Teddy Time: Journeys at Sea
Teddy Time: Journeys at Sea – Launching Term 3
In Teddy Time, students bring their teddy or other stuffed toy to the museum to explore what it was like to travel to Australia by sea in the past.
The session begins with an interactive story time (featuring Opal from our animated Opal Wonders series) in which students are encouraged to ask questions about the past, sort information and use time language to compare travel long ago with travel today.
Students then bring their stuffed toys along in a series of play-based learning activities that represent life on board a ship in the past, including:
- preparing a meal from rations
- having a visit from the ship’s doctor
- getting ready for bed
- writing a postcard home
- playing deck games
Through discussion, sorting activities and collaborative play, students compare past and present travel, consider what a long sea journey may have felt like for travellers, and build early skills in historical thinking and communication.
Curriculum
Foundation History
- AC9HSFK01 – the people in their family, where they were born and raised, and how they are related to each other
- AC9HSFS01 – pose questions about familiar objects, people, places and events
- AC9HSFS02 – sort and record information including pictorial timelines and locations on pictorial maps or models
- AC9HSFS03 – share a perspective on information, such as stories about significant events and special places
Year 1 History
- AC9HS1K02 – continuity and change between aspects of their daily lives and their parents’ and grandparents’ childhoods
- AC9HS1S02 – collect, sort and record information and data from observations and from provided sources, including unscaled timelines and labelled maps or models
- AC9HS1S03 – interpret information and data from observations and provided sources, including the comparison of objects from the past and present
- AC9HS1S04 – discuss perspectives related to objects, people, places and events
Year 2 History
- AC9HS2K02 – how technological developments changed people’s lives at home, and in the ways they worked, travelled and communicated
- AC9HS2S01 – develop questions about objects, people, places and events in the past and present
- AC9HS2S02 – collect, sort and record information and data from observations and from provided sources, including unscaled timelines and labelled maps or models
- AC9HS2S03 – interpret information and data from observations and provided sources, including the comparison of objects from the past and present
- AC9HS2S04 – discuss perspectives related to objects, people, places and events
Booking Information
Term 3 bookings open June 1, 2026
Education at the Maritime Museum
The South Australian Maritime Museum offers a wide variety of onsite and online education programs encompassing a variety of year levels and learning outcomes. Located in the historic Port Adelaide precinct, the South Australian Maritime Museum preserves, explores and celebrates the human history of our oceans and rivers.
Renowned for its innovative approach to maritime history and education, the Museum incorporates the historic Bond Store with three levels of exhibitions, the Port Adelaide Lighthouse from South Neptune Island, and the much-loved steam tug, Yelta.
Where to next?
Combine your excursion with a self-guided tour of the museum
Frequently Asked Questions
How will the schedule for my visit be arranged?
Once a booking is made with us, we will create a schedule for your visit including recess and lunch breaks, which allows all students to participate in the chosen activities. This schedule is based on the program and activities booked, other school groups visiting that day, and staff availability. For this reason, it may be difficult to change this schedule on the day of your visit. We ask that you check your schedule prior to your visit, and ensure all staff and adults follow it to ensure your visit runs smoothly.
The museum doors opens at 10am and most schools aim to leave around 2pm.
Where can students gather for recess and lunch?
Food and drink are not permitted in any part of the museum. Suggested areas for gathering and eating include the tables outside the museum (under cover), or the shaded area adjacent to the lighthouse.
Is there somewhere to store bags?
There is a secure storage area across the road from the museum, where students can leave bags on shelves. We will show you the area on arrival and provide you with a key for easy access during your excursion. Please return the key before departing.
Is the museum wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the museum building is accessible via a lift to all levels and has an accessible toilet on the ground floor.
However, the police launch Archie Badenoch is not wheelchair accessible.
Where can we park while we visit?
Parking in Port Adelaide requires pre-planning. Buses are able to park in the loading bay for embarking/disembarking on the corner of Divett and Lipson St, near the museum. It is not recommended that buses plan to park in the Port area without prior arrangement. Possible bus parking can be negotiated with the nearby Railway or Aviation museums, or Hart’s Mill. Private cars can park in metered car parks in the streets surrounding the museum.
Check the Port Adelaide council information on parking here.
Do you have a hot weather policy?
If the temperature forecast on local news or the Bureau of Meteorology website the day before the excursion is 38 degrees or above, all port river cruises will be cancelled.
The South Australian Maritime Museum will remain open and is air conditioned inside. Shared spaces for eating are outdoors, so please consider this if the weather is very hot.
How do we pay?
The South Australian Maritime Museum is cashless. Schools can either pay on the day with a credit card or a Tax Invoice can be sent to the school for the cost of the visit.
We will only invoice for the number of people who visit on the day, so we do not issue invoices in advance of the visit. Please provide an appropriate email address for payment of the invoice.
Home School Visits FAQs
How much does it cost to visit the South Australian Maritime Museum?
Please see the list of pricing options for school excursions and programs above.
Please note, when a class or group consists of multiple age levels, our staff will modify the program to best suit the needs of the group. This may result in some information being too difficult or easy for some children.
Infants may enjoy participating in the Cat Trail exploration of the museum whilst the programs are taking place.
Where can we park while we visit?
Buses are able to park in the loading bay on the corner of Divett St and Lipson St, near the Museum. Private cars can park in nearby public carparks or metered parking spots. Check the Port Adelaide council information on parking here: https://www.cityofpae.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0028/413488/Map_PortAdelaideFreeParking.pdf.
Is there somewhere to store bags?
There is a secure storage area across the road from the Museum. Our staff will show you the area on arrival and provide you with a key for easy access during your excursion. Please return the key before departing.
Is there somewhere to have recess or lunch?
There is a covered seating area outside the Museum to use for breaks. In the case of wet weather or extreme temperatures, groups can be accommodated inside the Museum instead. The Port Admiral Hotel offers a lunch delivery service which can be arranged via Port Admiral Museum Lunches (jotform.com).
Is the Museum wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the Museum building is accessible via a lift to all levels and has an accessible toilet on the ground floor. However, the vessel Archie Badenoch is not wheelchair accessible.
Do you have an extreme weather policy?
If the temperature forecast the day before the excursion is 38 degrees or above, all Archie Badenoch cruises will be cancelled. The Museum will remain open and is air conditioned inside. Cruises will still run in the case of rain and light wind.
How do we pay?
The Museum is cashless. Families or groups can pay on the day via card or with the correct entry fee in cash. We are unable to provide change.
Are younger siblings allowed to accompany the school group?
Children under 5 can enter the Museum free of charge. To ensure all students benefit, we remind adult supervisors to use their discretion as to whether infants join an educational session such as Life on Board or Encounters.