Endeavour back and open for inspection at ANMM

by Bill Richards on 13 Apr 2006 The Australian-built replica of Captain Cook’s ship Endeavour will be back on display at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, on Easter Saturday.

The ship arrived in Sydney yesterday (Wed, 12 April) having sailed to Melbourne for the Commonwealth Games and home again to Sydney.

'It was a tremendously successful voyage,' the museum Director, Mary-Louise Williams, said today.

'Some 7800 came on board in eleven days at Docklands in Melbourne and a further 2200 visited the ship in four days at Eden on the way home.

'This exceeded expectations and proved how popular the ship is… We certainly want to send it out on voyages to different ports on the Australian coast on a reasonably regular basis.'

The superbly detailed replica is a floating museum, presented as if Captain Cook and his crew had just walked off at some time during their historic 1768-771 voyage of exploration.

Visitors to the National Maritime Museum over Easter will also be able to see the hugely popular Vikings exhibition which has drawn artifacts and fascinating historical replicas from museums across Scandinavia and the UK.

The children’s activity area Viking Village will be offering programs from 10 am to 4 pm daily showing how these fearsome maritime warriors lived and ventured out across Europe. There will be opportunities to dress-up like Vikings, learn how to write Viking style, hear stories and watch films.
Entry to the museum’s exhibitions, including Vikings, is free. Admission is charged to the museum’s ships – the destroyer HMAS Vampire, submarine HMAS Onslow and Endeavour. Admission to Viking Village is $7 per child with adults free.

The Australian National Maritime Museum is open daily, 9.30 am to 5 pm. All inquiries (02) 9298 3777.