the day of the program will incur the full cost of the visit. We follow the Department for Education’s policy on excursions and extreme weather. Fees will not be charged for cancellations in those circumstances.

Teachers are expected to remain actively engaged with their group and the program by staying off their phones where possible, as museum staff rely on teacher involvement. We recognise that occasional phone use may be necessary for communication with parents or school staff. We also ask teachers to refrain from using whistles in the museum.

Different programs will invite different types of student engagement. Teachers should take their lead on their supervision style from our visitor engagement officers. You may need to adjust according to the program you are attending.

Please call the museum as soon as possible on 8151 3260. We will do our best to accommodate you and adapt your schedule. Late arrivals may result in a shortened program or missed activities.

Food and drink are not permitted in any part of the museum. Suggested areas for gathering and eating include the tables outside the museum (under cover), or the shaded area adjacent to the lighthouse. In the case of wet weather or extreme temperatures, school groups can be accommodated inside the museum instead.