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Become a member
For exclusive Member events and experiences plus a range of year round benefits
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The People’s House: Sydney Opera House at 50
Celebrating five decades of extraordinary performances and unforgettable moments at the Sydney Opera House
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The People’s House: Sydney Opera House at 50
Celebrating five decades of extraordinary performances and unforgettable moments at the Sydney Opera House
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Conserving the archives
See what the Conservation team are working on in the lab
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Conserving the archives
See what the Conservation team are working on in the lab
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Explore the past and imagine the future through immersive and interactive programs and resources, onsite and online
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Learning
Discover past lives, events and stories in the places where they actually unfolded
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Learning
Discover past lives, events and stories in the places where they actually unfolded
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First Nations Hub
A dedicated space for First Nations community, cultures and history
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First Nations Hub
First Nations stories
First Nations Speaker Series
Harold Blair, trailblazer
Wulli Wulli tenor Harold Blair AM was Australia’s first professionally trained Aboriginal opera singer. An honour he had to fight for.
Read on
Harold Blair, trailblazer
Wulli Wulli tenor Harold Blair AM was Australia’s first professionally trained Aboriginal opera singer. An honour he had to fight for.
Read on
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Stitching for our house museums
For almost 15 years, a dedicated group of volunteers has gathered to sew, crochet, knit, embroider and stuff historically authentic soft furnishings for our houses
Read on
Stitching for our house museums
For almost 15 years, a dedicated group of volunteers has gathered to sew, crochet, knit, embroider and stuff historically authentic soft furnishings for our houses
Read on
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Popular topics
Architecture & design
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Regional NSW
Sydney Opera House
Women's stories
A new way of living
Once word spread about the newly built Rose Seidler House in 1950, it was the ‘most talked about house in Sydney’
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A new way of living
Once word spread about the newly built Rose Seidler House in 1950, it was the ‘most talked about house in Sydney’
Read more
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From magnificent colonial style buildings to iconic modern designed spaces, we have a venue ready for you
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Be inspired
Unique and spectacular spaces for your next event or occasion
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Be inspired
Unique and spectacular spaces for your next event or occasion
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Search our website and collections

Go direct to State Archives online indexes Go direct to State Archives catalogue

Reading the House Library

Hear from Dr Matthew Stephens, Research Librarian at the Caroline Simpson Library & Research Collection, as he shares stories and treasures from some of NSW’s most intriguing book collections.

Discover fascinating insights, including how many books made up the average 19th–century house library, the most popular titles and authors of the time and how a book that once belonged to the world’s first gothic novelist came to reside in our collection. Matthew will focus on the house libraries of Elizabeth Bay House and Throsby Park, Moss Vale.

View of the sitting room, showing fireplace, mirror, table, chairs and sofa. Bookcase is in righthand corner.

Books of lost emotion: exploring our historic house libraries

The thousands of books in MHNSW’s historic houses provided entertainment, education, moral improvement and spiritual sustenance – and now offer intriguing and moving insights into the people who owned them