The SA Maritime Museum’s collection began in 1872 to preserve, explore and celebrate the human history of our oceans and rivers. It has become one of Australia’s great nautical collections; it is certainly the oldest. We invite you to explore.

At the museum

First Voyages: Exploring the southern coast charts a history of exploration from the Greek geographer Ptolemy's ancient speculation about an unknown south land, Terra Australis... Read more
Nicolas Baudin led an epic voyage, exploring Australia’s uncharted coasts from 1800 to 1804. It lead to the publication of the first complete chart of the continent, printed in... Read more
Image: Torrens Island Hospital kitchen
Torrens Island Quarantine Station was built in 1879 to stop passengers bringing diseases such as small pox into Adelaide. Today, the site is remarkably intact and evokes the... Read more
Image: ST Yelta
Yelta was launched at Sydney’s Cockatoo Island Dockyard in 1949. It is powered by a triple expansion steam engine that was built for a corvette during the Second World War but... Read more
First Voyages: Exploring the Southern Coast
Terre Napoléon - Land of Napoleon
Torrens Island Quarantine Station tour
Yelta steams again
What's on today ›

Sample Vintage Port Adelaide

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