Museums
INDEX A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ARMADILLO AIR & NAUTICAL MUSEUM
Military history. 5 Hunter Street, Mona Vale, NSW 2103. Phone (02) 9999 2662.
ARMS OF AUSTRALIA MUSEUM
Military history. Cnr Gt Western Hwy & Gardenia Ave., Emu Plains
ARMY ENGINEER MUSEUM
Military history. Moorebank Ave., Moorebank NSW 2170. Phone (02) 9600 4975
THE ARMY MUSEUM
Military history. Victoria Barracks, Oxford Street, Paddington. Open Thurs. & alternate Sun 10.00 am - 3.00 pm. Traces the story of Australia's military.
The construction of this military barracks as a home for the 11th Regiment was the catalyst that opened up Paddington as a residential area. Cottages for the workmen who built the barracks were erected over the road from the barracks on land originally granted to the Australian Subscription Library by Governor Darling. They were the first dwellings in the area.
The late Georgian style barracks itself, which is widely acknowledged as one of the best examples of a military barracks in the world, is the work of Colonial Engineer, Lieutenant Colonel George Barney. Its construction was executed by a mix of convicts and skilled freemen, and utilised sandstone quarried on the site. Formerly a wasteland of windblown sandhills, this site was chosen for the barracks above others considered, including Cleveland Paddocks, now occupied by Central railway Station, as it was on the outskirts of town and was on the route of Busby's Bore, the two access shafts to the tunnel within the compound providing an adequate water supply for the troops stationed there. Colonel Barney's team of stonemasons included men who he had employed in the construction of the tunnel four years earlier.
AUSTRALIAN AVIATION MUSEUM
Technological history. Starkie Drive, Bankstown Airport. Telephone: (02) 9791 3088 Fax: (02) 9791 3197. Open 10.00am to 4.00pm Saturday, Sunday & Wednesday.
Home to a wide range of aircraft and aviation artifacts, many aircraft in fact were manufactured at Bankstown Airport, including Tiger Moths, Mosquito Bombers, Drovers and Vampires. Included are a number of rare aircraft, such as the world's only Fawcett 120 (also manufactured at Bankstown) and a Harley Newman Gyrocopter which has never flown. Artifacts include a complete Radio Set from a Lancaster Bomber, Navigational Sextants, a Drift Sight from a Beaufighter, Silk Aircrew Tropical Escape Maps, a unique Trouser Button Compass and a number of historic military and commercial aviation uniforms. A unique item is a Leather Flying Coat once worn by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith.
AUSTRALIAN CAKE AND SUGAR ART MUSEUM
Social history. Unit 1 21 Madeline Street, South Strathfield NSW 2136. Phone (02) 9525 4295
AUSTRALIAN FISHING MUSEUM
Social history. 45 Murray Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009. Phone (02) 9384 8100
AUSTRALIAN HERITAGE FLEET
James Craig Road, Rozelle Bay. Phone (02) 9298 3888.
Maritime history. A fleet of historical vessels associated with Sydney and New South Wales.
AUSTRALIAN HISTORY MUSEUM
Social history. Macquarie University, North Ryde.
THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM
Natural history. 6 College Street, Sydney. Phone (02) 9320 6000. Recorded information 0055 29408. Open daily 9.30 am - 5.00 pm. Australia's oldest museum, its collection focuses on natural history. Colonial architect Mortimer Lewis designed this impressive sandstone building, however its rising cost to a level well above its budget led to his resignation both as Colonial Architect and supervisor of this building project. James Barnet finally finished the task in 1868.
THE AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY MUSEUM
Natural history. University of Sydney.
AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MUSEUM
Social history. 30 Alma Street, Paddington NSW 2021. Phone (02) 9360 9290
BALMAIN WATCH HOUSE
Social history. 179 Darling Street, Balmain. Open Sat. 12.00 - 3.00 pm or by appointment
Photographic history of the development of the Balmain peninsula, housed in Sydney's oldest extant lock-up.
BARE ISLAND FORT
Military History. Bare Island, LaPerouse. Phone (02) 9311 3379
Built in 1885 as part of Sydney's defence strategy. Badly designed and built, its use as a military fort was short-lived.
BRETT WHITELEY STUDIO MUSEUM
Social history. 2 Raper Street, Surry Hills NSW 2120. Phone (02) 9225 1881. Open Sat & Sun 10.00 am - 4.00 pm.
Located in his former studio, the museum and art gallery celebrates the life and work of Sydney artist Brett Whiteley.
BRISLINGTON
Historic home - social history. Grounds of Parramatta Hospital, Cnr George & Marsden Streets, Parramatta. Open every Sunday and last Thursday of every month but January 10.00 am - 4.00 pm. phone (02) 9635 0333
The oldest house in the inner city of Parramatta, its displays tell the story of medical and nursing history in the colony of NSW.
THE BUS & TRUCK MUSEUM OF NSW
Social history. 1b Gannon Street, Tempe, NSW 2044. Phone (02) 9558 1234
The story of road public transport in Sydney.
CADMAN'S COTTAGE
Social history. George Street, Circular Quay.
Former boatman's cottage from the 1820s, now houses an information office of the National Parks & Wildlife Service.
CAMDEN AIRCRAFT MUSEUM
Technological history. Camden Airfield, 11 Stewart Street, Narellan NSW 2567. Phone (02) 9529 4169. Open Sundays.
CAPTAIN COOK'S LANDING PLACE DISCOVERY CENTRE
Social history. Captain Cook Drive, Kurnell. open Mon - Fri 11.00 am - 3.00 pm; Sat & Sun 10.00 am - 4.00 pm.
Celebrates the discovery of the east coast of Australia by Captain Cook and the exploits of Cook and Sir Joseph Banks at Botany Bay in 1770, as well as focusing on the natural history of Botany Bay's wetlands area. Nearby is the beach where Captain James Cook and botanists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander and the crew of HMS Endeavour landed on 29 April 1770.
CARISBROOK HISTORIC HOMESTEAD
Historic home - social history. 334 Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove. Open Wed, Thurs & public holidays 11.00 am - 4.00 pm, Sat & Sun 1.30 pm - 4.00 pm. Phone (02) 9428 1364.
Sandstone house, typical home of the wealthy of the 19th century. Furnished with period furniture, beautiful garden.
CARSS COTTAGE MUSEUM
Social history. Carss Park, Kogarah Bay. Phone (02) 9546 7314
Sandstone cottage, built in 1863 by the family of William Carss, a leading furniture builder of colonial Sydney. It houses family and local history displays.
CENTENNIAL BAKERY MUSEUM HURSTVILLE
Social history. 319 Forest Road Hurstville NSW 2020. Phone (02) 9580 4040.
CHRISTMAS MUSEUM
Gallery Nativity House, 136- 146 Garfield Rd Horsley Park, NSW 2164. Phone (02) 9620 1218
THE CHASE MUSEUM
Historic home - social history. 5 Chester Road, Turramurra. Phone (02) 9402 5465
CHRISTMAS MUSEUM-GALLERY
Social history. Nativity House, 136 Garfield Road, Horsley Park NSW 2164. Phone (02) 9620 1218.
THE CLYDE BANK COLLECTION
Historic home - social history. 53 Lower Fort Street, The Rocks NSW 2000. Open daily 10.00 am - 5.00 pm. Phone (02) 9247 6008.
Four terrace houses circa 1884, decorated and furnished as they would have been a century ago.
COLONIAL HOUSE MUSEUM
Historic home - social history. 53 Lower Fort St, The Rocks NSW 2000. Phone (02) 9247 6008.
The Colonial House Museum is a four-storey terrace house built in 1884. The two lower floors house the museum and consist of six rooms furnished in the style of the 1900s. The original summer dining room is one of the two display rooms, which feature items showing the many facets of early Sydney life. There is also a comprehensive photographic record of The Rocks, dating from the turn of the century and prints from 1800. The Museum is open for group bookings only.
DARLINGHURST GAOL
Historic building - social history. Oxford Street, Darlinghurst.
DON BANK HISTORICAL MUSEUM
Historic home - social history. 6 Napier Street, North Sydney. Open Wed 12.00 noon - 4.00 pm, Sun 1.00 pm - 4.00 pm. Phone (02) 9955 6279
A 19th century timber dwelling, once known as St Leonard's Cottage which houses displays on local history.
ELIZABETH BAY HOUSE
Historic home - social history. 7 Onslow Avenue, Elizabeth Bay NSW 2011. Phone (02) 9356 3022.
Georgian mansion built for the Colonial Secretary, Alexander Macleay, and completed in 1839. Contains one of Australia's finest colonial interiors. Special exhibition: "A Victorian Childhood" - until 26 April 199.
History of the building: Built for the Colonial Secretary, Alexander Macleay and one of the finest examples of the work of local architect, John Verge. The building is a two storey Regency villa of Greek Revival style. The kitchen was originally in a separate building to avoid the risk of the house being destroyed by fire. The villa is built around a grand hall featuring an elliptical, domed roof and cantilevered staircase. Original plans included a colonnade, but this was never built. The present portico was added in 1893.
Six years after occupancy, the building remained unfinished. Macleay borrowed against a fortune amassed by his eldest son, William Sharp Macleay, to finance construction. As a result of Macleay's financial extravagance combined with the high cost of the house's upkeep and the economic depression of the 1840s, he had difficulty repaying the debt. William Sharp migrated to Australia to sort out the problem. Realising his father would never be able to meet the debt, he foreclosed, selling the property and putting his parents on the street. Macleay senior went into bankruptcy and he and his wife were left at the mercy of his other children.
ELIZABETH FARM
Historic home - social history. 70 Alice Street, Rosehill NSW. Open Tues - Sun 10.00 - 4.30 pm
Part of the original cottage, built in 1793, still remains, and is the oldest European building in Australia. Its displays tell of the life and times of its original inhabitants.
History of the building: The discovery of fertile river flats in the Parramatta/Rose Hill region not only saved the colony from starvation but led to rapid development of the area. One of the pioneer farmers was John MacArthur, a lieutenant in the New South Wales Corps, who arrived with the second fleet in 1790. MacArthur, a leading member of the pastoral elite and a vocal and powerful opponent to three colonial governors, was granted 40 ha of land at Rose Hill in 1793, three years after the area had yielded its first successful grain crop. In the following year on the property he named after his wife Elizabeth, MacArthur built a simple single storey 4 room brick cottage which forms part of the Elizabeth Farm museum complex today. Rectangular in shape, it had a hipped roof made of eucalypt shingles. Elizabeth Farm is the oldest European dwelling in Australia and apart from a handful of gravestones in the old Parramatta cemetery which predate Elizabeth Farm, it is the oldest surviving construction from 18th century New South Wales. What must be remembered, however, is that it was remodelled 5 times during its first seventy years alone, and as records of what the cottage was like when built are sketchy, what parts of the present structure are original, and what parts were added later and when, are a matter of conjecture. Elizabeth Farm was to be Elizabeth's home for the rest of her life though MacArthur was mostly absent from the property. Until his banishment from the colony in 1809 for his leadership of the "Rum Rebellion" against Governor Bligh, and after his return in 1817, MacArthur was based at Camden where he tended to his wool production and export operations and managed his numerous pastoral leases.
EXPERIMENTAL FARM COTTAGE
Historic home - social history. 9 Ruse Street Parramatta NSW 2150. Phone (02) 9635 5655.
Pioneer colonial farmhouse, featuring displays on early rural life.
History of the building: Generally accepted as an authentic example of the 18th century colonial homestead, Experimental Farm displays all the hallmarks of the emerging colonial bungalow with its wide verandah, low pitched roof and classic Georgian style cedar panelled door flanked by glazed sidelights and featuring an elliptical fanlight above. The cottage was built by the NSW surgeon, John Harris, on land purchased from James Ruse in 1793. The land was the first land to be granted in NSW, made to James Ruse in 1789 for a farm. The cottage remained in the Harris family from 1793 to 1923, however sections of the farm were subdivided and sold in the 1870s, the estate being known as Harris Park.
FAIRFIELD REGIONAL HERITAGE CENTRE
Social history. 632 The Horsley Drive Smithfield NSW 2164. Phone (02) 9609 3993.
FORT DENISON
Social history. Sydney Harbour. Daily tours from Circular Quay organised through the National Parks & Wildlife Service office, Cadman's Cottage, Circular Quay.
History of the building: Once a rocky outcrop in the middle of Sydney Harbour, seven decades saw it change into the island fortress we see today. Used by the early colonial governors as a place of solitary confinement for particularly unruly convicts, it became part of Sydney's defences when in 1855 it was razed to sea level and its gun batteries, and a barracks and a Martello tower were built. From that time until the present day, a gun has been fired at 1.00 pm each day to which mariners may set their ship's chronometers. The rock extracted from the island to make way for the fort was used to build the seawall of Circular Quay. Ironically, when it came time to build the fort, its sandstone had to be quarried from nearby Cremorne Point and shipped across the short stretch of water.
GARRISON CHURCH HISTORICAL AND MILITARY MUSEUM
60 Lower Fort Street, Millers Point. Phone: (02) 9241 1390
The church operates a small museum, dedicated to the military, located in the Garrison Church grounds. The Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 11.00 am to 3.00 pm and from 12 noon to 4.00 pm on Sundays.
GEORGE HANNA MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Social history. 2 Hatfield Street, Mascot. Open Tues - Fri 10.00 am - 6.00 pm; Sat 9.30 am - 12 noon.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE
Social history. Royal Botanical Gardens, Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000. Phone (02) 9931 5222.
Historic home, built in 1844 as a residence for the NSW Governor.
History of the building: Somewhat less lavish than first planned, Government House was designed by Edward Blore, a special architect to King William IV, and later to Queen Victoria. As Blore had never visited the site, aspects of its design were inappropriate and it was eventually built to the modified specifications of Mortimer Lewis. Of turreted Gothic Revival design, the building is constructed of cedar cut from the French's Forest area, and sandstone that was quarried on site. Its first occupant was Governor Sir George Gipps, who took up residence in June 1845. It has been continually used as the Governor's official residence until recently, when it was thrown open for public access while still being used for special state functions. The carriageway and gates to the building were realigned to the east of the Lodge in the mid-1960s, during construction of the Cahill Expressway.
GREAT SYNAGOGUE MUSEUM
Religious history. 166 Castlereagh Street, Sydney. Open Tues & Thurs at noon.
Tour of the Synagogue, which includes historical displays.
GREYCLIFFE HOUSE
Historic home - social history. Nielsen Park, Vaucluse
Victorian Gothic mansion built by pioneer statesman William W Wentworth for his daughter.
HAMBLEDON COTTAGE
Historic home - social history. 63 Hassall Street, Parramatta. Open Wed, Thurs, Sat, Sun, Public hols. 11.00 am - 4.00 pm
Sandstone cottage, built in 1824 as the home of Penelope Lucas, governess to John Macarthur's daughters.
History of the building: A typical example of the modest homestead built by farmers in the early 1800s. It follows the pattern set by Lieutenant-Governor Francis Grose, who, when building his cottage in 1793, abandoned the English pattern of a narrow porch and steep sloping roof line and instead utilised a low pitched roof line and a wide verandah. The cottage was built under John Macarthur's direction by convicts.
HISTORICAL AIRCRAFT RESTORATION SOCIETY INC.
12 Wedgewood Crs Beacon Hill, NSW 2100. Phone (02) 9939 7513
HAWKESBURY MUSEUM
Social history. Hawkesbury Museum & Tourist Information Centre, 7 Thompson Square, Windsor. Open daily 10.00 am - 4.00 pm. Phone (02) 4577 2310
Depicts life and times of the district's pioneers and documents the history of the R.A.A.F.'s activities in the area.
HOLOCAUST WAR MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Social history. 398 Cleveland Street Surry Hills NSW 2010. Phone (02) 9318 2855
HUNTERS HILL MUSEUM
Social history. Cnr Alexandria & D'Aram Sts. Open 2nd & 4th Sunday of each month, 2.00 - 4.00 pm.
Displays cover local history.
HYDE PARK BARRACKS MUSEUM
Social history. Queen's Square, Sydney. Phone (02) 9223 8922. Open daily 10.00 am - 5.00 pm
Built 1819. Historical displays tell the story of the building and its first occupants, the convicts of 19th century Sydney. Special exhibitions: "Demolished!: Houses of Sydney" - 17 April - 26 September 1999.
History of the building: this Georgian style building was designed by Colonial Architect Francis Greenway at the request of Governor Lachlan Macquarie. Considered to be Greenway's masterpiece, it was constructed from sandstone extracted from a quarry nearby in the Domain and built to house the 800 convicts who built it. Two months after its opening in May 1819, Macquarie proudly recorded that "not a tenth part of the former night robberies and burglaries ... since the convicts have been lodged in the new Barracks." The prisoners were locked up at night, but not before they went to prayers two nights of every week. In the morning they were fed a breakfast of porridge which they called burgoo - hulled and crushed maize boiled in water.
Since transportation ceased in the 1850s, the building was put to a variety of uses, including accommodation for Irish orphans and single female immigrants, law courts and legal offices. Today it is a museum which tells the story of the building and the convicts to whom it was home. A clock dating from 1817 is mounted on the building's facade. Made in England, it is believed to be Australia's oldest public clock and was placed there by colonial clockmaker John Oatley, after whom the Sydney suburb of Oatley was named.
JOHN TEBBUTT'S OBSERVATORIES
Scientific history. Palmer Street, Windsor. Open Sun - Fri 10.00 am - 4.30 pm; Sat 12.00 noon - 4.30 pm. Night tours by arrangement. Phone (02) 4577 2485.
Two restored observatories of acclaimed local astronomer John Tebbutt, whose image appears on the $100 note. In the grounds is Haddons House of Clocks, a museum containing a collection of over 800 clocks and memorabilia. Open daily 10.00 am - 4.00 pm.
JUSTICE AND POLICE MUSEUM
Social history. Cnr Albert & Phillip Sts., Sydney NSW 2000. Phone (02) 9252 1144. Open Sun - Thurs 10.00 - 5.00 pm
Sections dating from 1856. Documents the history of policing in New South Wales. Special exhibition: "Protest! Environmental Activism in New South Wales, 1968-1998" - until 31 October 1999.
History of the building: The museum is housed in a collection of historic buildings associated with justice and the police. The first to be built was the Water Police Court, erected by Andrew Farrelly in 1854 at a cost of £521 to a design by Colonial Architect Edmund Blackett. Constructed from Pyrmont sandstone, its design features an open three-arched portico through which light fell onto a flight of steps. Blackett's entrance has been ruined in recent years by the filling in of the portico with ugly strips of weatherboard and semi bay windows.
The Water Police Station, designed by Alexander Dawson, was added in 1858; the Police Court was designed by James Barnet in 1885. The complex of buildings housed the people put in charge of maintaining law and order quayside and tackling the problem of organised crime in The Rocks district of Victorian Sydney.
LA PEROUSE MUSEUM
Maritime history. Old Cable Station, Anzac Parade, La Perouse. Open daily 9.30 am - 4.00 pm. Phone (02) 9311 3379
Documents the French voyages of exploration along the Australian coastline in the 18th and 19th centuries.
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LIVERPOOL BICENTENNIAL MUSEUM
Social history. Cnr Hume Highway and Congressional Road, Liverpool NSW 2170. Phone (02) 9602 0315.
LYNDHURST
Historic home - social history. Bellevue Street, Glebe. Open weekdays 9.00 am - 5.00 pm. Phone (02) 9692 8366
Resource centre for The Historic Houses Trust.
MACLEAY MUSEUM
Natural history. University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW 2006. Phone (02) 9351 2274.
A natural history collection, mainly covering the Sydney region, which includes stuffed animals, insects and lice from Capt. James Cook's Endeavour.
MANLY ART GALLERY & MUSEUM
Social history. West Esplanade, Manly. Open Tues - Fri 10.00 am - 4.00 pm; Sat & Sun 12.00 noon - 5.00 pm.
Permanent collection of paintings and a display on local history.
MARITIME MODEL MUSEUM
Social history. Shops 14 & 15, Waratah Court, 12 Waratah Street, Mona Vale NSW 2103. Phone (02) 9979 6608.
MARY MACKILLOP PLACE
Social history. 7 Mount Street, North Sydney NSW 2060. Phone (02) 9954 9900. Open daily 10.00 - 4.00 pm, except sat. 12.00 noon - 4.00 pm
Interactive museum devoted to telling the story of Australia's first saint.
MOTOR WORLD SYDNEY MUSEUM
Technological history. 320 Harris Street, Ultimo. NSW 2009. Phone (02) 9552 3375. open 7 days 10.00 am - 5.00 pm.
Located in a former 1890s woolstore, the museum collection includes over 150 motor vehicles from vintage to contemporary and Australia's largest international standard slot car racing track.
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART
Social history. 140 George Street, The Rocks NSW 2000. Phone (02) 9252 4033. Open daily 11.00 am - 6.00 pm.
Australia's only museum dedicated to collecting and presenting contemporary art from across Australia and around the world. With a continually changing exhibition program there is always something new, exciting and inspiring at the M.C.A. Free guided tours of the exhibitions are held daily, with talks by artists, curators and industry professionals held in the Museum's Galleries most Sundays.
MUSEUM OF FIRE
Social history. Castlereagh Street, Penrith, NSW 2750. Phone (02) 4731 3000.
The story of fire brigades in New South Wales.
MUSEUM OF HUMAN DISEASE
University of NSW, Anzac Parade, Kensington.
MUSEUM OF NURSING
Social history. R.P.A. Hospital, Queen Mary Bldg, Grose Street, Camperdown. Open Wed. 10.00 am - 4.00 pm
The history of nursing in New South Wales.
MUSEUM OF SYDNEY
Social history. 37 Phillip Street (Cnr. Bridge Street), Sydney NSW 2000. Phone (02) 9251 5988. Open daily 10.00 am - 5.00 pm
Modern design, built on the site of Sydney's first Government House (built 1788), which tells the story of life in early Sydney. Special exhibition: "Terre Napoleon: Australia Through French Eyes" - until 30 May 1999.
NATIONAL ARTILLERY MUSEUM
Military history. Scenic Drive, North Head via Manly NSW 2095. Phone (02) 9976 1138. Open Sat. Sun & Wed 12.00 noon - 4.00 pm.
The history of artillery in Australia. includes harbour walk, guns, tunnels, walking tracks.
NATIONAL HERBARIUM OF NEW SOUTH WALES
Natural history. Royal Botanical Gardens, Sydney. Phone (02) 9231 8000. Open Mon - Fri 9.30 am - 4.00 pm
Includes Botanical Information and Garden Advisory service.
NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM
Social history. 2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour. 2000. Phone (02) 9552 7777. Recorded information: 0055 62002. Open daily 9.30 - 5.00 pm
Extensive collection of indoor and outdoor displays featuring Australia's maritime history. Special exhibitions: "Ocean Planet" - 31 March - 31 October 1999; "A Window Back - Photography of a Whaling Port" - semi-permanent exhibition until June 2000.
NATIONAL TRUST - S.H. ERVIN GALLERY
Social history. Observatory Hill, Sydney NSW 2000. Phone (02) 9258 0173.
Located at the National Trust Centre on Observatory Hill, The S.H. Ervin Gallery presents an engaging program of exhibitions of the work of Australian artists, both historical and contemporary. The Gallery hosts major travelling exhibitions plus regular favourites such as the Salon des Refuses and the Portia Geach Memorial Award. The Gallery hosts a program of artist's talks every Sunday afternoon at 3.00 pm and exhibition briefings every Tuesday at noon. Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 11.00 - 5.00; Saturday and Sunday 12.00 - 5.00; Closed Mondays & Public Holidays.
NEW SOUTH WALES SCHOOL HOUSE MUSEUM
School, Cox Road, North Ryde. Phone/fax 9805 1186. A special school room prepared by Dept of Education where students re-enact parts of the school day from 120 years ago. They use primary source material to investigate what it was like. Favourite activities include cooking toast on the open fire, wand drill and the woosh of the cane. Sessions usually go for 2 hours and 2 - 3 classes can be accomodated. For schools only.
NICHOLSON MUSEUM
Social history. Southern Wing, Main Quadrangle, University of Sydney. Open Tues - Fri 10.00 am - 4.30 pm.
Displays the University's collection of antiques, which includes Egyptian artefacts such as a mummy, amulets and jewellery, Classical Greek and Mediterranean artefacts.
NORMAN LINDSAY GALLERY AND MUSEUM
Historic home - social history. 14 Norman Lindsay Crescent, Faulconbridge NSW 2776. Phone (02) 4751 1067.
Home of Australian author Norman Lindsay, and a celebration of his contribution to Australian literature.
NSW RAIL TRANSPORT MUSEUM
Technological history. Barbour Road, Thirlmere, NSW. Phone (02) 4681 8001. Open 9am to 5pm weekends, and 10am to 3pm weekdays.
A collection of steam and diesel rolling stock used on NSW railways. Includes tourist railway and steam train rides.
NUCOTE: THE HOME OF MAY GIBBS
Historic home - social history. 5 Wallaringa Avenue, Neutral Bay NSW 2089. Phone (02) 9953 4453. Open Wed - Sun 11.00 am - 3.00 pm.
Dedicated to the memory of May Gibbs, creator, illustrator and author of the famous Snugglepot & Cuddlepie classics of Australian children's literature.
OLD GOVERNMENT HOUSE
Social history. Parramatta Park, Parramatta NSW 2150. Phone (02) 9635 8149.
The central block is the oldest intact public building in Australia, dating from 1790. Old Government House houses one of Australia's finest collections of 19th century furniture.
History of the building: A remodelled version of the original house, built by Governor Phillip in 1790 at a time when he was seriously considering moving permanently from Sydney to Rose Hill (Parramatta). Like Elizabeth Farm, little of the original 1790 structure remains and most of what we see today are later additions. In 1799, Governor John Hunter made significant alterations and extensions, the elegant brickwork of the new section being plastered to resemble stone. During Governor Macquarie's tenure, side and rear wings were added (1812-18). Supervision of these additions was a joint effort by Mrs Macquarie and Lieutenant John Watts, a free settler with some architectural training who had arrived in Sydney in 1814 and gave Macquarie help and advice on a number of projects. The Doric porch, constructed in 1816, is attributed to Colonial Architect Francis Greenway and was his first major project for the colony.
OLD SCHOOL MUSEUM
Little Street, Parramatta.
PARRAMATTA HERITAGE CENTRE
346A Church St, Parramatta
Tel: 8839 3300, fax: 9683 5608.
A museum, gallery, local research library and visitor information centre. Explore the collections, exhibitions, education and public programs and discover the rich cultural mix and fascinating histories of Parramatta.
POWERHOUSE MUSEUM
Scientific & technological history. 500 Harris Street, Ultimo NSW 2007. Phone (02) 9217 0341. Open daily 10.00 am - 5.00 pm
Traditional and interactive displays covering a wide range of subjects relating to science and social history. The museum's collection includes the oldest surviving steam engine in the world, a replica of a Soviet spacecraft, and the first locomotive used on the Sydney railways which hauled the first train from Sydney to Parramatta in 1855, built by Robert Stephenson. The museum is housed in a former power station, built in 1902 to give power to Sydney's cable trams.
QUARANTINE STATION
Darley Road, Manly. Phone (02) 9977 6732
THE ROCKS TOY MUSEUM
The Coachhouse, 2-4 Kendall Lane, The Rocks Sydney NSW 2000. Phone: (02) 9251 9793
A visit to the Toy Museum will give parents an opportunity to re-live being a child - they can show and tell their children the kinds of toys and games they played when they were little. This experience can satisfy a child's natural curiosity to know what life was like for daddy or mummy when they were little. It can also satisfy the parent's desire to look nostalgically at their childhood, enjoy recollections, and share them. Open seven days: 10.00 am - 5.30 pm; Free Entry.
THE ROCKS VISITORS CENTRE
Social history. 106 George Street, The Rocks Sydney NSW 2000. Open daily 9.00 am - 5.00 pm. Phone (02) 9255 1788
Built in 1864 as a temporary home for visiting sailors, the building now houses a visitor information centre, with upstairs galleries telling the history of The Rocks.
ROSE SEIDLER HOUSE
71 Clissold Road Wahroonga. Phone (02) 9989 8020. Open Sunday 10.00 am - 5.00 pm.
Architectural and social history. Built in 1950, the house is one of Sydney's finest post modernist residences. It is the work of Sydney-based architect Harry Seidler, whose commercial buildings in the Sydney central business district include the MLC Centre, Australia Square and Grosvenor Place.
ROUSE HILL ESTATE
980 Windsor Road, Rouse Hill. Phone (02) 9627 5108. Open for special events & tours by appointment only.
Historic home -social history. Commenced in 1813, Rouse Hill is the estate of the Rouse and Terry families, built by the Superintendent of Public Works and Convicts at Parramatta, Richard Rouse. Includes the house and its furnishings, garden, paddocks and abandoned farm machinery.
ROYAL NSW LANCERS MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Military history. 2 Smith Street, Parramatta NSW 2150. Open Sun 11.00 am - 4.00 pm
History of the Australian Light Horse and Armoured Corps, housed in the historic 1820 Lancer Barracks.
History of the building: Australia's oldest continuously used military establishment. Built by Gov. Macquarie, two of the three original buildings remain - the two storey sandstone brick accommodation block which housed 100 British redcoats until they were recalled in the 1860s, and the single storey officers' quarters.
SCHOOLMASTER'S HOUSE
Social history. Coromandel Road, Ebenezer. Open daily 10.00 am - 3.30 pm. Phone (02) 4579 9350
SEXTONS COTTAGE MUSEUM
Historic home - social history. 250 West Street, North Sydney. Phone (02) 9957 1557
SHIP MODEL MUSEUM
1 Alfred Street, Circular Quay. Phone (02) 99252 1930
ST GEORGE REGIONAL MUSEUM
14 McMahon St, Hurstville 2220. Phone: (02) 9330 6444. Fax: (02) 9330 6440.
SUSANNAH PLACE
58-64 Gloucester Street The Rocks Sydney 2000. Phone (02) 9241 1893. Open Sat & Sun 10.00 am - 5.00 pm.
Social history. Restored terrace of houses built in 1844. Displays include a visual insight into the lives of former occupants, the Andersen family, who lived here from the 1940s to 1970s.
History of the building: This terrace of four houses and a corner shop is one of the few surviving working class dwellings of its era, and is unique in having a history of domestic occupancy from its construction to 1990. Built for Edward and Mary Riley, who arrived from Ireland with their niece Susannah in 1838, the brick and sandstone houses feature basement kitchens and backyard outhouses. The buildings, which today house a museum on working-class history, have survived numerous demolition threats - in 1900 when a bubonic plague led to hundreds of neighbouring properties being razed; in the 1920s when a three street wide section of The Rocks was cleared to make way for the Harbour Bridge approaches, and the 1970's when "Green bans" imposed by the Builders Labourer's Federation halted numerous demolition and redevelopment projects which would have seen many historic sites such as this lost forever.
SYDNEY AQUARIUM
Natural history. Pier 26, Darling Harbour. Open daily 9.30 am - 9.00 pm.
A collection of fish from the Sydney region.
SYDNEY CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
Social history. Cnr Pitt & Walpole Sts, Merrylands NSW 2160. Phone (02) 9897 1414. Open daily 10.00 am - 4.00 pm
Science, technology and experimentation displays for children.
SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE PYLON LOOKOUT & EXHIBITION
Sydney Harbour Bridge, via Argyle Steps, The Rocks. Open daily 10.00 am - 5.00 pm. Exhibition tells the story of the building of the bridge.
SYDNEY HERITAGE FLEET
Maritime history. Wharf 7, Pyrmont (office), and James Craig Road, Rozelle Bay. Phone (02) 9298 3888. Open times: see website for details.
SYDNEY JEWISH MUSEUM
Social history. 148 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst NSW 2010. Phone (02) 9360 7999. Open Mon - Thurs 10.00 am - 4.00 pm; Fri 10.00 am - 2.00 pm; Sun 11.00 am - 5.00 pm.
The story of Jewish settlement in Sydney, as well as a memorial to the survivors of the Holocaust.
SYDNEY LEARNING ADVENTURES
Level 6/66 Harrington St, The Rocks. Phone (02) 9240 8552, fax: (02) 9240 8855
An initiative of Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, Sydney Learning Adventures provides teachers with resources to complement their yearly programs. Each of their eleven programs is written in accordance with curriculum outcomes for the key learning areas of English, HSIE, PDHPE,ESL, Geography and Modern & Ancient History.
SYDNEY MINT MUSEUM
Social history. Queen's Square, Sydney NSW 2000. Open daily 10.00 am - 5.00 pm
The story of currency in Australia: History of the building: One of three buildings constructed between 1811 and 1814 as part of the original Sydney Hospital. The others are nearby Parliament House and a wing between the two remaining buildings which was demolished in the 1860s. The buildings' designer is unknown, but the concept most likely came from a pattern book of 'elegant' home designs belonging to Governor Macquarie's wife, Elizabeth.
Unable to raise the finance from Government coffers to build a badly needed replacement for the hospital at The Rocks, Macquarie turned to wealthy colonists Garnham Blaxcell, Alexander King and D'Arcy Wentworth for assistance. They forged an agreement in which the three men would build the hospital at their own expense, provided the Government supplied convict labour, food and twenty oxen to help with the construction, in exchange for the right to import 45,000 gallons of Bengal rum over a 3 year period. For this reason it became known as The Rum Hospital.
The two storey northern wing was used as part of the Sydney hospital until 1829 when Gov. Darling appropriated it to accommodate the Legislative and Executive Council. The southern wing of the Parliamentary building, which features a cast-iron facade, is a later addition. Prefabricated in England, it was originally destined for the Goldfields near Bathurst as a chapel, however on its arrival in Sydney, it was reassigned as the new chamber for the Legislative Council. The packing cases in which the prefabricated kit arrived were used to line the chamber, the rough timber is still on view today.
SYDNEY MUSEUM OF NUMBERS AND COMPUTING
Sydney University of Technology
SYDNEY OBSERVATORY
Scientific history. Watson Road, Observatory Hill, Sydney. Phone (02) 9217 0485. Open Mon - Fri 10.00 am - 4.00 pm; weekends & public hols. 10.00 am - 5.00 pm. Night viewings (bookings essential).
Tours conducted periodically throughout the open times. Includes exhibitions, films, talks and night viewings.
SYDNEY TRAMWAY MUSEUM
Technological & social history. Cnr Rawson Ave & Pitt St, Loftus NSW 2232. Phone (02) 9542 3646. Open Sun & public hols 10.00 am - 5.00 pm; Wed 9.30 am - 3.30 pm.
The history of public transport in Sydney, focusing on tramways.
TARONGA PARK ZOO
Natural history. Bradleys Head Road, Mosman. Open daily 9.00 am - 5.00 pm
First opened in 1916, Taronga Park is the home of Sydney's zoological gardens. Set on the shores of Sydney Harbour, it is home to around 4,000 animals, its collection places a special emphasis on Australian wildlife.
TOY AND RAILWAY MUSEUM OF NSW
Social history. 36 Olympian Parade Leura NSW 2780. Phone (02) 9542 3646.
TUDOR GATE HOUSE MUSEUM
Social history. Parramatta Park, O'Connell Street, Parramatta. Open Sun 1.30 pm - 4.30 pm.
VAUCLUSE HOUSE
Historic home - social history. Wentworth Road, Vaucluse. Open Tues - Sun 10.00 am - 4.30 pm
Victorian era mansion of pioneer explorer, author, barrister and statesman William Charles Wentworth. The home was built in 1827 as additions to the original cottage which was constructed in 1803 by an eccentric Irish knight, Sir Henry Brown Hayes.
History of the building: A large house which has been extensively added to over the years, Vaucluse House has been likened to a West Indian plantation house. Set in grounds which feature both virgin bushland and cultivated gardens, it was built for Sir Henry Brown, a knight of the realm who was transported to New South Wales for kidnapping a Quaker heiress. The original property was a simple Georgian cottage. Extensions in the Gothic Revival style were first added when it became the home of W.C. Wentworth, and the tradition continued for over a century, more than doubling the size of the home. Very little remains of the original house, erected in 1803. In later years the property boasted an orchard which produced a wide variety of fruit including oranges, peaches, apricots and nectarines, planted either side of a small stream. Wentworth, its most famous occupant, was one of the three men who blazed the first trail across The Blue Mountains in his youth. During his residency at Vaucluse House, he became a noted author, barrister and statesman after having volunteered his services to the colony in order to escape a highway robbery conviction. In later life he became arch-enemy of Governor Ralph Darling who represented the British Government and all it stood for, and consequently drafted the Constitution Bill which gave New South Wales self-government.
VICTORIA BARRACKS MUSEUM
Oxford St, Paddington. Phone (02) 9339 3170. Open: Most Thursdays 10am - 12.30pm. Entry fee applies.
Victoria Barracks were built between 1841 and 1848. Exhibits include uniforms, weapons and medals. When the Australian Army Band is available, there is a flag breaking ceremony at 10am with the band playing a trumpet fanfare.
VIENNA COTTAGE
Historic home - social history. 38 Alexander Street, Hunters Hill. Open Sat 2.00 pm - 4.00 pm; Sun 11.00 am - 4.00 pm. Phone (02) 9817 2240
Stone workman's cottage, now owned and operated as a museum by the National Trust. It features an adjoining orchard.
VISIBLE SOUND
18 Lonsdale St Lilyfield, NSW 2040. Phone (02) 9550 0704
WELLINGS GATEHOUSE MUSEUM
Historic home - social history. 4 Woodside Avenue, Burwood. Phone (02) 9744 7141
WESTPAC MUSEUM
Social history. 6 Playfair Street, The Rocks. Phone (02) 9251 1419
Displays tell the story of banking in colonial Australia. Exhibitions include "Banking on Federation" which looks at various aspects of a most exciting era in Australia's history and "Growing up with Westpac, " as well as Olympic memorabilia and some coin collections. Open Monday to Thursday 9.00 am - 4.00 pm and Friday from 9.00 am - 5.00 pm. Closed from 12 noon to 1.00 pm Monday to Friday.
WILLANDRA HOUSE
Historic home - social history. 770 Victoria Road, Ryde. Open weekdays 10.00 am - 4.00 pm; weekends 2.00 pm - 4.00 pm. Phone (02) 9808 2254
Fully restored 19th century cottage housing the Museum of Ryde and featuring an exhibition of paintings for sale and an art school.
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