Caroline Simpson Library
Ornament source books
Bringing together examples of surface and decorative ornament from a range of periods and cultures, ornament source books provided inspiration for designers, artists, sculptors and architects
![Alexander Mackintosh Archive :
architectural plans and specifications, 1901-1924: E. R. Orchard, architect : architectural plans and specifications, 1913-1915 / Edwin R. Orchard [architectural drawings]](https://images.mhnsw.au/fotoweb/embed/2025/03/c51525c85e59456e97c46a50d10f6352.jpg)
Alexander Mackintosh Archive
The Alexander Mackintosh Archive comprises around 270 architectural drawings and many specification documents relating to the largely domestic building work carried out by building contractor Alexander Mackintosh in Sydney between 1900 and 1924
Latest News
Love in the Library – Members Hour at the Caroline Simpson Library
In February, to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Collections Discovery Assistant Mel Flyte shared with our members expressions of love discovered in the Caroline Simpson Library
Murphy Wallpaper Collection
The recent donation to the Caroline Simpson Library of thousands of wallpapers in the John and Phyllis Murphy Collection means that Museums of History NSW now has the largest holding of historical wallpapers in Australia
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