MMAPSS
Maritime Museums of Australia Project Support Scheme
The museum’s grants program offers funding to regional museums and organisations to help preserve or display objects of national and historical maritime significance.
The MMAPSS program has two streams: Funding for projects, and funding for participants to attend a week-long course. Read on for information about project funding, or see below to learn more about the Maritime Museum Administrator’s Course.
Applications for the 2025-26 round of MMAPSS funding are open until 3pm Tuesday 25 March 2025.
Many cultural institutions around the country care for maritime items of historical and national significance. The museum supports and encourages efforts to conserve and display unique local objects for today’s audiences and future generations.
It also supports staff or volunteers, from remote or regional organisations, to spend time learning specific skills and making valuable connections.
“The MMAPSS funding has been absolutely vital is completing this project. As a small regional collection we have a small budget [and] this funding has allowed us to think creatively about one of our most significant collection items.”
Portland Maritime Discovery Centre
Since 1995, the scheme has given over $2.53 million in support of over 551 projects and over 85 museological training opportunities to organisations in Queensland, New South Wales (including Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands), Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
If your museum or organisation has an object(s) of significance you would like to preserve or display, you may be eligible to apply for a grant of up to $15,000. You may also be eligible for in-kind (non-cash) support from the Australian National Maritime Museum, where expert staff can be engaged to assist you.
Wondering whether your project can be funded? See the ‘past recipients’ link below, for information on projects previously funded by MMAPSS. You are also welcome to contact the MMAPSS Coordinator on 02 8241 8369 or mmapss@sea.museum.
Funding is provided by the Australian Federal Government, and the Australian National Maritime Museum.
The scheme gives grants to projects that fall into one of these categories:
- Collection management (registration, documentation and storage)
- Conservation (preservation, vessel restoration, conservation work/treatments and professional assessments)
- Presentation (research, development of exhibitions, establishing interpretative displays and workshops)
- Development of relevant education or public programs which make collections more accessible to audiences
- Museological training for paid or unpaid workers of not-for-profit organisations caring for Australia's maritime collections.
Maritime Museum Administrators’ Course
Funding of up to $3,000 is available to support the accommodation and travel costs of staff and/or volunteers to participate in a week-long training course to develop museological skills and knowledge to increase standards of practice for the care and management of maritime collections.
Click here to read an example course brochure. This brochure does not include confirmed details of the 2025 program, but shows the types of activities successful applicants will participate in.
“To have the opportunity to take part in this funded course has been invaluable. I cannot imagine anywhere else I could have received such an amazing experience, so educational and so enlightening.”
Karyn Bugeja, Amazon 1863 Project
Applications are open until 3pm Tuesday 25 March 2025.
Frequently asked questions
Exterior of Batemans Bay Heritage Museum. The Clyde River and Batemans Bay Historical Society received MMAPSS funding in 2023 to implement a concept site plan, as part of a collections pivot from general local history to focusing on maritime and coastal heritage.
The Geelong Naval and Maritime Collection. In 2023, The City of Greater Geelong received MMAPSS funding to conduct a Preservation Needs Assessment on the storage and housing of its nationally-significant maritime collections.
Cheynes IV, a whaling vessel on display at Albany's Historic Whaling Station. From 2016 to 2024, this museum received MMAPSSS funding and ANMM in-kind support to develop and deliver an enhanced exhibitions program, digitise key items in its collection, and expand its oral history collection.
A close-up of Old Tom, an orca whose skeleton is displayed at the Eden Killer Whale Museum. This museum has received MMAPSS funding across multiple rounds to support the conservation, rearticulation, and display of Old Tom.
Vessels sailing off Coal Point in Lake Macquarie, circa 1935. Lake Macquarie City Council received MMAPSS funding in 2017 to develop interpretive content at their foreshore promenade.
MMAPSS Administrator's Course participants getting hands-on with sailing vessels at the Australian National Maritime Museum.
Past recipients
See the full list of recipients to receive MMAPSS funding over the past 10 years, organised by year and state.
More Information
If you have any questions about MMAPSS please contact the coordinator:
Phone: +61282418369
Email: mmapss@sea.museum
The Maritime Museums of Australia Project Support Scheme is funded by the Australian Government through the Australian National Maritime Museum and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.
