The museum was established by the Australian National Maritime Museum Act 1990 (No 90 of 1990), where its functions and powers are set out. The legislation history is published as End Note 3 in the reprint of the Act on the website legislation.gov.au.

The Act was amended in 1992 (Act No 118); 1993 (Act No 17); 1997 (Acts No 1 and 152); 1999 (Acts No 146 and 156); 2001 (Act No 159); 2005 (Act No 110); 2006 (Act No 101); 2011 (Acts No 5 and 46); 2014 (Act No 62); 2015 (Acts No 36, 126 and 164) and 2016 (Act No 61).

The Australian National Maritime Museum Regulations 2018 were made and registered on 14 September 2018 (F2018L02194). The Regulations replaced the Australian National Maritime Museum Regulations 1991.