Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre

Established	2005
Location	Garden Island, Sydney
Type	Maritime Museum

The Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre is a cool museum about the Royal Australian Navy. It's a maritime museum, which means it focuses on ships and sea history. The centre opened on October 4, 2005. You can find it at the northern end of the Garden Island naval base in Sydney.

Right now, the museum is temporarily closed. This is because the public ferry area is being updated.

People have wanted a museum like this for a long time! Back in 1922, Vice Admiral Sir William Creswell first suggested creating a place to show off the Navy's amazing history. Since then, many people have tried to make a top-notch naval museum.

The idea for the Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre really took off in 2001. That's when the Navy decided to study how its past could help the Navy today. A big idea from this study was to create a place where the public could see the Naval Heritage Collection (NHC). This collection has over 250,000 items! The museum's goal is to show these items and share stories about Australia's naval experience.

Awesome Exhibits to Explore
Gallery
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Awesome Exhibits to Explore

The RAN Heritage Centre building, at the northern end of Garden Island

The Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre has many interesting exhibits. They help you learn about life in the Navy and important historical events.

The Professions of Navy

This big display shows how Navy people have done their jobs at sea over the years. It explains how different roles and jobs in the Navy have changed and grown.

The Periscope

Get ready for a unique experience! This exhibit has a real, working submarine periscope. You can look through it and see an amazing view of Sydney Harbour. It's like being in a submarine yourself!

Naval Technology and Ordnance

This section shows how the Navy has used technology for fighting at sea. You'll see cool tools like special instruments for navigation and aiming guns. There are also examples of naval weapons, from shells and torpedoes to modern guided missiles.

The Battle of Sydney

This exhibit tells the story of a famous event. It focuses on the Japanese midget submarines that attacked Sydney Harbour on May 31 and June 1, 1942. You can see parts of one of these submarines. There's also the "Boom Boat" that first warned everyone about the attack. An interactive video helps you understand what happened.

In Which We Serve

This large display shows items that tell stories about famous Australian ships and their battles. You'll see things from the early days of the Navy, the First and Second World Wars, the Cold War, and even more recent operations in the Persian Gulf.

Boats and Dockyards

The old 1913 Boatshed is now a special gallery. It displays items related to small boats and Australian dockyards, especially Garden Island.

A Sailor's Life For Me

This main exhibit is on the top floor of the workshop building. It gives you a great introduction to what life is like for a sailor at sea. You can see a mock-up of a mess deck from World War II. This is where sailors ate and relaxed. The display also shows items highlighting Navy traditions and pastimes.

The Bridge

Imagine being on a warship! This exhibit is a mock-up of an open bridge from a Battle-class destroyer. It's one of the most interactive displays. You can use real equipment from 50 years ago. It helps you understand what happens on a warship's bridge when it's at sea.