MMAPSS 2026-27 Maritime Museum Administrator's Course Application

Before starting this application, please familiarise yourself with the MMAPSS Guidelines.

Funding of up to $3,000 is available to support accommodation and travel costs for staff and/or volunteers of eligible organisations to attend a week-long training course at the Australian National Maritime Museum.

The aim of this Course is to develop museological skills, share knowledge, make connections with colleagues, and grow a community of maritime museums and heritage organisations in Australia.

The Course is likely to be held 16th - 20th November 2026.

The Selection Committee will evaluate each course attendee application against the following selection criteria:

• Evidence of value and relevance to the applicant and the applicant’s organisation.
• Quality of the application in terms of its aims, objectives and rationale. 
• Evidence of applicant’s current skills, and skills to be achieved through the course.

MMAPSS will support applicants (staff or volunteers) from an organisation that: 

• Is an Australian, legally incorporated, not-for-profit organisation, such as a museum, historical society, or community based organisation.
• Is actively involved in collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Australia’s maritime heritage. 
• Has a collection that is accessible to the public.

MMAPSS will fund Course attendees who are staff or volunteers from organisations that:

• Protect, preserve, interpret and promote Australia's maritime heritage.
• Increase standards of practice for the care and management of maritime objects and/or collections of significance.

Your organisation's collection must include objects or interpretation that contributes to an understanding of Australia, its people, and developments which have influenced its maritime history.

Applicants must be Australian Citizens or Permanent Residents.

You may apply for more than one staff member or volunteer to attend the Course, but you must submit a separate application for each applicant.

Check the MMAPSS Guidelines to ensure your organisation meets the eligibility requirements. 

Please feel welcome to discuss your application with the MMAPSS Coordinator by calling 02 8241 8369 or emailing mmapss@sea.museum.

Successful applicants will attend the week-long Course as part of a group.

Final dates and schedule will take into account the needs of successful applicants, as well as the availability of ANMM staff and resources.

You can view an example program in a sample Course brochure here.

During the Course, participants must comply with all reasonable directions issued by the museum and conform to all existing policies, procedures and work practices including Work Health and Safety. Participants may also be required to provide a current Working With Children Check if the course program is identified to have a requirement to work with children.

• Applications open: 27th February 2026
• Applications close: 24th March 2026 (3:00pm AEDT)
• Applicants notified: May 2026
• Course dates: circa 16th-20th November 2026.
• Acquittals due: 30th April 2027

The 2026-27 MMAPSS grants cannot fund any expense occuring before 31 May 2026.

Notes on funding:

• Funding will be awarded to successful recipients as an indicative total amount, stated in a Letter of Offer.
• Part of this funding will be used by the ANMM to book accommodation for Course attendance.
• The remaining amount will be paid to the applicant's organisation, upon provision of an invoice.

If you would like more information about how the Australian National Maritime Museum uses and stores applicants' personal details, please read our privacy policy online.