Pakistan Maritime Museum was established to promote awareness about maritime heritage in general public. Displays of artifacts in open air, as well as inside the museum building is based on modern concept of presentation and interactive education. It updates the visitors about maritime history and gives detailed account of various aspects of national heritage. The museum is spread over 18 acres of land. The museum has a main building, which covers an area of 50,000 sq ft and 15 acres of land around building is aesthetically landscaped with largest exhibits.

The museum building is consist of three floors and has six galleries, one auditorium of 60 seats capacity, a library, an archive centre, a history cell and exhibits including vintage equipment, painting, dioramas and murals depicting maritime heritage and Pakistan Navy achievements on national level. In different galleries, computer interactive kiosks have been provided to the visitors for instant access to detailed information on displays.

The open air of the museum is a large expense of space which has been designed for entertainment, relaxation and amusement through public interaction. The lake is an essential element of the museum and generates an important maritime atmosphere within the premises.

The exhibits in the lake such as minesweeper ship (Ex-PNS MUJAHID), historic submarine (Ex-PNS/M HANGOR), Ex-CNS barge and midget submarine also enhance its grace.

The other main outdoor exhibits includes replica of the Manora light house, Atlantic aircraft, different caliber vintage guns, old generation torpedoes, saluting gun & coffin carriers of Quaid-e-Azam and Liaquat Ali Khan.

Maritime history gallery is the first gallery and exhibits of the gallery display regional history of seafaring in our region highlighting important events which imposed permanent scars on the history of this region from third century BC to Talpur period. The main exhibits of the gallery includes dioramas on Indus valley civilization, large painting depicting Muhammad Bin Qasim forces taking siege of Deybal, ancient maps and the gallery showcases are also decorated with maritime related exhibits.

The Pakistan Navy gallery is the second gallery of this floor. The gallery displays includes murals, paintings and exhibits depicting Pak Navy’s heritage and landmark achievements. The showcases of the gallery are decorated with vintage equipment, model of PN ships, sub-marines, aircrafts, arms & ammunitions and different devices used onboard Ex-PN ships. A space has also been designated for displaying of the events and achievements of Antarctica expeditions for setting of research station at Antarctica Continent. A corner of the gallery has been dedicated to exhibits donated by Cowasjee family depicting contributions of the family in the field of seafaring of our country.

Karachi Harbour gallery is the third gallery on the floor and as the name implies the harbour gallery depicts information and charts displaying facts concerning Karachi Harbour. In the gallery, one of the wall is decorated with the charts depicting the harbour through ages. A painting of Manora Island gives a visual view of the light house and Manora Fort on the Island. The diorama of traders of the east, ropery and vintage lantern are its main exhibits.

The Karachi Harbour gallery leads into aquarium gallery, which is the fourth gallery on the floor. The wall of the gallery is adorned with a ravishing ceramic mural made by Masood Kohari. The mural depicts in abstract the underwater sea life. It is flanked on both sides by fresh water aquariums of large size having fish of different species. There are also twelve small aquariums on the boarder of the gallery, each containing a specific type of fish fauna.

Fifth gallery of the museum, starts after corridor, is dedicated to the former chiefs of Pakistan Navy depicting photographs, personal belongings, articles of uniform, gifts and mementoes received by them on various occasions and visits. The photographs on the wall of the gallery depict their official commitments. A brief signage about their achievements is also displayed inside each showcase. The other important exhibits in the gallery showcases are commissioning orders of PN units, crockery used by Quaid-e-Azam in 1948 at PNS DILAWAR. Correspondence letters of Quaid-e-Azam and president Ayub Khan. One corner of the gallery is dedicated to the father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam under heading of “The Quaid and the Navy” displaying the long association of the Quaid-e-Azam with Pak Navy.

A substantial space has been created for scientific gallery. This is the sixth and the last gallery of the museum. The exhibits of the gallery are specially designed for learning scientific knowledge through working models of different appliances based on simple scientific principles.