Animals in our Houses

A Parade of Animals in Nurseries, with Michael Lech

By the mid-19th century, rooms in the home were often set aside specially for children, not just for sleeping but also learning and play.

Furnishings designed for these rooms helped to create the right atmosphere of beauty, instruction or fun. One of the most common decorative and instructional themes involved animals or parades of animals that appeared on almost every conceivable furnishing: wallpapers, murals, fabrics, floor coverings. Take a journey through the children’s nursery with items from our Caroline Simpson Collection and watch the parade over time.

Talks & webinars

Browse all
A colour chart of ready-mixed paints

Historic colour in the home

The many sources in the Caroline Simpson Library that can bring colour to the homes of past, with Matthew Stephens

Books in Miss Macleay's room, Elizabeth Bay House

Reading the House Library

An exploration of MHNSW’s Rare Book Collections, with Dr Matthew Stephens