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.

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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.

News

Image of the front of the coloumns on the Rum Hospital verandah
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

Wentworth Mausoleum perimeter fence
Latest News

Renewed splendour for the Wentworth Mausoleum

The conservation works to the perimeter fence of the historic Wentworth Mausoleum have been successfully completed

Conservation in action

Government Printing Office; NRS 4481, Glass negatives. NRS-4481-4-44-[AF00194836] Immigration Barracks Sydney, August 1871 [Department of Public Works]

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

Exterior view of Meroogal and garden

Conservation in action: Meroogal exterior painting

We're working with specialist painters to restore damage and prevent further deterioration to the building

South elevation, Elizabeth Bay House

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

Exterior of white-painted two storey building with verandahs.
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’.

Crenellated facade of house with turrets above and colourful garden bed in foreground.
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

Three Horticulture members stand infront of the bush curtilage at Vaucluse house. they are filling bins with weeds.
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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Nissen huts at Belmont, Government Printing Office, 1957.
Conservation

Unloved modern

A meticulously executed conservation and revitalisation project reveals the potential of the much-maligned Nissen hut

Internal view of the timber shed at Rouse Hill Estate
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

Looking through vine covered trellis to bathhouse surrounded by garden.
Conservation

What lies beneath: conservation works

Two conservation projects demonstrate the complex factors to consider when working with heritage buildings

Drawing room, Vaucluse House

How to manage mould in our homes

Warm wet weather encourages not only plant growth in our gardens but also mould growth in our homes. Thankfully we have the solution

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

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Other properties

The Beulah homestead, built 1836  - post acquisition, before conservation works

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

Veranda on south face of Throsby Park house, Moss Vale

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

View of Throsby Park house and circular drive

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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A women holds a large book open while she threads the pages together.

Conserving the archive

Supervising conservator Dominique Moussou talks through her work and some of the projects underway in the MHNSW conservation lab

Objects in storage at Vaucluse House.

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

Large four poster bed with canopy in middle of room full of other furnishings, backlit by window.

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

Oil portrait of Mary Elizabeth Pye (1827-1910), painted c 1845

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.