During the winter I decided to start a series on our favourite places in Sydney.  Places we go and feel right at home.  Yesterday we visited one of those places with some friends – the Australian National Maritime Museum.  We are so lucky to have this gem of a museum right in our neighbourhood.  It is by far our favourite family membership.  You might not know just how much there is on offer there on a regular basis.  For starters, it serves as our playground on a rainy, cold  or miserably hot day.  There is a great new play area for little ones and always an interesting exhibit or two.  My kids have loved just wandering around the museum since they could walk.  The don’t ever seem to get tired of it! But Sundays are our favourite days when there is an arts and crafts room open called Kids on Deck.  We spend hours upon hours in that room.  My daughter could spend the whole day there and many times when I had a new bub she did!  It is contained, supervised by nice and helpful staff, and a great place to relax or catch up with another mum while your little one is amused and happy.   Kids on Deck also runs during the school holidays – a lifesaver!

And if that is not enough, the Museum brings in performance shows during Family Sundays and school holidays.  We always go more than once to the point my kids can recite the lines!  And if you don’t know about it, the Mini Mariners program is the best.  It is a special program for kids that runs on Tuesdays and some Saturday mornings.    It is free for members (such a great deal!) and lasts about 45 minutes.  We went so often that we got to know the staff and it is always so nice to go to a place where friendly people know your names.

So without any plans on Sunday we headed off to the Maritime Museum.  We were lucky in that it was Family Fun Sunday which means there was a great circus performance, face painting and of course Kids on Deck.  We watched the circus show where a fabulous trapeze artist entertained the crowd and then got all the little ones doing there own circus tricks.  Hula hooping seemed to be my daughter’s trick of choice. And of course we spent hours in Kids on Deck making light houses, fancy hats and badges.  The bonus was the face painting.  If my little ones are like yours, they are not leaving without an elaborate painting on their little cheeks.  All in all I think we were there about three hours and no one wanted to leave – except for the fact that lunch was calling.  And we didn’t even actually enter into the museum, tour the ships or climb the lighthouse.  There is that much to do!  It is also one of my favourite places to take photographs.  The boardwalk, city, water and sunshine – to die for!

It was such a great Sunday spent not very far from home. If you haven’t been to the Maritime Museum lately I encourage you to check it out soon!  Stay tuned for our next favourite place!

Follow me on Facebook to see the latest in our Favourite Kid Friendly Places series www.facebook.com/AllisonLeePhotography

I’d love to capture you enjoying your favourite Sydney places too!  Contact me to book your session