Museums of History New South Wales

Visit us

There’s plenty happening every day at our museums, historic houses and gardens, with entry free for all!

Learning

Explore our curriculum-linked programs, excursions and resources for stages 1 to 6. Inquire or book now

Come and Discover

Find out how you can access diverse experiences through a unique calendar of donor events

Strategy 2025-2030

Our first MHNSW five-year Strategy marks a new chapter of immense possibility

Volunteer for Sydney Open 2026

The premier open-building event in NSW, Sydney Open takes visitors into buildings and spaces that are rarely open to the public. Every year, Sydney Open is made possible by our incredible team of volunteers

Useful and beautiful – new Caroline Simpson Library niche display

The new display in the niche just outside the Caroline Simpson Library gives visitors a chance to see an original Morris & Co chair with an Australian provenance

‘All In’ at the On Country experience

Learning team member Lucy Melville reflects on the lasting impact of an experience on Country in the lead-up to Reconciliation Week 2026.

Donors attend a special studio experience with Signature Handprints

In late May, a group of Museums of History NSW donors attended a special behind-the-scenes experience at Signature Handprints, a boutique design and print business in St Peters in Sydney’s inner west.

Growing the living collection – camellias at Vaucluse House

At Vaucluse House, Museums of History NSW cares for a highly significant collection of historical camellias, including several rare cultivars dating back to the mid-19th century

Carpet Manufacturers Limited

Carpet Manufacturers Limited operated one of the first Australian factories to design, dye and weave high-quality carpets locally

Diana Luxton Messara: public interior designer

The Diana Luxton Messara archive, generously donated by the designer herself, contains drawings, plans, textile designs, photographs, correspondence, publications, sample boards and personal papers spanning more than five decades.

On a tour with palms: a botanical foray into the Caroline Simpson Library

A search for palms in the museum collections took this researcher on a journey back to a time when these plants were considered an essential addition to the tasteful home