The Australian National Maritime Museum has announced a year-long program of events and exhibitions to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Australian Navy in 2026, marking more than a century of service, sacrifice, and maritime innovation.
The Navy 125 program, running throughout 2026, will feature new exhibitions, major public events, national and international touring displays, and a landmark redevelopment of the museum’s naval pavilion.
The program aims to honour the Navy’s history while exploring its evolving role in the Indo-Pacific region.
Museum Director and CEO Ms Daryl Karp AM said the anniversary provides a powerful opportunity to reflect on the Navy’s contribution to Australia’s national identity and security.
“The 125th anniversary of the Australian Navy is a time to honour a history of service and sacrifice,” Ms Karp said. “We often immediately think of the Navy in terms of war and national security, and that is certainly true, but it is important to consider the broader role it plays in ocean security, environmental management, and disaster relief in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
“As the country’s museum of the sea, we are proud to bring these stories to life—past, present, and future—through exhibitions, programs and partnerships that connect Australians with their Navy in meaningful and compelling ways.”
The Navy 125 Exhibition will open on February 28, 2026, at the museum in Sydney. The exhibition will showcase the people, vessels, and pivotal events that have shaped the Australian Navy since its formation in 1901. Visitors will encounter stories of love, loss, vigilance, community, and sacrifice that define life in the Navy.
To coincide with the Navy’s official anniversary date, the museum will host a Navy 125 Open Day on March 1, 2026. The free event will invite the public to meet Navy personnel, explore naval vessels, hear stories of service, and participate in hands-on activities across the museum site.
The open day commemorates March 1, 1901, when the Australian Navy was formally established following Federation. Later in the year, the museum will unveil a major redevelopment — the Navy Pavilion Transformation — opening in December 2026.
The project will transform the museum’s popular Action Stations pavilion into a dynamic new space exploring the strategic, technological, and human dimensions of Navy operations in the Indo-Pacific.
The museum’s national and international touring program will also expand in 2026. The exhibition Dark Victory, which tells the story of the Krait and Operation Jaywick during World War II, will travel to several naval bases across Australia:
- HMAS Albatross – Fleet Air Arm Museum, Nowra: December 12, 2025 – April 1, 2026
- HMAS Creswell – Royal Australian Naval College: April 7 – July 11, 2026
- HMAS Cerberus – Heritage and Learning Centre: July 18 – October 4, 2026
- HMAS Stirling – Heritage and Learning Centre: October 10 – December 31, 2026
Other touring exhibitions include the Battle of the Coral Sea exhibition at the Townsville Maritime Museum, War and Peace in the Pacific 75 – Home Front at Jackson Barracks Military Museum in the United States, and Guardians of Sunda Strait at the Battleship New Jersey in Camden, USA. The museum’s Dark Victory – Operation Jaywick video will also be screened at the Changi Chapel & Museum in Singapore.
On October 27, 2026, the museum will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the launch of HMAS Vampire (II), one of its most popular attractions, with new research and a publication exploring the ship’s history and legacy.
Education will be a key focus throughout the year, with exhibitions and virtual excursions designed to help students across Australia explore the Navy’s history and its role in shaping the nation.
Additional activities and events will be announced as the anniversary year progresses.
For the latest updates, visit www.sea.museum.
