Best Museums In Sydney You Need To Check Out

When visiting the Emerald City, you might find yourself visiting the city's coastlines often, but there's only so much seawater one can soak up. Once you've had your fill of Sydney's breathtaking coastal sights, you can make your way to the nearest hub of art and knowledge. 

It's certainly easy to get lost while navigating the unfamiliar streets of a foreign country. With public transport systems strewn across the city, you're sure to thank NSW for its prompt and reliable bus services. We know how taxing finding the right bus stop can get, so we've included the nearest bus stops that you can use to explore the wonderful capital city of Sydney without missing out on the best sights. 

Now, you might not find a dum dum asking you for gum in any of these Sydney museums, but don't worry; the Sydney museums will still have something that matches your interests. The museums in Sydney have everything from the vast expanse of space to interactive exhibits of modern art. Let's find your "nerd's paradise"!

Art For All Ages

What separates the museums in Sydney from being dull records of the past is the visual exhibits that let you soak in the true beauty of civilization past. Many of the best museums in Sydney display contemporary and aboriginal art. 

Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)

Address: 140 George St, The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia
Bus Stop: George Street
Timings: Daily, 10 am - 5 pm (Closed on Mondays and extended to 9 pm on Fridays)
Ticket Price: Free Entry

Located on George Street, the MCA is home to a collection of over 4000 works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists across all art forms, such as paintings, photography, sculpture, and moving images. When you've exhausted yourself with the museum's free guided tours, you can grab a bite at the MCA Cafe, then make your way to the MCA Store to pick up a souvenir. It’s not hard to see why this is considered one of the best museums in Sydney and is only 13 minutes drive away from the best student housing in Sydney. 

Argyle Gallery

Address: 21 Playfair St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Bus Stop: Argyle Street
Timings: Daily, 10 am - 5:30 pm

Established in 2000, the Argyle Gallery displays its grand collection of Australian and Aboriginal art sourced directly from the communities that initially inhabited the land down under. Climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which is not more than 20 minutes away, can be the perfect end to a lovely day of browsing the gallery's collection of Australian and Aboriginal art. 

Art Gallery NSW

Address: Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Bus Stop: Kelvingrove Art Galleries
Timings: Daily, 10 am - 5 pm
Ticket Price: Free Entry

This museum in Sydney is a must-have on your list if you’re an art aficionado. Originating from cultural idealism and intense inter-city rivalry with Melbourne, the AGNSW was established in 1871. Its permanent collection is adorned with works by indigenous artists, modern art, and a wide variety of contemporary art from Australia and all parts of Asia. You might recognise the notable strokes of the Old Masters - Dutch, French and Italian painters. 

White Rabbit Gallery

Address: 30 Balfour St, Chippendale NSW 2008, Australia
Bus Stop: Railway Square
Timings: Wednesdays to Sundays, 10 am to 5 pm
Ticket Price: Free Entry

Originating from a passionate appreciation for Beijing's culture, the White Rabbit Gallery was established by Judith Nielson following her first trips to the country in the late 1990s. The gallery was a former Rolls-Royce service depot before being entirely refitted to display Chinese contemporary art. 

Chau Chak Wing Museum

Address: University Pl, Camperdown NSW 2006, Australia
Bus Stop: Parramatta Road
Timings: Weekdays, 10am - 5pm; Weekends, 12pm - 4pm
Ticket Price: Free Entry

If mummies have been on your mind ever since you read the title, then this is the museum you've been waiting for! Packed with three collections and more than 8,000 historical and contemporary works, the Chau Chak Wing Museum can only display up to 3% of its massive selection at a time. This is undoubtedly one of th largest and best museums in Sydney. 

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Know Your Roots

The history museum plays an unrivalled role in our society. It not only unites individuals from many backgrounds and cultures under one roof, but it also satisfies their curiosity about the ancient history of our planet. 

Sydney Jewish Museum

Address: 148 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia
Bus Stop: Darlinghurst Road
Timings: On weekdays, 10am - 4pm (Only open till 3pm on Fridays); On Sundays, 10am - 4.30pm
Ticket Price: AU$18

Built in memory of those who made their way to Australia after surviving the Holocaust, the Sydney Jewish Museum uses its voice to teach the world lessons from the past. Through interactive technologies fused with its artifacts, the museum traces the history of Judaism, the persecution of Jewish people, their journey to Australia and recent human rights issues in Australia. This museum in Sydney cannot be skipped when visiting this city.

Museum of Sydney

Address: Cnr Bridge St &, Phillip St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Bus Stop: Phillip Street
Timings: Daily, 10am - 5pm
Ticket Price: Free Entry

Wrapped around the remains of Australia's first Government House, the Museum of Sydney traces the city's history and culture. Its permanent displays view colonialism from an Aboriginal perspective and include kid-friendly models of the 11 British boats that touched Sydney's shores in 1788. The temporary exhibitions in the Museum of Sydney cover everything from the evolution of local fashion to modernist architecture and surfing. The museum's This Way Canteen has a rotating selection of fresh food, so be sure to stop by and refill your energy here! 

Rocks Discovery Museum

Address: Kendall Ln, The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia
Bus Stop: Circular Quay
Timings: Daily, 10am - 5pm
Ticket Price: Free Entry

Occupying three historic buildings from 1844, the Rocks Discovery Museum uses archaeological artefacts to tell the stories of Sydney. One of the best museums in Sydney, it follows the discovery and development of the Rocks, the core of the original settlement of Sydney founded on the land of the Gadigal people. 

Australian Museum

Address: 1 William St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia
Bus Stop: College Street
Timings: Daily, 10am - 5pm
Ticket Price: Free Entry

With an extensive collection stretching all the way back to the age of the dinosaurs, the Australian Museum's non-exhaustive collection will keep you hooked on history all day. The museum displays some of the deadliest of the down-under animals, First Nations Culture, and consists of the galleries of Bayala Nura (Yarning Country) and Garrigarrang (Sea Country). Featured in the temporary exhibit, Wild Planet, you'll find some of the deadliest animals down under as well as some peculiar collectables like the largest bird and moth on the planet. Try not to get into a slapping contest with the monkey. 

A New Perspective

All museums of Sydney offer a peek into the past, but none as immersive as these. By recreating scenes from the past, these living museums in Sydney offer you a chance to travel back in time and wander through the lives of the past inhabitants as a ghost. 

Hyde Park Barracks Museum

Address: Queens Square, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Bus Stop: Hyde Park
Timings: Thursdays to Sundays, 10am - 5pm
Ticket Price: AU$12

Ever wondered how accurately Shawshank Redemption portrays the lives of convicts? The Hyde Park Barracks Museum offers a self-guided tour of this former prison. Once housing around 50,000 British convicts, this museum retells history through preserved artefacts such as convict carpentry tools. The museum also lets you experience convict life firsthand by trying on convict clothes and lying in a convict hammock in a cramped dormitory. 

The Mint

Address: 10 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Bus Stop: Macquarie Street
Timings: On weekdays, 9am - 4pm
Ticket Price: Free Entry

Known for being Sydney's oldest public building, the Mint was once part of the notoriously famous Rum Hospital, named so for its unnatural origins. Financed with 45,000 gallons of rum, this hospital provided beds to 200 convict patients in its prime. Now, it houses the Caroline Simpson Library & Research Collection, a reserve of research for anyone interested in the history of interior furnishing and designing. 

Brett Whiteley Studio

Address: 2 Raper St, Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia
Bus Stop: Crown St.
Timings: Thursdays to Sundays, 10 am - 4 pm

Previously functioning as the workplace of the famous artist after whom it is named, the Brett Whiteley Studio now offers visitors the chance to experience the same space that the artist worked in. The studio features some of the artist's unfinished paintings and personal memorabilia, like his music collection, sketchbooks, postcards, and photographs. 

Meroogal

Address: 35 West St, Nowra NSW 2541, Australia
Bus Stop: Stewart Place
Timings: Saturdays, 10am - 4pm
Ticket Price: Free Entry

Passed down through four generations of the Roogal family, this unique Carpenter Gothic house invites visitors to stroll through time and watch the lives of past inhabitants unfold. Built in the 1880s, it features traditions bequeathed through several generations, such as manuscript cookbooks, personal diaries, a grandfather clock and much more! 

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It's Not Rocket Science!

If you find it hard not to yawn at the mention of history (you just yawned, didn't you?), then I've got good news! The best museums in Sydney don't just cover the past, but the present too! At these Sydney museums, you'll find interactive exhibits showcasing technological advancements and scientific research in a fun and interactive way. 

Powerhouse Museum

Address: 500 Harris St, Ultimo NSW 2007, Australia
Bus Stop: Darling Harbour
Timings: Daily, 10am - 5pm (on Thursdays, 10am - 9pm)
Ticket Price: Free Entry

Suppose you've only got enough time to visit one museum. In that case, this museum occupying the very same postmodern building that once functioned as the power station for Sydney's trams will not disappoint. With interactive arts and science exhibits covering a vast range of subjects from fashion, design and technology to transport, space and engineering, you're sure to leave the museum satisfied with how your time was spent. If your stroll through the museum is interrupted by a sudden craving for snacks, you can make your way to the Powerhouse Café for sandwiches, salads and smoothies. 

Science Space

Address: Innovation Campus, 60 Squires Way, North Wollongong NSW 2500, Australia
Bus Stop: Innovation Way
Timings: Daily, 10am - 4pm 
Ticket Price: AU$16

This Sydney museum will revive your inner child as you gaze at the exhibits in fascination. It first opened in 1989 under the name 'Science Centre and Planetarium' and now houses over 90 interactive exhibits, science shows, workshops, and an advanced planetarium. Science Space recently welcomed a new addition, DIGISTAR 6, which transports visitors to the edges of time and space with the help of a 4k laser projection system. Come delve into the planet's deep oceans, expansive universe and the ends of time. 

Recharge with a quick espresso at one of Sydney’s cute cafes!

Off The Beaten Track

History, art, science - you've seen it all and are in the quest for something new, something unique. These peculiar museums in Sydney put on unusual exhibits that are hard to find elsewhere. 

Australian National Maritime Museum

Address: 2 Murray St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Bus Stop: Darling Harbour
Timings: Daily, 10am - 4pm 
Ticket Price: AU$25

The Australian National Maritime Museum is situated next to CockleBay in Darling Harbour and is topped with white buildings with wavy, sail-like roofs. Launched in 1991, the roomy, modern structure houses exhibits and shows with a maritime theme. Consider the ties between the water and Australia's native people, the early exploration of Europe, and seaborne immigration. Climb aboard the former navy destroyer HMAS Vampire, the HMAS Onslow submarine, or a copy of Captain Cook's HMB Endeavour at the wharves outside, where you'll find the largest fleet of in-water historic warships in the world.

Justice and Police Museum

Address: Cnr Phillip St &, Albert St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Bus Stop: Circular Quay
Timings: On weekends, 10am - 5pm 
Ticket Price: Free Entry

The Justice & Police Museum, a small collection of sandstone structures, is tucked between Sydney Harbour and the city's skyscrapers. The museum, which is housed in what used to be one of the colony's busiest legal buildings, looks after a diverse collection of artefacts related to Sydney's criminal and policing past. The impressive New South Wales Police Forensic Photography Archive is one example of this.

Between 1910 and 1964, about 130,000 negatives in both glass-plate and cellulose film types were collected in the unique New South Wales Police Forensic Photography Archive. The photographs in the database depict Sydney, Australia's "Sin City," in all its grim and even upsetting detail, including its residents' tragedies and misdeeds.

Susannah Place Museum

Address: 58/64 Gloucester St, The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia
Bus Stop: Circular Quay
Timings: Thursdays and Fridays, 10am - 5pm
Ticket Price: AU$12

The Rocks was home to many working-class households who had small yards, outdoor showers, and the occasional rat infestation. It is at Susannah Place Museum that their tales are told. Edward Riley, an immigrant from Ireland, constructed Susannah Place in 1844. Throughout 100 families have called Susannah Place home over the course of its history, and even though it has withstood modern construction, the stories of the original four terrace houses provide you with a fascinating look into the past.

Sydney Cricket Ground Museum (SCG Museum)

Address: Sydney Cricket Ground, Driver Ave, Moore Park NSW 2021, Australia
Bus Stop: Circular Quay
Timings: Thursdays and Fridays, 10am - 5pm
Ticket Price: AU$12

The Sydney Cricket Ground Museum is a functional historical repository that allows the general people to relive some of Australia's most notable athletic victories and unforgettable moments. Since Bloomfield's men started cultivating the grounds, various unique sporting and social events have occurred on the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Sports Ground, and Sydney Football Stadium grounds. The SCG Museum is devoted to gathering, documenting, preserving, and showcasing these events. The oversized green caps worn by cricket greats Victor Trumper, Don Bradman, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting's 2007 bat are extraordinary objects in the museum. Additionally, there exist early records from the grounds administration and pictures of the first international athletic events held at the SCG.

To help you plan your visits better, here's a map of the best museums in Sydney!

This list of best museums in Sydney will guide you through the city’s past but what about the present? If you’re curious to learn more about the Emerald City, you can check out the many tourist attractions throughout the city. After all, museums in Sydney are just one piece of the puzzle that make up this beautiful city! We’ve made a checklist of things to do in Sydney just to make your trip better!