We acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander custodians of the land and sea throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past and present.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples please be aware this website includes images and names of deceased people.
He watches a ship sail over the horizon. Shortly, an encounter between two peoples will take place. Neither this man nor those on the ship could imagine the impact their meeting will have.
This is the Endeavour story.
2020 marks the 250th anniversary of the Endeavour’s voyage along the east coast of Australia – part of James Cook’s first Pacific voyage.
It is a time to explore the Endeavour voyage and its legacy.
A range of events and activities will mark the anniversary across the country.
Take a virtual tour of replica ship, HMB Endeavour—the vessel James Cook sailed on his first Pacific voyage. Explore each deck of the ship and learn what life was like on-board.
Visit the new gallery that explores the story of navigation and voyaging around Australia. From the observation of the transit of Venus, to the importance of the night sky in Torres Strait Islander navigation and voyaging – planets and stars unite the long history of all navigators around Australia.
Image: Constellation by Gail Mabo, 2014. © Gail Mabo / Licensed by Copyright Agency, 2019 ANMM Collection 00054564
See this series of works that questions who really ‘discovered’ Australia while making reference to what was always here, what has been introduced and the impact it had on who was already here.
Image: Undiscovered #9. © Michael Cook, ANMM Collection 00054256, reproduced courtesy of the artist and Andrew Baker Art Dealer, Brisbane and licenced for use by the Museum
The exhibition may be closed but you can still follow James Cook’s three remarkable Pacific voyages online. With a number of key elements available online you can navigate and explore through the eyes of the British voyagers and the First Nations peoples they met.
Take a journey through this exhibition by the National Museum of Australia, where you will hear stories from the sea and the shore.
When the Endeavour arrived in 1770, a great many People already lived here. They made up different nations, with sophisticated knowledge systems.
Explore learning resources on the voyage of the Endeavour and its impact.
On board the Endeavour - Explore what it was like to live in the cramped below-deck quarters, including what a typical daily diet was for different
First contact - Find out more about what happened during first contact between the Endeavour crew and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Austral
From the shore - Explore the experiences and lifestyles of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples prior to and at the time of the arriva
A picture tells a thousand words - Analyse and compare images of Cook over time including artworks of First Australians.
Hints and secret instructions - Examining the motives, actions and impact of Cook's decision to 'take possession' of Australia.
Some of the Endeavour 250 events and activities planned to mark the anniversary have been cancelled or postponed in response to official medical advice on coronavirus (COVID-19).
Where possible, online material is being offered in place of activities – to provide an opportunity for all Australians to reflect on our past, get a greater insight into the experiences of Indigenous Australians, James Cook and the Endeavour and all of the factors that have shaped our modern, diverse and vibrant nation.
Exploring vast oceans and uncharted lands, James Cook was known for his seamanship, leadership and cartographic skills