The Museum of Sydney’s permanent Gadigal Place gallery explores the Gadigal people’s experience of colonization and the convict era. Other notable permanent displays include models of the First Fleet, the 11 British boats that arrived in 1788 bringing around 1,500 settlers. Throughout the museum, visitors learn about many of the people who influenced the city throughout the years through artifacts and multimedia presentations. Temporary, Sydney-focused exhibitions cover everything from national identity to fashion and surfing.
Admission to the Museum of Sydney is free for all visitors. You can pre book free tickets online.
The Museum of Sydney is wheelchair accessible.
There is a café at the museum serving simple lunches, snacks, coffee, beer, and wine.
Children under 15 must be accompanied by an adult.
Located in the heart of Sydney’s Central Business District (CBD), the Museum of Sydney is one block from Circular Quay, which is well serviced by trains, buses, and ferries. There is no parking at the museum, and street parking is very limited—the closest garage is Governor Phillip & Macquarie Tower. Cyclists can make use of the museum’s on-site bike racks.
The Museum of Sydney is open seven days a week, all year-round. It is only closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day. Opening hours are from mid-morning until early evening. To manage capacity, the museum prefers visitors to pre book admission tickets. Check the museum’s online calendar for details on the museum’s regular events, talks, and workshops.
A permanent art installation located by the entrance is called the “Edge of Trees” in reference to the Indigenous people who watched from the edge of the trees as the First Fleet anchored in the Bay of Sydney. The names of 29 Aboriginal clans from around Sydney correspond to the 29 massive pillars and a sound piece lets visitors hear Koori voices speaking the names of places in the region that have been lost.
