Grants and awards

The museum’s grants program (known as the Maritime Museums of Australia Project Support Scheme or MMAPSS) offers funding to regional museums and organisations to help preserve or display objects of national and historical maritime significance.

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. 

We also run Biennial history prizes for publications that promote maritime history.

Entries now open for maritime history prizes

Writers, publishers and readers of maritime history are invited to nominate works for maritime history awards totalling $10,000, sponsored jointly by the Australian Association for Maritime History and the Australian National Maritime Museum. Nominations for the next round close on 31 March 2025.

See more

MMAPSS applications are currently closed. Please check this website in February for details of the 2025 round.

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.

If your museum or organisation has an object of significance you want to preserve or display then you may be eligible to apply for a grant of up to $15,000. 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. 

Group of women looking in white boxes in a conservation lab.
A man in a dark shirt standing in a lab

Applications will next open, February 2025

All non-profit, incorporated maritime museums and other eligible organisations are encouraged to apply. We also welcome joint applications from two or more eligible institutions. The grant funding may be used to supplement your other funding, including sponsorship.

More Information

If you have any questions about MMAPSS please contact the coordinator: 
Phone: +61 2 9298 3777
Email: mmapss@sea.museum

A man with grey hair and his back to the camera is pointing to the right. There are other people in the background wearing hats and sunglasses.

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.