Museums of History NSW

Museums of History NSW is changing the way our past is understood and our future will be experienced.

This new ‘home’ for the history of NSW brings together the historic houses, museums and collections previously in the care of Sydney Living Museums with the vast archives and records in the NSW State Archives Collection. Dedicated to engaging people in our past, Museums of History NSW provides greater access to these assets and to a broad range of stories about our social, cultural and political histories and identities.

Museums of History NSW cares for 13 of the most important historic houses, museums, sites and their collections. MHNSW’s sites and properties include Hyde Park Barracks, Museum of Sydney, Justice & Police Museum, Susannah Place Museum, Elizabeth Bay House, Vaucluse House, Rose Seidler House, Elizabeth Farm, Rouse Hill Estate, Meroogal, The Mint, Caroline Simpson Library and the Western Sydney Records Centre which is home to our State Archives Collection.

As custodians and storytellers, we are committed to preserving and presenting NSW’s unique history. Our places and collections comprise some of the most significant historical material in the country. With this as our foundation, we bring history to life through diverse voices and viewpoints, supporting audiences of all backgrounds to gain fresh perspectives and understandings of their past, present and future.

Central to this commitment is focusing a clear and accurate lens on the past that enables a truthful exploration of the continuing, lived impact of colonisation on First Nations communities and their connections to culture and Country. With truth telling and respect at the core of our approach, we aim to build on our shared histories, across our shared landscapes, and heal together for a united future.

Putting history before us, not behind us, we strive to keep the history of NSW relevant, empowering and new.

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