What’s on
Events
Online talk
State Library and State Archives: Where to find what in NSW
Experts from the State Library of NSW and Museums of History NSW (which includes State Archives) answer each other’s top questions to help you navigate collections and services
Tuesday 18 November 11am–12pm
Collections Series
Tour
Collections in Focus: Rose Seidler House
Enjoy a curator-led tour with a special focus on the unique collection at Rose Seidler House
71 Clissold Road, Wahroonga NSW 2076
Saturday 22 November 10am–11.15am
Special event
Open Day: Western Sydney Records Centre
Come and explore some of the treasures of Museums of History NSW on Dharug Country as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Western Sydney Records Centre
Saturday 22 November 10am–4pm
Workshop
Sensory Connections
Join Museums of History NSW curator Dr Jacqui Newling and Bhavna Kalra Shivalkar (The Modern Desi), one of Australia’s foremost culinary herb and spice experts, for a tantalizing workshop at Elizabeth Farm
70 Alice Street, Rosehill NSW 2142
Sunday 23 November 10.30am–12pm
Online talk
Faculty files: uncovering teacher records in the NSW State Archives Collection
This webinar will explore 19th-century teacher records held in the NSW State Archives Collection, making it possible to trace teachers’ careers from young trainees through to the established teachers they became
Friday 28 November 10.30am–11.30am
Sydney Open Series
Tour
White Bay Power Station Behind the Scenes Tours
Decommissioned in 1984, get behind the scenes at Sydney’s longest-serving power station at White Bay
Saturday 29 November 9.30am–10.30am
Collections Series
Talk
‘Faces in Shadow’: Silhouettes from Our Collections
There are many silhouettes in our collections. Join curator Dr Scott Hill as we explore albums, framed works and catalogues of these shadowy figures
The Mint, 10 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Monday 1 December 6pm–7.30pm
Sydney Open Series
Tour
History of Sydney's Department Stores
Discover how the history of David Jones is interwoven with the story of its landmark building and participate in a walking tour to see where other shops such as Anthony Hordern & Sons and Mark Foy’s were located
Saturday 6 December 8.30am–10.15am
Workshop
Visible Mending with Leah Giblin
The sustainable fashion movement might seem like a new trend but at Susannah Place (built in 1844) in The Rocks, the mending of clothes and other household items was a necessary part of life for the working-class residents of this inner-city community
58–64 Gloucester Street, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000
Sunday 7 December 10.30am–12.30pm
Tour
Members Hour: Elizabeth Farm
Be treated to a special tour of the property, led by our expert museum staff
70 Alice Street, Rosehill NSW 2142
Wednesday 21 January 9am–10am
Tour
Members Hour: Rouse Hill Estate
Experience Members Hour at Rouse Hill Estate
356 Annangrove Road, Rouse Hill NSW 2155
Sunday 15 February 9am–10am
Event series
Sydney Open Series
Building on the Sydney Open program, this series offers talks, workshops, and tours throughout the year, with a focus on history, architecture, design innovation, sustainability, and heritage
HomeGrown Series
Exploring Australian homes, gardens and domestic life past and present through a rich and eclectic mix of workshops, tours and talks held in Museums of History NSW’s beautiful historic houses and gardens
Collections Series
Join our expert curators, archivists, researchers and conservators for talks, tours, viewings and discussions as they highlight some of our most fascinating collection material
On display
Featured display
Eora by Michael Riley
Eora, by the late Wiradjuri/Kamilaroi filmmaker and photographer Michael Riley (1960–2004), is a 20-minute digital film that tells the story of Sydney’s First Nations people – before and after colonisation
Saturday 7 December
Featured display
Madjeri
Madjeri (pronounced mud-jer-ee) is the Dharawal word for canoe or small floating vessel
Saturday 3 August
Permanent display
Alexander Riley, legendary Aboriginal police tracker
The remarkable talents of Aboriginal trackers who worked for NSW Police in the 20th century are featured in a display at the Justice & Police Museum
Saturday 1 April
Permanent display
Healing land, remembering Country
A powerful work by Kuku Yalanji artist Tony Albert
Sunday 30 April
Permanent display
Yura Nura: People & Country
Yura Nura: People & Country presents contemporary Aboriginal reflections on the history of Sydney and colonisation
Saturday 1 April
Touring exhibitions
Touring exhibition
How cities work
Enter an immersive cityscape full of magical, tactile experiences to discover how the city works. Peek inside buildings, duck underground, and explore the streets to find out what’s going on above your head and beneath your feet
Touring exhibition
On the Move
Grab your ticket and enter an interactive transport world created in collaboration with illustrator James Gulliver Hancock
Touring exhibition
Street Photography
Before the days of Instagram, personal cameras, copyright and privacy laws, street photographers were a familiar part of city streets during the 1930’s to the late 1950’s, inadvertently creating a vast archive of black-and-white, postcard-sized candid images
Touring exhibition
Underworld: Mugshots from the roaring twenties
Welcome to the dark side of the Roaring Twenties. Descend into a seedy underworld where the only rules were never squeal to the police and always, always shoot first