The 10 Best Museums in Sydney
Are you planning to explore Sydney? There are lovely museums you can check out within the city.
Sydney museums explore different issues that relate to Australian culture, history, and every other topic. While Melbourne may rank as the cultural capital of Australia, Sydney comes close too in many ways. Here are the top ten museums in the state.
Museum of Sydney
There is no better place to start than with the museum that bears the city name. The location of the museum was chosen in 1788 to be the first Government House in Australia. The site of that building was later converted to the Museum of Sydney. And a new building was built over what remained of the government house. The Sydney museum contains several objects on temporary displays covering various topics. The location of the museum is considered to be the land of the Gadigal people.
Nicholson Museum
This museum is the oldest university museum in Australia and features several archaeological materials from different part of the world such as the Middle East, Egypt, Greece, Mesopotamia, Cyprus, and Italy. The museum houses a vast collection of antiquities which ranks as the largest in the whole of the southern hemisphere. If that is not enough reason for you to go, you should also know that you don’t have to pay to be admitted into the museum. It is located in the University of Sydney’s main quadrangle, and you can go on any day of the week except Sunday when it is closed. The opening hours for Saturday is very limited, so if you are planning to go, you should plan your visits.
Shrine of Remembrance
This building was erected close to 90 years ago as a monument to remember Australians who serve in the First World War and other peacekeeping and military missions. The museum contains different exhibits and galleries. These include the Gallery of Medals, Gallery of remembrance, The Victoria, etc. In this museum, you will find the over 800 artefacts, which includes uniforms, medals, letters written to soldiers, etc. This museum is located on Birdwood Avenue.
National Sports Museum
This museum is located on the grounds of the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It celebrates Australian cricket history and the Melbourne Cricket Ground. If you are into crickets, this is the best place to go to get all the information you need when it comes interactive exhibits. There are areas designed for activities such as Australian Football zone where you can kick goals, shoot netball, and even test your reaction time compared to that of world-class athletes. While most of these activities are designed for kids, an adult can also have fun with these activities. If you are interested in checking out memorabilia from rugby union, boxing, Olympics, and other sports, this is the place to be.
Susannah Place Museum
This museum is a terrace that used to be a workers’ cottage and grocery store and was built as far back as 1844. This is why it is not surprising that the museum feels like a step back into time when you go there. The building alone is a sight on its own. Of course, its main focus is on the experience of the Sydney working class back in the 1800s.
Australian Museum
If you have kids, this child-friendly museum is a fantastic place for you to go. The name of the museum shows its significance as Australian oldest museum, and it houses one of the most extensive collection of cultural artefacts and scientific specimens. There are more than 18 million objects in the collection focusing on various topic such as natural history, palaeontology, anthropology, etc. This museum is your opportunity to get am up close with different animals, some of which are now extinct.
Australian National Maritime Museum
For a coastal city in an island country, it is not surprising that there is a maritime museum. It would have been surprising if
there was none. The museum is located in a prime spot in Pyrmont and right on the water. It is home to lively exhibitions and fascinating artefacts. If you are interested in fun activities, there are lots of opportunities for such in this museum as you will have opportuning of boarding ships and experiencing what it means to live on the water. You also get the chance to meet Bailey, the rescue Border Collie that has been keeping seagulls away from this museum since 2016.
Powerhouse Museum
This museum is right beside the Darling Harbour, and the building is an impressive and modern structure. However, you will soon discover that there are more remarkable things to see inside. Inside it, various treasures cover a variety of topics which include decorative arts, design, fashion, space, technology, science, and transport. It has permanent exhibitions as well as temporary displays on various topics.
Sydney Jewish Museum
The name says it all about this museum, it is located Darlinghurst and established to immortalise and remember the victims of the Holocaust. It is founded to teach and document the history of the Holocaust and contains exhibitions and displays that challenge your perception of morality, democracy, human rights, and social justice. It focuses on the Holocaust in terms of its contemporary and historical concept.
Hyde Park Barracks
This is another museum that gives you a clue into the colonial
history of Australia. It was built in the 1800s as a prison for Male Convicts and is currently a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The museum gives an insight into the lives of convicts and the colonial administrative justice system. It is a great place to visit to get an idea of immigration, indigenous people, and aboriginal resilience.
Justice and Police Museum
If you are interested in convict history in Australia, you should try visiting this museum. The building used to be police buildings that once housed different Australian criminals. Today, a walkthrough shows you the dark cells, collection of weapons, and photos and documents that were part of the forensic archive.