19 December – 1 February
More Play. More Fun. One Big Summer Festival.
With summer upon us, there’s a familiar, seasonal pull towards the water. The air is warmer, the days stretch longer, and the city starts to shimmer with the promise of holidays. This year, the museum captures that feeling, bringing the beach to the heart of the harbour with a program that celebrates sunshine, culture, and the simple pleasure of being in, on or by the water.
Inside the Lighthouse Gallery, The Beach beckons - an intergenerational, immersive playground that captures the spirit of the season. It’s bright, breezy, and full of surprises: digital storytelling, exhibition, play, and performance all come together to explore how the beach connects us, shapes our stories, and brings communities together. Visitors are invited to slow down, reflect, and get lost in a space that feels both nostalgic and new - a summer escape without leaving the city.
Early morning yoga and evening life drawing offer moments of calm reflection, while art and maker workshops/ and artist talks /invite everyone to imagine and create.
Ms Daryl Karp, Director and CEO said, ‘A Sydney summer is iconic and we have a created a program of activities that brings Australians’ love of the beach to Pyrmont both day and night. Expect fun for all ages, a place to escape and a place to play.’
Put aside the digital and be in the moment of imagination and creation. We have something for everyone.
Come and meet us between the flags!
HIGHLIGHTS
The Beach
Headlining the summer program is The Beach.
The Beach beckons to us all – we are creating an intergenerational, immersive playscape that captures the spirit of the season. It’s bright, breezy, and full of surprises: digital storytelling, exhibition, play, and performance all come together to explore how the beach connects us, shapes our stories, and brings communities together. Visitors are invited to pause, reflect, and get lost in a space that feels both nostalgic and new - a summer escape without leaving the city.
The Boatbuilding Bay
Boats are in the spotlight as we celebrate these icons of leisure and craftsmanship through play and imagination. Channel your inner shipwright and build your own miniature boat from LEGO® bricks. Be inspired by the museum's fleet or design a boat of your own creation. This hands-on creative space invites everyone to construct and display their custom vessels. Alongside the LEGO boat-building tables, model makers will demonstrate their craft and share insights into the art of boatbuilding.
Beach Flicks
From surf carnivals and family holidays to long afternoons by the sea, Australians have always been drawn to the beach. More than a destination, it’s a way of life - shaping stories, identities, and memories across generations. Beach Flicks presents free daily film screenings in The Theatre, celebrating how our coastline and its culture have inspired filmmakers to capture the spirit, beauty, and rituals of Australian beach life on screen.
Beach Bods Life Drawing
This summer, Gladdy Drawing Club brings a fresh twist to traditional life drawing with Beach Bods - a free playful, sun-soaked session inspired by Australia’s beach photography and art. Swap the studio for the shoreline as you sketch posed beachgoers, channelling the iconic compositions of Max Dupain and Anne Zahalka. Participants of all skill levels will explore form, posture, and personality through a distinctly Australian lens. All materials provided.
Beach Yoga
Start your morning with a peaceful free yoga session in The Beach — our indoor space of faux sand and sea. Move, breathe, and unwind to a soothing soundscape of waves, laughter, and the occasional gull. It’s the perfect way to begin the day, restoring body and mind in a serene, sunlit setting. Please wear comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat or towel.
LATES: The Beach Ball
The museum is transformed into an after-hours summer escape, bringing the mood of a beachside night to Pyrmont. Explore exhibitions at your own pace, catch live performances along the boardwalk, and join mermaid-led mini tours that reimagine the museum after dark. The Lighthouse Gallery becomes the Copacabana Club for one night only, with a dynamic lineup of music, movement, and beach-inspired storytelling.
Expect summery cocktails, relaxed beach games, in-gallery artmaking, film screenings, drawing sessions, and a giant foam sandcastle build. Ripples Café will be serving up all the beach classics - fish and chips, potato scallops, burgers with the lot, and retro ice-cream favourites.
Put on your surfwear, coconut bras, bucket hats and meet us on the sand at our city beach.
Plus much, much more - for details visit www.sea.museum
ENDS
For media enquiries please contact:
Alex Gonzalez e: [email protected] m: 0401 545 778
