Sydney Open Series
The Sydney Open Series builds on the Sydney Open program, offering talks, workshops, and tours throughout the year, with a focus on history, architecture, design innovation, sustainability, and heritage.
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Sydney Open 2025
On Sunday 2 November 2025, we'll present a major Sydney Open city-wide experience, giving visitors access to more of Sydney's most exclusive buildings and places, including important heritage spaces, new buildings and significant places across Sydney
What's on
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Sydney Open Series
Tour
Parramatta Heritage Tour: Rosehill and Harris Park
Celebrate the Australian Heritage Festival with a guided tour of Elizabeth Farm, Hambledon Cottage and Experiment Farm Cottage
70 Alice Street, Rosehill NSW 2142
Saturday 10 May 10am–12pm
Past event
Heritage Tours of Cockatoo Island’s Powerhouse
In our latest Sydney Open Series event, the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust is opening the doors to Cockatoo Island’s Powerhouse
Saturday 12 April 10am–10.45am
Past event
International Women’s Day Walking Tour of Castlecrag
Celebrate International Women’s Day 2025 with a walking tour that honours three pioneers of 20th-century Australian architecture: Marion Mahony Griffin, Ruth Lucas and Eva Buhrich
Saturday 8 March 10am–12.30pm
Past event
Historical Tour of Long’s Lane
Step into Sydney’s storied past with an exclusive behind-the-scenes guided tour of the Long's Lane precinct in The Rocks
Sunday 16 February 10am–11.30am
Past event
Tours of Urban Green Sydney
Join us for a tour of Urban Green, a subterranean farm in Sydney’s city centre
Saturday 23 November 11am–12pm
Past event
Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden Tours
Join us for a tour of Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden and learn how a disused railway dump was transformed into a public garden oasis
Sunday 13 October 10am–11am
Past event
Lahznimmo Architects Tour
Join us on a tour of Powerhouse Castle Hill’s newest architectural accomplishment, Building J
Saturday 14 September 10.30am–11.30am
Past event
White Bay Power Station Behind the Scenes Tours
Decommissioned in 1984, Sydney’s longest serving power station, at White Bay, will once again energise the city as part of the 2024 Power Up festival
Friday 20 September 10.30am–11.30am
Past event
St Mary’s Cathedral Bell Tower Tours
For an exclusive experience, ascend steps to the Cathedral’s Bell Tower and learn how the melodic bells are rung
Sunday 25 August 1.30pm–2.30pm
Past event
The Strand Arcade Twilight Tour
Join us for an exclusive guided tour of the Strand Arcade – the last surviving Victorian-era shopping arcade in Sydney
Thursday 22 August 5.30pm–6.30pm
Past event
Memory Lane: Walking Tour of Redfern
Join Redfern Elder Aunty Donna Ingram and Golding for a walking tour that will explore the social and political history of Redfern
Corner Phillip and Bridge streets, Sydney NSW 2000
Sunday 30 June 10.30am–12.30pm
Past event
Tour of Parbury Ruins and Arthur Payne's House
Enjoy a tour of two archaeological sites and uncover some of the rich history of The Rocks
Saturday 1 June
Past event
Members heritage tours: White Bay Power Station
Decommissioned in 1984, Sydney’s longest-serving power station at White Bay will once again energise Sydney as part of the 2024 Biennale of Sydney
Thursday 9 May 12pm–1pm
Past event
Heritage tours: White Bay Power Station
Decommissioned in 1984, Sydney’s longest-serving power station at White Bay will once again energise Sydney as part of the 2024 Biennale of Sydney
Past event
Curator-led tour of Rose Seidler House & Julian Rose House
Enjoy a tour of Rose Seidler House with Museums of History NSW curator Michael Lech, plus a rare peek at the Julian Rose House with Brian Seidler AM
71 Clissold Road, Wahroonga NSW 2076
Saturday 4 May 10am–11.30am
Past event
Town Hall Clock Tower tour
Climb the spiral staircase into the clock tower for an up-close view of the large bronze chiming bells and the clock’s working mechanism
Saturday 3 February 11am–11.45am
Past event
Sails, Octopuses, and Telescopic Cranes
An evening celebrating the construction of the Sydney Opera House through a talk, panel discussion and virtual reality experience
Corner Phillip and Bridge streets, Sydney NSW 2000
Thursday 7 December 5.30pm–8pm
Past event
Seidler Office & Penthouse tour
Harry Seidler's award winning office building and later adjoining penthouse
Sunday 19 November 10am–11am
Past event
Sydney Opera House Sustainability Tour
Join us on this special sustainability tour and discover what makes the Sydney Opera House a 6-star Green Star–rated building
Tuesday 7 November 9.30am–11am
Past event
Sydney Opera House Heritage Tour
Join a tour of the Sydney Opera House with architect and author Alan Croker
Saturday 11 November 9.15am–10.45am
Architecture & design stories
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Wallpaper
Wallpaper printing rollers: from machine printing to 3D capture
In December 2022, Phyllis Murphy AM generously donated to the Caroline Simpson Library more than 3,000 wallpaper samples. While the bulk of the donation consists of wallpaper rolls, lengths and sample books, it also includes two printing rollers
House photo albums
These specially produced photograph albums (some in published form and others consisting of photographs pasted into an album) comprise images of one or more domestic dwellings and depict exteriors, interiors and gardens in NSW mostly from the late 19th to the early 20th centuries
Richard Stringer’s architectural photographs, 1968–2003
This portfolio contains 55 photo prints taken by architectural photographer Richard Stringer, dating from 1968 to 2003, documenting significant Australian domestic buildings
Barry Wollaston: historic buildings in the county of Cumberland (NSW), 1954
This collection consists of 232 photo negatives by architect and photographer Barry Wollaston of buildings in the Sydney region considered by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects in the early 1950s to be of architectural and historical value
A pictorial guide to identifying Australian architecture – photo collection
This collection of over 700 black and white photo prints was used to illustrate the book 'A pictorial guide to identifying Australian architecture' by Richard Apperly, Robert Irving and Peter Reynolds, first published in Sydney in 1989
![Alexander Mackintosh Archive :
architectural plans and specifications, 1901-ca.1921: Waterhouse & Lake : architectural plans and specifications, 1909-1924 / B.J. Waterhouse & J.W. Lake [architectural drawing]](https://images.mhnsw.au/fotoweb/embed/2024/12/41b04e66f26c41e0a8a932bedad1490a.jpg)
The Alexander Mackintosh Archive: revealing records of a master builder
Forgotten for decades, the archive of building contractor Alexander Mackintosh was rediscovered in a roof space in the 1990s. It includes more than 270 architectural drawings and reveals information about the work of many of Sydney’s leading architects of the early 20th century
The architectural pattern books of Elizabeth Macquarie
The architectural achievements of Governor Macquarie’s era are usually attributed to Macquarie’s architect Francis Greenway. Yet evidence collected during an inquiry into the state of the colony of NSW in the early 1820s includes references to the involvement of the governor’s wife, Elizabeth Macquarie, in matters architectural
Wallpaper
Beyond the wallpaper: the life and work of Phyllis and John Murphy
A significant donation of more than 3,000 wallpaper samples to the Caroline Simpson Library reflects just one facet of the remarkable careers of Phyllis and John Murphy, partners in life, architecture and heritage conservation