Daytime, clear sky: the museum's white stepped roofs seen across Darling Harbour, with the replica ship HMB Endeavour at the wharf in front and apartment towers behind.

Australian National Maritime Museum

2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour

Philip Cox with Richardson Taylor & Partners. 1986 to 1991. Contemporary.

Size
Over 25 m high on the west side
Material
White corrugated metal roof, dark glazing, a bronze Welcome Wall on the north side
Status
A national museum, open to the public

The museum was designed for the 1988 Australian Bicentennial as part of the redevelopment of Darling Harbour, which began in 1984. It missed that date and a later one of September 1989. It opened on 30 November 1991. The cost rose to $70 million, of which the Commonwealth paid $30 million and New South Wales $40 million.

The design is by Michael Rayner, who joined Philip Cox’s firm in 1980. Its high walls and diving roof forms were made to hold the masts of boats shown inside, and the wave-like roof steps down to the water’s edge.

The roof is at its highest on the west side and drops well away to the east. Later additions on the wharf include the Waterfront Pavilion by FJMT, a tube propped above the deck, with a turret whose projectors can throw images onto the original roof.

Sources

  1. Australian National Maritime Museum, Wikipedia
  2. Philip Cox, Wikipedia
  3. Australian National Maritime Museum, Dictionary of Sydney
  4. In shipshape: The Waterfront Pavilion, Architecture Australia
  5. Plan your visit, Australian National Maritime Museum