Sydney may not be the capital of Australia, but it has many museums and galleries that tell the story of the country.
Start your journey at the Australian Museum or the Art Gallery of NSW to get a broader perspective, but also take time to pursue specific interests, from the history of Judaism in Australia to the studio museum of renowned Australian artist, Brett Whiteley. Although Sydney is a relatively expensive city, many (though not all) of these museums have free entry.
From charming art galleries to inspiring storytelling, these are the best museums in Sydney.
Art Gallery of New South Wales: the best for Australian and international art
Sydney’s Domain sits on the eastern side of the Parklands. Art Gallery of NSW Looks like a serious art gallery with sandstone structure and neoclassical columns that emulate the great galleries of Europe. The museum’s permanent collection contains thousands of works from all genres and from around the world, including Asia, Europe and Oceania. It also features excellent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander works.
The museum is currently being renovated with the addition of a new building to its north known as the Sydney Modern Project. It will have a dedicated local art gallery and space for major international exhibitions that tour the world.
Australian Museum: Best for pre-colonial history
Sydney’s principal museum, Australian Museum Covers natural history and science, hosting talks and events aimed at young learners and adults. But unlike London’s Horneman or New York’s Natural History Museum, it houses specimens from Australia’s First Nations people, now being developed in collaboration with their communities.
Visitors can also learn about the people who helped shape Australia, from scientists to athletes and artists. It is a short walk from the city center near Hyde Park.
Australian National Maritime Museum: Perfect for naval enthusiasts
If you are visiting Darling Harbour, it would be remiss to miss it. The best museum Even if you think sailing, cartography, navigation and ocean exploration have no interest (don’t worry, you’ll change your mind). Outside the museum is a Cold War-era submarine, an army patrol boat and a historic tall ship.
The museum also hosts exhibitions. Wildlife Photographer of the Year, a stunning collection of wildlife photography from the Natural History Museum in London. There are plenty of activities for kids, so don’t expect a short visit if you’re traveling with curious young minds.
Powerhouse Ultimo: Perfect for design enthusiasts
This is the original site. Powerhouse Museum, now located in Powerhouse Ultimo, and a former station that powered Sydney’s historic tram network in Ultimo. It is a short walk from Darling Harbor or Central Station.
The museum celebrates all things science and design, from steam trains to robots to Boy George dolls to reconstructed Art Deco cinemas. A significant government investment has enabled the museum to expand to new premises (under construction) in Parramatta, upgrade its accessible storage facilities in Castle Hill and digitize its collection.
Hyde Park Barracks Museum: Perfect for modern storytelling
gave Hyde Park Barracks Museum There was once a prison designed by a convict architect before housing a women’s immigration depot, asylum, law courts and government offices. Today this UNESCO World Heritage site is a modern museum that brings Australia’s colonial story to life through charismatic audio-guided storytelling.
Highlights of the tour include the upstairs hammock room where convicts – some 50,000 passed through – slept side by side, artifacts from various periods, and stories from the building’s later history.
Museum of Contemporary Art: Perfect for a stunning location
Ideally located in a commanding Art Deco building overlooking Circular Quay, Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Dedicated to exploring and celebrating the work of living artists. Their collections and exhibitions, organized around themes, cover the entire spectrum: painting, photography, sculpture and animation.
One of the main missions of the museum is to make contemporary art accessible to all through diverse exhibitions, discussions and promoting ideas. It also demonstrates a strong commitment to presenting the works of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Visitors should check out the Friday “late” for art and cocktails after dark. On the last Friday of the month, these nights include musical performances, workshops and more.
Sydney Jewish Museum: Excellent for 20th century history
After World War II, Holocaust survivors fled to the corners of the world for safety. Like America, Australia was one of the main centers of Jewish communities. today, The Jewish Museum of Sydney Follows the history of Judaism in Australia, tracing the first Europeans to arrive on the First Fleet and telling the story of the Holocaust through historical objects and memorabilia. By commemorating and educating visitors about the past, their mission is to challenge today’s notions of morality, social justice, democracy and human rights.
Rocks Discovery Museum: Perfect for stepping back in time
There isn’t a kid in Sydney who hasn’t visited it. Small museum At some point during your school years. “The Rocks” was the nickname given to the area by Europeans who quarried the sandstone here when it was the site of Sydney’s early colonial settlement.
The museum provides a real sense of place, bringing Sydney’s history and its dockyard location to life through storytelling and colorful characters. For more history, close Susannah Place Shows the slums of Sydney’s past only through a guided tour.
Brett Whitley Studio: Perfect for a behind-the-scenes peak
You’ll find it in Sydney’s hip Surrey Hills. Studio Museum By the wandering Australian artist Brett Whitley. He converted the former warehouse into a studio and exhibition space in the mid-1980s and lived there until his death a few years later.
In the studio, you can use memorabilia from his life, including sketchbooks and unfinished paintings. You can also see rotating exhibitions of his famous work on loan from the Art Gallery of NSW (which also manages the site).
Chow Chik Wing Museum: Excellent for modern architecture
After 160 years, the University of Sydney’s Nicholson Museum has closed its doors and transferred its collection to a museum. Chow Chak Wing Museum, expanding its exposure space. The new museum is housed in the first Frank Gehry-designed building in Australia, which resembles a bit of a piece of paper. It was funded by Australian-Chinese philanthropist Dr Chai Chak Wing, hence the name.
Highlights of this brand new museum include Indigenous cultural objects, 19th and 20th century Australian, European and Asian art and natural history. In addition, there is a pair of Mediterranean archeological sites, including a mummy room containing a 2,500-year-old Egyptian mummified cat.