Sydney has an excellent collection of museums. Most are open daily from 9 or 10 till 4pm or 5pm. Some open later and some of the smaller Sydney Museums are closed on Mondays and is a good idea to phone to check. Not all the Sydney museums we list are in the city centre.
Australian Aviation Museum
A number of aircraft some of which were made at Bankstown airport. Starkie Drive, Bankstown Airport.
Australian Museum
Australian National
Maritime Museum
Bradman Museum
Buran
Buran is a Russian space ship and it lives just outside Star City. It is open for inspection, with a space simulation and small museum. Star City, Darling Harbour.
Harris Street
Motor Museum
A display
of over 150 classic
motor cars and other
vehicles. 320 Harris Street.
(02 9552 3375).
Justice and
Police Museum
Housed in
three former courthouses,
this is a museum of
crime and criminals
in Sydney. The museum
includes a Magistrates
Court, a police charge
room, a remand cell,
a gallery of mug shots
of Sydney's early
criminals and many
more displays. Corner of Albert
and Philip Streets,
(02 9252 1144).
La Perouse museum
The Laperouse Museum is in the Cable Station building at La Perouse and was used as the landing point for the underwater telegraph cable that came from New Zealand. The museum tells the story of the French navigator Laperouse who arrived in 1788. La Perouse, Botany Bay National Park. (02 9311 3379).
Macleay
Museum
A museum
of the history of
Science at the University
of Sydney with a large insect collection and even a flea found by Charles Darwin. Gosper Lane. (02
9351 2274).
Manly Art Gallery & Museum
The history of Manly and the associated beach culture along with changing exhibits. West Esplanade, Manly (02 9976 1420).
Mary Mackillop Place
Museum of
Contemporary Art
This 1930s
building used to be
the home of the Maritime
Services Board, but
has served in its
present capacity since
1991. Circular
Quay West, The Rocks.
(02 9252 4033).
Museum of
Fire
All of the
drama and danger of
firefighting. There is a horse drawn manual engine built in 1841 and many restored fire engines. Castleragh Roar,
Penrith (02 4371 3000).
Museum of
Sydney
Nutcote
May Gibb's harbourside home now a museum that features memorabilia and notebooks reminding us of her bush stories Snugglepot and Cuddlepie first published in 1918. 5 Wallaringa Ave, Neutral Bay (02 9953 4453).
NSW Sporting
Hall of Fame Museum
Photos and
memorabilia of athletes
from 1890’s
to the present. Sydney Olympic
Park. (02 9763 0111).
Outback
Centre
Experience
the sights and sounds
of the outback in
a free 30 minute live
show ‘Sounds of the
Outback'. Darling Harbour
(02 9283 7477).
Powerhouse Discovery Centre
The storehouse for the Powerhouse Museum spread over a number of warehouses and has many exhibits that have never been display at the Powerhouse Museum. It is only open in the second saturday of every month. 172 Show ground Road, Castle Hill (02 9762 1300).
Powerhouse
Museum
Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre
Australian Navy history on the harbour at Garden Island that can only be reached by ferry. Along with the museum there are shady grounds that provide good views of the harbour. Garden Island, Sydney Harbour (02 9359 2003).
State Library
of New South Wales
Sydney Bus Museum
The Sydney bus museum has about 90 restored buses the oldest being a 1924 Ruggles. Along with buses there is a vintage petrol station, Sydney's first traffic lights and other motoring relics. Old Tempe Tramshed, 1B Gannon Street, Tempe (02 9558 1234).
Sydney Jewish
Museum
The museum
is dedicated to documenting
and teaching the history
of the Holocaust.
The Jewish museum
also tells the stories
of Jewish life in
Australia. 148
Darlinghurst Road.
(02 9360 7999).
Sydney Observatory
Sydney Tramway
Museum
The Rocks
Discovery Museum
Learn about the Cadigal
People who were the
traditional owners
of the area, explore
the history of the
English colony and
see how the whalers,
sailors and traders
lived. Delve into
the reasons behind
the 1970's protests
which preserved the
Rocks. And try out
the interactive technology
on the archaeological
artifacts found in
the area. 2- 8 Kendall
Lane, The Rocks with
entry from Argyle
Street or Mill lane (02 9251
8804).
Westpac Museum
Trace the
history of the bank
from 1817 to the modern
day. 6
Playfair Street (02
9763 5670).
