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Sydney Museums

Sydney Museums

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 a good idea to phone to check.

Australian Museum
This museum deals with Australian natural history and the culture of the aboriginal people. Exhibitions feature bio diversity, skeletons and dinosaurs and changing temporary exhibitions.Located at 6 College Street. Take the train St. James or Museum or Sydney Explorer, Stop 7. 6 College Street, Sydney (02 9320 6000).

Australian National Maritime Museum
At the entrance is the welcome hall as a tribute to the millions of migrants who have arrived in Australia over the years. Lots of boats and ships here, including Australia II, which won the America’s Cup, and the huge destroyer H.M.A.S. Vampire. Many vessels are on the water and include Sekar Aman an Indonesian work boat, HMAS Onslow a retired submarine,, a commando boat, a 'Little Toot' tug, an 1880's racing cutter and more.You can take sailing lessons and at the weekend you can go for short voyages on historic vessels. Free guided tours of the galleries and the destroyer Vampire are available. Located at 2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour. Take the train to Town Hall or Sydney Explorer, Stop 20 or ferry to Pyrmont Bay. Monorail to Harbourside or tram to Pyrmont Bay or Bus 443. Darling Hatbour (02 9298 3777).

Bradman Museum
Sir Donald Bradman is generally regarded as the best cricketer there has ever been. There can be little doubt that he was the best batsman. His home town is Bowral, about an hour south-west of Sydney He was not actually born here. He was born in Cootamundra on 27th August 1908 and died in Adelaide on 25th February 2001. However, Bowral was where he grew up from the age of two and where he played his first cricket. Therefore, the Bradman Museum is in Bowral, adjacent to the cricket ground where he played his first competitive match at the age of twelve and scored 115 not out, as well as taking eight wickets.The museum tells the life story of Sir Donald Bradman and contains cricketing trophies, photographs and film of various famous matches, not confined to those in which Sir Donald played. To get to Bowral, take a train from Central. The train will pass through some pleasant countryside on the way and it is an enjoyable journey, which will take about two hours. Both Countrylink and CityRail trains serve Bowral, but it is cheaper to travel with CityRail using a day return ticket. Trains are infrequent, so plan your times in advance.

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. Located at Star City. Sydney bus 443 or 888 from Circular Quay or Sydney Explorer, Stop 19 or Sydney ferry to Pyrmont Bay or tram to Star City.

Customs House
Customs House is right outside Circular Quay Station and dates in part from 1840. It is now used as an exhibition centre and restaurant area. Object Galleries on the third floor has Australia's largest exhibition of craft and design and is free. The City Exhibition Space on the fourth floor is also free and has and intricate model of the entire city area. Just to the west of Customs House, in Loftus Street, is the spot where the British flag was first raised by the new settlers on 26th January 1788. A plaque commemorates the precise location. Located at 31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay. Take the train or bus to Circular Quay. (02 9247 2285).

 
 


 
 

Harris Street Motor Museum
A display of over 150 classic motor cars and other vehicles. Located at 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. Located at corner of Albert and Philip Streets, admission charged. Take the train or bus to Circular Quay. (02 9252 1144)

Macleay Museum
A museum of the history of Science at the University of Sydney. Located at Gosper Lane. (02 9351 2274)

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. Located at Circular Quay West, The Rocks. Free admission, except to special exhibitions. Take the train or bus to Circular Quay (02 9252 4033).

Museum of Fire
All of the drama and danger of firefighting. Located at Castleragh Roar, Penrith (02 4371 3000).

Museum of Sydney
The museum stands on the site of the first Government House and contains exhibitions showing the history of Sydney. Inside the museum are the archaeological remains of the colony's first Government House built in 1788, the contemporary sculpture Edge of Trees and stories of the First Fleet. Located at Corner of Bridge and Philips Street. Entry is part of the Ticket Through Time combination which offers entry to eleven Sydney museums. Take the train or bus to Circular Quay or Sydney Explorer, Stop 3. Corner of Bridge and Philip Streets, (02 9251 5988).

NSW Sporting Hall of Fame Museum
Photos and memorabilia of athletes from 1890’s to the present. Located at 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'. Located at Darling Harbour (02 9283 7477).

Powerhouse Museum
This is Australia’s largest museum. With 380,000 exhibits, although not all on display at any one time, it covers everything. It can take a day to walk around and view the films, attend the talks, watch the performances and demonstrations. Each exhibition tells a story from the history of steam to the living conditions in the bush. There is a space exhibition, lots of interactive exhibits and hands on science exhibitions. Located at 500 Harris Street, Darling Harbour. Take the train to Town Hall or Sydney Explorer, Stop 21 or. Monorail to Haymarket or tram to Exhibition. 500 Harris Street, Ultimo, (02 9217 0444).

S.H. Ervin Gallery
Run by the National Trust the gallery has an interesting collection of historical art. Observatory Hill, The Rocks. (02 9258 0123).

State Library of New South Wales
This is the oldest research library in Australia and it has an extensive collection of Australian manuscripts, including eight of the ten diaries written by those who arrived in the first fleet. The Mitchell Library has a mosaic depicting the voyages of Abel Tasman in 1642 - 1643. Admission to the library is free and there are free guided tours on Tuesdays and Thursdays . There are also free exhibitions held in the Mitchell Galleries. Located at Macquarie Street. Take the train to Martin Place or Sydney Explorer, Stop 4 (02 9273 1414).

Sydney Children’s Museum
Hands on science for ages 2 – 12. Located at the corner of Pitt Street and Walpole Streets (02 9897 1414).

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
Perched up on Observatory Hill above The Rocks is the Sydney Observatory. The hill commands a fine view of the harbour. It is the site of a former fortification, with the remnants of a wall constructed in 1804. The oldest observatory in Australia. Look through the telescopes or visit the exhibitions that shows how Aboriginal people used the stars for navigation, fly through space in the 3D Space Theatre and enjoy the gardens. At night time view the night sky through the historical and modern telescopes. The Sydney Observatory is located on Watson Road, Observatory Hill, The Rocks. (02 9217 0485). Take the train to Circular Quay and walk along George Street and left into Argyle Street and left again into Watson Street; Bus route 431,433 or 432 from George Street or Bus 343 from Martin Place; Red Explorer Bus 22. (02 9217 0485)

Sydney Tramway Museum
The Tramway Museum lies some half hour south of the city by train, adjacent to Loftus station on the line to Waterfall. Loftus is a station at which fast trains do not stop, so it may be necessary to change at Sutherland, the previous station (where the line to Cronulla diverges). There are exhibits featuring the old Sydney trams, and also trams from Brisbane, Ballarat and Melbourne in Australia, with San Francisco, Nagasaki, Berlin and Munich as overseas representatives. A tram service is run on the Parklink line to the nearby Royal National Park on Sundays only, and rides on this are included in the museum admission fee. Located at the corner of Rawson Avenue and Pitt Street. Take the train to Loftus. (02 9452 3646)

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 artefacts found in the area. The Rocks Discover Museum is located at 2- 8 Kendall Lane, The Rocks with entry from Argyle Street or Mill lane. Kendall Lane (02 9251 8804)

Westpac Museum
Trace the history of the bank from 1817 to the modern day. Located at 6 Playfair Street (02 9763 5670).