Collections on Tour 2026

Outlaws, Mavericks and Rogues: 19th-Century Law and Order

How does a government establish law and order on the other side of the world in a colony founded by convicts and their gaolers? How does that government then adapt to an evolving colony with a growing number of convict runaways, free immigrants and fortune seekers?

Museums of History NSW archivists will be travelling to Goulburn, Tamworth, the Bega Valley and Ballina for the next instalment in our Collections on Tour series. 

Featuring stories of dangerous bushrangers and shocking bigamists, this series of presentations will draw on original material from the NSW State Archives Collection to explore scandalous and criminal tales from each locality through records of the systems of government that sought to impose control on the growing colony.

Join us for a unique opportunity to view historical records and gain insights from our archivists.

Talk schedule

Making Home: A Short History of Houses, Interiors and Gardens in NSW

Learn about the history of houses, interiors and gardens in NSW and explore material relevant to your locality. Drawing on Museums of History NSW’s rich collections, our experts will deliver illustrated presentations followed by a Q&A. There will also be an opportunity for you to view original collection material such as wallpaper, trade catalogues, tiles, architectural pattern books and historical garden sources.

Talk schedule

A Brighter Past: A Short History of Colour in NSW Homes

What colours did people use in their homes in the past? We often think that historical home interiors were dull and dusty – was this the reality? Discover the story of colour in the home in NSW and how attitudes towards living with colour are always changing. Drawing on Museums of History NSW’s rich collections, our experts will deliver illustrated presentations followed by a Q&A. There will also be an opportunity for you to view original collection material such as colour charts, wallpaper, trade catalogues, architectural pattern books and other rare sources.

Talk schedule