Collections

Languages Alive, Culture Thrives

An engaging panel discussion highlighting the importance of access to archives for First Nations people in revitalisation of Aboriginal Languages across NSW

A designer’s inspiration: 19th century ornament source books

Lavishly illustrated Ornament Source Books provided creative inspiration to 19th century designers. A wide variety will be on view for this Rare Book Week event

Lord Carrington’s illuminated addresses

Join us for a special Rare Book Week event showcasing the Carrington Albums, a jewel in the State Archives Collection

Mrs Simpson's legacy - in conversation with Edward Simpson

Join us to explore some of the highlights of Mrs Caroline Simpson's unique cultural gift and discover the story of the woman behind the collection

Equity Court records

Since 1823 the Equity Jurisdiction has dealt with matters of fairness and the enforcing of rights not recognised at Common Law

First Nations Community Access to Archives

Join the First Nations Community Access to Archives project team in deep listening to learn about the journey of storytelling, truth-telling and language revitalisation

Oyster culture leases files

The government started to encourage oyster fisheries from 1868 and later introduced oyster leases. This webinar focuses on our series of NRS-1302 Oyster cultures leases files, which tell the stories of the people who held these leases between 1920 and 1978

Colonial Secretary's minutes, 1826-1927

A deep dive into the minutes, highlighting how these documents that dealt with Government policy, detailed plans and proposals also captured the lives of individual people, and how to find them

Creating Imagined Interiors

Join industry experts at the Caroline Simpson Library as they discuss different approaches to creating interiors for house museums and film and television productions

Unlocking Past Lives

Join Matthew Stephens, research librarian at the Caroline Simpson Library, as he uses the library’s specialist collection to explore the contexts of a selection of historic family photographs

Phyllis Shillito and her colour curriculum 1945–1979

This event focused on the colour curriculum of pioneering Sydney-based colour designer and educator Phyllis Shillito (1895–1980) of the 1940s to the 1970s

The Extraordinary Story of Rose de Freycinet

Hear the story of Rose de Freycinet, the first woman to write an account of a global circumnavigation, with Suzanne Falkiner

Languages alive 2024

In the second annual NSW Aboriginal Languages Week, held on 20–27 October, we celebrate the determination and courage of First Nations peoples to maintain and revitalise languages

Wages Paid to Orphans – a regional tour

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our recent Collections on Tour program on Wages paid to orphans, 1849-1851

Archives for Everyone

The Archives for Everyone project has seen us partner with 14 groups who have nominated Small Debts registers from Courts of petty sessions throughout NSW

Significance matters

As part of an ongoing partnership with Museums & Galleries of NSW, our Curatorial and Digital teams have been hard at work making a suite of vocational videos that explore the importance of assessing and communicating the significance of museum collections

The fountains of Machattie Park, Bathurst

Several of the postcards featured in our current library display depict Machattie Park in Bathurst. Postcard collector Vera Bell lived in Bathurst between 1905 and 1908 while her father, John, acted as the police superintendent

Tea and scandal

‘Come to afternoon “Tea and Scandal” tomorrow’ is the wonderfully enticing offer made via postcard by Viley and Olive, young friends of Vera Bell

Bicycle race

'Bicycle race' is just one of many postcards from the collection of Vera Bell as part of the Bell family papers, now housed in the Caroline Simpson Library

The Wasmuth Portfolio

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wasmuth Portfolio, is regarded as one of the most influential architectural treatises of the 20th century

Convict turned constable

A recently donated letter, signed by the governor of NSW in 1832, offers a tangible connection to the story of Samuel Horne, a convict who rose to the rank of district chief constable in the NSW Police

Electricity Commission

These photos record the power generation and transmission assets of the organisation and document the working conditions and social events of its employees

Westward, Ho! The Great Western railway arrives

While the railway had arrived at Penrith in 1862 the Blue Mountains, once again, seemed like an impassable obstacle

Westward, Ho! Blue Mountains - towns along the highway

A visit to the Lower, Mid and Upper Blue Mountains