Ask a Curator
Before you contact us, please check these frequently asked questions.
Selected objects from our collection are on display in MHNSW’s historic properties and museums. For opening hours and to plan your visit, please refer to the Visit us page.
You can also search for objects in our Museum Collection using the search function. Please note that our online catalogue is a developing resource, with more objects being added regularly.
If you have specific questions about objects not currently on display, please submit a request via our Ask a Curator form.
Information about MHNSW’s museums and properties can be found on our property pages. You may also wish to consult the webpages of the Caroline Simpson Library and the State Archives for further information about those collections.
Our Curatorial & Research team are happy to assist with other questions about MHNSW’s historic properties and museums. Submit an inquiry via our Ask a Curator form and your question will be directed to somebody who can help.
To find out about our on-site programs, virtual excursions, or teacher-guided visits, please consult the Learning page.
Many of the surviving NSW Government records relating to individuals, families or communities connected with MHNSW’s properties and museums are housed in the State Archives Collection. You can begin by searching the State Archives’ online catalogue, consulting the FAQ’s page, or by viewing the informative webinars and articles that highlight certain aspects of the State Archives Collection.
For any other more specific questions about the State Archives Collection, please submit a query via the Ask an Archivist form.
You can search for objects in our Museum Collection using the search function on our website. Please note that our online database is a developing resource, with more objects being added regularly.
If you need more information or have further questions about specific objects, please submit them using our Ask a Curator form.
General information about collectable objects and historic household furnishings might be sourced from reference books in the Caroline Simpson Library, which is a research library open to the public. For information about items housed in the State Archives Collection, please visit the Ask an Archivist page.
It is possible to view collection objects not currently on display, but you must arrange this in advance. Depending on the object(s) and the storage location, it may take up to six weeks to organise a viewing.
For inquiries, please contact us via the Ask a Curator form.
We do not provide information on privately owned objects, nor do we provide valuations or offer advice on the rarity or authenticity of privately owned objects. Where possible, we may direct you to a resource or organisation that can help you.
We welcome information from the public that adds to our understanding of our collections. If you have additional information about items in our collections, please submit it by email via our Ask a Curator form, for our consideration and review. If verified, we may change or add the new information to our existing object documentation.
We welcome offers of objects to our collection but can only accept items that meet the criteria outlined in our collection development policies. If you are interested in making an offer, please use our Ask a Curator form.
Still have a question?
It may take up to 10 working days to respond to your inquiry. Please note that we do not conduct research on your behalf. We may be able to provide information relevant to some requests but, in other cases, we may direct you to other organisations that maintain lists of professional researchers and historians.