Heritage
As custodians of places listed on the state, national and World Heritage registers, Museums of History NSW is committed to preserving and presenting the unique history of NSW found in the buildings, collections and landscapes we manage.
Our portfolio of built heritage dates from as early as 1793 up to 1950 and comprises some of the most significant historic buildings in the country, including early colonial homesteads, convict sites, civic institutions, working-class Victorian-era terraces, archaeological sites, and a mid-20th-century modernist icon of domestic architecture.
MHNSW is committed to conserving these valuable legacies from the past and ensuring that these places will continue to be experienced and enjoyed by current and future generations.
Our approach
At MHNSW, we are committed to maintaining the museums, landscapes and collections in our care with integrity and authenticity. Our approach is underpinned by the Burra Charter, created by Australia ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites), which advocates a cautious approach to conserving a place or an object, changing as much as necessary but as little as possible to ensure that the significance of the place or object is maintained. Accordingly, we practise the principles of minimal intervention and reversibility (meaning that any intervention or treatment can be undone without damaging the object), and use appropriate materials and traditional trades.
Conservation is an integral aspect of managing places of cultural significance and an ongoing responsibility. Each of our places has an individual plan for its conservation and management that embraces the specific qualities, significance and histories of that place and guides our approach to conservation works there. MHNSW has commenced a program of updates to these conservation management plans to ensure they are aligned with best practice guidelines.
Heritage conservation projects
The Heritage, Building & Facilities, and Capital Projects teams at MHNSW work with a range of external specialists to expertly conserve our significant places. Prioritising traditional materials and techniques wherever possible, we undertake annual maintenance and capital works programs to conserve and safeguard these places for the public now and into the future.
The range of projects we manage is varied, and work is always underpinned by the expertise of staff in our Curatorial & Research, Collections, and Horticulture teams.
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Rouse Hill Estate: a preservationist approach
Six generations of one family occupied Rouse Hill House from its construction until the late 1990s when it opened as a museum. Each generation added another layer of belongings, improvements and memories
Latest conservation news
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Latest News
Conservation works at Rouse Hill Estate
After detailed condition inspections of the state heritage–listed Rouse Hill Estate, MHNSW’s Capital Works and Heritage teams have begun a large-scale conservation project that will sensitively address a range of identified issues
Latest News
Hyde Park Barracks conservation works complete
In collaboration with experienced heritage consultants and tradespeople, MHNSW has now completed challenging and complex conservation works on the northern range buildings on the Hyde Park Barracks site
Latest News
Major conservation works completed on the Rum Hospital verandah
In the 2023–24 financial year the MHNSW Capital Works team completed detailed conservation works on the ‘Rum Hospital’ building at The Mint
Conservation in action
![Government Printing Office; NRS 4481, Glass negatives. NRS-4481-4-44-[AF00194836] Immigration Barracks Sydney, August 1871 [Department of Public Works]](https://images.mhnsw.au/fotoweb/embed/2024/03/9ed3ccc6d6db479a96fc023302e74dc7.jpg)
Conservation in action: Hyde Park Barracks northern range refurbishment works
In collaboration with experienced heritage consultants and traditional tradespeople, MHNSW is undertaking conservation works to the northern range buildings
Conservation in action: Meroogal exterior painting
We're working with specialist painters to restore damage and prevent further deterioration to the building
Conservation in action: Elizabeth Bay House external joinery work
Museums of History NSW is undertaking external joinery conservation works to the front facade thanks to the funds generously donated by our supporters during the 2022 Annual Appeal
Conservation
Conservation in action: Rum Hospital's verandah and columns
Structural repairs and conservation of the timber verandah and columns of the former ‘Rum Hospital’.
Conservation
Conservation in action: the Vaucluse House turrets
The conservation of the 1830s stone turrets on the west side of Vaucluse House is an impressive example of the continuing use of traditional craftsmanship and local materials
Plant your history
Conservation in Action: Vaucluse House bush care
The gardens team undertake important work on the ecological restoration and recovery of the Olola Avenue boundary bushland
Heritage stories
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The Mint project: Sydney’s adaptive reuse triumph
Sydney’s urban landscape is a testament to both the city’s rich history and examples of forward-thinking vision. Among the most compelling examples of this fusion of past and future is the revitalisation of the Mint complex
Rouse Hill conservation works October 2024 – May 2025
After detailed condition inspections of the state heritage–listed Rouse Hill Estate, MHNSW’s Capital Works and Heritage teams have begun a large-scale conservation project that will sensitively address a range of identified issues at the site
![Government Printing Office; NRS 4481, Glass negatives. NRS-4481-4-44-[AF00194836] Immigration Barracks Sydney, August 1871 [Department of Public Works]](https://images.mhnsw.au/fotoweb/embed/2024/03/b437216ff79d433da2d3b92c8bb24e51.jpg)
Conservation
Conservation in action: Hyde Park Barracks northern range refurbishment works
In collaboration with experienced heritage consultants and traditional tradespeople, MHNSW is undertaking conservation works to the northern range buildings
Conservation
A strong and simple structure: conserving the woolshed
The second phase of a major conservation project on the woolshed at Rouse Hill Estate has seen the rustic 160-year-old structure strengthened and stabilised
Our historic houses in 3D
A project to capture 3D scans of MHNSW properties will greatly assist conservation work and create exciting new interpretation opportunities far into the future
Learn moreOther properties
Background on Beulah
Beulah, on Appin Road south of Campbelltown, is a unique property that combines elements of both heritage and environmental significance
Locking up at Throsby Park
Among the set of house keys for Throsby Park are a number of very large brass mortice keys for 19th century internal door locks
Throsby Park: a comfortable residence
Discover the fascinating story of Throsby Park, a rural property near Moss Vale in the southern highlands, New South Wales, Australia, rescued, stabilised and conserved by Museums of History NSW
Throsby Park: a place of value
What does it really mean when we say Throsby Park is of state heritage significance?
Tusculum
Saved from demolition in the 1980s, Tusculum represents a highpoint in Regency architectural design in Australia
Collections connections
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Conserving the archive
Supervising conservator Dominique Moussou talks through her work and some of the projects underway in the MHNSW conservation lab
Barcoding our collection
During the 2021 COVID lockdown, a team was busy working behind the scenes to implement technology that will improve how we manage our collections & make them more discoverable for our audiences
Making the Bed at Rouse Hill Estate
While Rouse Hill Estate is temporarily closed to visitors, we are busy behind the scenes inspecting, cleaning and caring for the collection
Collections care in a time of coronavirus
Museum closures earlier this year due to COVID-19 gave Museums of History NSW staff a valuable opportunity to spend even more time caring for our historic houses and their precious and diverse collections.