At the height of Sydney summer, when the pull of the shoreline feels almost instinctive, the Australian National Maritime Museum is inviting Sydneysiders to come to the beach – not just as a place, but as a shared concept. The centrepiece of the museum’s summer program, The Beach, is part exhibition, part all-ages playscape – a gloriously Australian celebration of our beloved ocean-side spaces.
“The Beach invites us all to come together – gently – to reconnect with the coastal rituals that shape Australian life,” says museum Director and CEO Ms Daryl Karp AM. That gentle invitation carries extra weight this summer. Following the horror of December 14, the museum faced difficult conversations about whether to proceed. In the end, the decision was made to continue – not in spite of what happened, but because of it.
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“Our beaches are places of connection and belonging,” Karp says. “The shoreline has always been a place where we all meet – just open skies and shared sand – a place of joy, togetherness and shared fun.” In that spirit, The Beach reclaims the coast as a symbol of what binds us together, even when that sense of ease has been shaken.
Inside the museum’s Lighthouse Gallery, a distinctly Australian summer unfolds. Digital projections ripple across the walls, a breezy soundscape hums in the background, and interactive rockpools and a towering sandcastle (minus the sand) invite play.
Works by artists including Anne Zahalka, Max Dupain, Lola Ryan, Charles Meere and Ken Done capture the rhythms, rituals and sun-soaked joy of beach life, prompting visitors to consider how deeply the coast shapes our national identity. But this isn’t nostalgia without nuance. The Beach also acknowledges that the shoreline hasn’t always felt safe or welcoming for everyone, inviting Sydneysiders to reflect on inclusion, respect and shared responsibility.
Alongside the exhibition is a full program designed to bring people together: babies’ hour, family workshops, theatre performances, late-night events, yoga and life drawing, all rooted in the social rituals that play out along Australia’s coast.
Running until February 1, The Beach is a timely reminder that reclaiming the shoreline means recommitting to our community.
You can book tickets for The Beach here, and you can learn more about the summer program over here.
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