A little over a week ago, Wednesday the 20th of November to be precise; I was a guest of the Australian Maritime Museum at the launch, the grand unveiling of their 2020 exhibition program - and it's a cracker! But first, on arrival guests joined small groups to take a short guided tour and learn a little of the history of the permanent collection - like '
Krait, a former Japanese fishing boat, took three teams of Commandos and their folding canoes to Singapore Harbour..' to devastating effect.
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| Vivienne nautically prepared for the launch of the 2020 program. |
We were then treated to drinks and some very fresh seafood which I believe was from sponsors like the Sydney Fish Markets which included oysters and that fab retro classic the prawn cocktail and as a nod looking forward to the Venice show.. perfect risotto balls. All really lovely so I thought I would share a few shots.
It was nice getting to talk with other guests, people from education, tourism, and even retail in the local darling harbour area. A pleasant group of people including museum staff who were more than happy to mingle too.
It was then of course time for the speeches, time to discover what the Australian Maritime muSEAum has in store for the coming year so we all headed inside; and there is quite a bit going on.
We learned that 2019 has been the best year for the museum on record with total visitation of 2.1 million across the museum and web platform. 32,007 students attended excursions on site, and the museum provided programs to 195,809 virtually.
But the museum does want you to visit in person and has already kicked off '
Sea Monsters, Prehistoric Ocean Predators'. From March to October the Museum will be hosting the very popular '
Wildlife Photographer of the Year' upping the show with the inclusion of large backlit display panels as used in the London exhibition. There will be the The biennial
Classic and Wooden Boat Festival - and more for photography fans, '
Capturing the Home Front' featuring photographs by Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake and Australian wartime photographers. There will also be activities such as the
Murder Mysteries!!! And a series of
Ocean Talks.
After the speeches guests were invited to view the '
Sea Monsters' exhibition which is blue lit in an under the water manner - nice! Vivienne from
White Caviar Life grabbed a shot of me passing through the rib cage of a giant sea creature and I managed a shot of her on a massive shell seat, or was it a giant squid like thing - in very blue light, so I made it into a black and white so Vivienne did not look too much like a monster from the deep!
All of which reminds me that I wore my official Gondolier's jumper, the only nautical dress item I own; to help celebrate the final show of 2020; Venice, the 'summer blockbuster spectacular will see the majestic and romantic, yet incredibly vulnerable
city of Venice come to life. Visitors will be invited to come explore the famous city’s inhabitants as they live, love, Carnevale, and deal with climate change – right on the edge of the Adriatic Sea.' I am really looking forward to that!
I do recommend having a look around the
website and subscribing to the updates on shows as there is much more on than these key events I've briefly mentioned. And I will sign off with a last shot from the night
and a shot of mine, a sailing boat on the Grand Canal of Venice. Thanks for dropping by, hope to see you all at the muSEAum in 2020.
Thank you to the Australian Maritime Museum for having me as a guest at the 2020 program launch https://www.sea.museum/
Telling Stories in Pictures all over..
Kent Johnson, Sydney, Australia.
0433 796 863
