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Become a member
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Eora by Michael Riley
Eora, by the late Wiradjuri/Kamilaroi filmmaker and photographer Michael Riley (1960–2004), is a 20-minute digital film on display at the Museum of Sydney that tells the story of Sydney’s First Nations people – before and after colonisation
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Eora by Michael Riley
Eora, by the late Wiradjuri/Kamilaroi filmmaker and photographer Michael Riley (1960–2004), is a 20-minute digital film on display at the Museum of Sydney that tells the story of Sydney’s First Nations people – before and after colonisation
More
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Collections on Tour
We're on the road again, sharing our stories with the people of regional NSW
Read on
Collections on Tour
We're on the road again, sharing our stories with the people of regional NSW
Read on
Learning
Explore the past and imagine the future through immersive and interactive programs and resources, onsite and online
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Learning
Discover past lives, events and stories in the places where they actually unfolded
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Learning
Discover past lives, events and stories in the places where they actually unfolded
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First Nations Hub
A dedicated space for First Nations community, cultures and history
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Read and reflect
First Nations Hub
First Nations Speaker Series
First Nations Community Access to Archives
First Nations stories
Alexander Riley, legendary Aboriginal police tracker
The remarkable talents of Aboriginal trackers who worked for NSW Police in the 20th century are featured in a display at the Justice & Police Museum
Read on
Alexander Riley, legendary Aboriginal police tracker
The remarkable talents of Aboriginal trackers who worked for NSW Police in the 20th century are featured in a display at the Justice & Police Museum
Read on
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Stitching for our house museums
For almost 15 years, a dedicated group of volunteers has gathered to sew, crochet, knit, embroider and stuff historically authentic soft furnishings for our houses
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Stitching for our house museums
For almost 15 years, a dedicated group of volunteers has gathered to sew, crochet, knit, embroider and stuff historically authentic soft furnishings for our houses
Read more
Stories
There’s no limit to the stories our houses, museums and collections can tell
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Popular topics
Archaeology
Architecture & design
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Conservation
Convict Sydney
First Fleet
First Nations
Music
Photography
Regional NSW
Sydney Opera House
Underworld of the Roaring 20s
Women's stories
Hyde Park Barracks – the convict years
In 1788, the penal colony of New South Wales was established on the Country of the Gadigal people
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Hyde Park Barracks – the convict years
In 1788, the penal colony of New South Wales was established on the Country of the Gadigal people
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Venue hire
From magnificent colonial style buildings to iconic modern designed spaces, we have a venue ready for you
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Be inspired
Unique and spectacular spaces for your next event or occasion
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Be inspired
Unique and spectacular spaces for your next event or occasion
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Information and resources for managing, storing and transferring government records 
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Government Records Repository
Manage your records with GRR
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Visit the State Records NSW website

Search our website and collections

Go direct to State Archives online indexes Go direct to State Archives catalogue

Architecture & design

Sydney Open Series

Tour

Queering Macquarie Street

Dr Tuan Nguyen will lead a history walk down Macquarie Street, exploring stories of queer people who walked along the same path

Saturday 14 June 10am–11.30am

Susannah Place - goods in the corner shop window re-created to circa 1915, 64 Gloucester Street, The Rocks, 1991

Tour

Members Hour: Susannah Place

Experience Members Hour at Susannah Place

Monday 30 June 9am–10am

A visitor looking out from the balcony at the Registrar General's Building on the Sydney Open Sunday Program 2019

Sydney Open 2025: expressions of interest for building partners

Expressions of interest are now open to join Sydney Open 2025 as a building partner

The practical decorator and ornamentist for the use of architects, practical painters, decorators, and designers : containing one hundred plates in colours and gold, with descriptive notices, and an introductory essay on artistic and practical decoration / by George Ashdown Audsley and Maurice Ashdown Audsley

Ornament source books

Bringing together examples of surface and decorative ornament from a range of periods and cultures, ornament source books provided inspiration for designers, artists, sculptors and architects

Alexander Mackintosh Archive :
architectural plans and specifications, 1901-1924: E. R. Orchard, architect : architectural plans and specifications, 1913-1915 / Edwin R. Orchard [architectural drawings]

The Alexander Mackintosh Archive comprises around 270 architectural drawings and many specification documents relating to the largely domestic building work carried out by building contractor Alexander Mackintosh in Sydney between 1900 and 1924

Wallpaper

Wallpaper printing rollers: from machine printing to 3D capture

In December 2022, Phyllis Murphy AM generously donated to the Caroline Simpson Library more than 3,000 wallpaper samples. While the bulk of the donation consists of wallpaper rolls, lengths and sample books, it also includes two printing rollers

House photo albums

These specially produced photograph albums (some in published form and others consisting of photographs pasted into an album) comprise images of one or more domestic dwellings and depict exteriors, interiors and gardens in NSW mostly from the late 19th to the early 20th centuries

Drawing room and entry hall, Fenton, Edgecliff, 1976

Richard Stringer’s architectural photographs, 1968–2003

This portfolio contains 55 photo prints taken by architectural photographer Richard Stringer, dating from 1968 to 2003, documenting significant Australian domestic buildings

286-288 Queen Street, Campbelltown, January 1954 / Barry Wollaston

Barry Wollaston: historic buildings in the county of Cumberland (NSW), 1954

This collection consists of 232 photo negatives by architect and photographer Barry Wollaston of buildings in the Sydney region considered by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects in the early 1950s to be of architectural and historical value