Sydney is known for its beautiful surfing beaches and for major landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, but it’s also one of Australia’s cultural centres. There are some excellent museums and galleries within Sydney. Here are details of just five of them:
1. The Powerhouse Museum (500 Harris Street, Ultimo, Sydney, New South Wales) – this museum is located in the Darling Harbour area of Sydney and is part of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. It covers a huge area and contains more than 11km of exhibitions.
It has 22 permanent exhibitions, where you can see just some of the museum’s collection of more than 380,000 objects, and also hosts regular temporary exhibitions. The exhibits include items relating to history, science, technology, art and many other disciplines, and many of its exhibitions include interactive elements, so it’s a great place to visit if you are travelling with children.
The Powerhouse Museum is open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m every day (although it is closed on Christmas Day). Admission fees apply.
2. The Museum of Contemporary Art (140 George Street, The Rocks, Sydney) – situated at West Circular Quay, close to Sydney Harbour, the Museum of Contemporary Art is home to a number of collections, which include works by both Australian and international artists.
The largest of the museum’s collections is the J. W. Power Collection, which includes works by artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Sidney Nolan, Andy Warhol, and Gilbert & George, as well as works by the late John Power himself. Other collections held by the Museum of Contemporary Art include the Maningrida Collection of Aboriginal Art and the Arnott’s Biscuits Collection of Aboriginal Bark Paintings.
The Museum of Contemporary Art is open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m every day (although it is closed on Christmas Day). Admission is free of charge.
3. The Australian National Maritime Museum (2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour, Sydney) – Opened in 1991, the Australian National Maritime Museum houses more than 40,000 exhibits relating to the history of seafaring life in Australia. It has a number of permanent exhibitions, including exhibitions about the history of the Royal Australian Navy, sea voyages made from the U.K. and other destinations to Australia, and watersports in Australia.
The highlight of the museum is its collection of 14 historic vessels, situated at the wharf. These include: a full-scale replica of Captain James Cook’s HMB Endeavour; the HMAS Vampire Daring Class Destroyer, and the HMAS Onslow submarine. There are also regular temporary exhibitions held within the museum.
The Australian National Maritime Museum is open between 9.30 a.m. and 5 p.m (6 p.m. during January) every day except for Christmas Day. Admission to the museum is free of charge, although you will need to pay a small fee to explore its historic vessels.
4. The Art Gallery of New South Wales (Art Gallery Road, The Domain, Sydney) – the Art Gallery of New South Wales is one of the most important galleries in Australia and its collection includes more than 30,000 works.
Its permanent collections are: the Australian collection; the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collection; the Asian collection; the European collection; the Contemporary collection; the Photography collection; and the Prints, Drawings and Watercolours collection. Temporary exhibitions are also regularly held at the gallery.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales is open from 10 a.m until 5 p.m daily (although it’s closed on Christmas Day and Good Friday). General admission is free of charge, although admission fees may apply for some exhibitions. The gallery is also open between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesdays for “Art After Hours”, a programme of talks, films and concerts.
5. The Justice & Police Museum (Cnr Albert and Phillip Streets, Circular Quay, Sydney) – housed in the old 19th century police court building, this museum features exhibits relating to the history of crime and punishment in Sydney. You can learn about some of the mos famous crimes in Sydney’s history, see the 19th century court room, and see a range of weapons and other items.
The Justice & Police Museum is open between 10 a.m and 5 p.m daily. Admission fees apply.
Many different airlines operate return flights to Sydney and there are a wide range of hotels within the city. You can travel to the museums and galleries by car or by public transport.
Image: Saberwyn
Tags: Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia, Australian National Maritime Museum, Justice & Police Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Sydney Art Galleries, Sydney Museums
