A UNESCO World Heritage site in the heart of contemporary Sydney, the Hyde Park Barracks is an extraordinary record of the living legacy of colonial Australia. Originally built to house convicts, the Barracks also served as a women’s immigration depot and asylum, and later law courts and government offices. Today this immersive museum tells the stories of the thousands of men, women and children held or housed there, and the Aboriginal communities profoundly impacted by the relentless push of colonial expansion.

Queens Square, Macquarie Street Sydney NSW 2000. Phone +61 2 8239 2311

Hyde Park Barracks

Queens Square, Macquarie Street Sydney NSW 2000. Phone +61 2 8239 2311
  • Wheelchair accessible
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Stories

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Convict Barrack Sydney N.S. Wales

Hyde Park Barracks – the convict years

In 1788, the penal colony of New South Wales was established on the Country of the Gadigal people

Person in red shirt kneeling in front of lifted floorboards removing debris.

Hyde Park Barracks: a keeper of lost things

Uncover and explore some of the items found inside the barracks

Black and white image of a building

Hope 1848–1886

In 1848 the Hyde Park Barracks became an immigration depot and hiring office for unaccompanied women newly arrived in Sydney

Paiting showing boats and Aboriginal people in canoes
First Nations

The convict impact on Aboriginal people

Impacts of the convict system on Aboriginal Country and communities

Learning programs

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Assorted bones including sheep, goat and pig bones
Onsite

Archaeology Underfoot

As they experience historical archaeology first hand, students learn to differentiate between the roles of historian and archaeologist

Children recreating a solitary confinement cell with foam bricks
Onsite

Convict Life at the Barracks

What was it like to be a convict living at the Hyde Park Barracks?

Two girls dressed in costume in large dormitory style room.
Onsite

Home: Convicts, Migrants and First Peoples

What was it like to be a convict living at the Hyde Park Barracks?

Annual Giving 2023–24: engaging with history

Supporting children to discover history

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