Museums of History NSW

Celebrate 40 years of Elizabeth Farm as a museum this Saturday! Join MHNSW Curator Dr Scott Hill for a special tour of Australia’s oldest surviving colonial homestead and its re-created garden and learn how the property has been preserved and presented over the decades. Elizabeth Farm: A Museum at 40 Tour Saturday 30 November, 11am–12pm Book now – https://lnkd.in/ge6K5TjB This tour is part of the MHNSW Collection Series. Led by our expert curators, archivists, researchers and conservators, this series explores a multitude of stories, perspectives and experiences associated with our unique collections. Learn more about the MHNSW Collection Series on our website. Photo © Katherine Lu for MHNSW

On 27 November 1889 the Sydney Town Hall was officially opened. Town Hall was built on Gadigal land, throughout the 1880s, on the site of an old cemetery using local Sydney sandstone. Thousands of Sydneysiders flocked to the opening as the day had been declared a public holiday. View more photo from the opening of this iconic building in the State Archives Collection – https://lnkd.in/gZnckk6c Photos: State Archives Collection, MHNSW. NRS-21243-1-5-291; NRS-4481-3-[7-16113]-St30448; NRS-4481-3-[7-16382A]-St5972.jpg; NRS-21243-3-1-937

🌟 #WallpaperWednesday 🌟 A simple yet common problem in the Victorian era was how one kept their wallpapers clean. Sanitary wallpapers printed in oil colours were first developed in the 1870s, allowing them to be wiped clean without damage. Although, their colours tended to be muted, many were quite vibrant and able to be produce the same design in different colourways (colour schemes). These wallpapers are part of the over 3,000 samples from the recently-donated John and Phyllis Murphy Collection. A selection of wallpapers, sample books and are now on display at the Caroline Simpson Library. #MHNSW #CarolineSimpsonLibrary #MurphyWallpaperCollection Caroline Simpson Library, The Mint Open Tuesday to Friday, 10am–4pm 🔗 Find out more and plan your visit – https://lnkd.in/gse7RVdE #wallpaper #MurphyWallpaperCollection #CarolineSimpsonLibrary #MHNSW

🌟 #WallpaperWednesday 🌟 Discover over 3,000 unique wallpaper samples from John and Phyllis Murphy, recently donated to the Caroline Simpson Library! This incredible collection spans changing styles from 1850 to 1930, with a selection of wallpapers, sample books and objects now on display, offering a glimpse into the evolution of color, texture, and pattern. The Murphy's have their own fascinating story as renowned modernist architects and heritage practitioners. They contributed to the design of the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Swimming and Diving Stadium alongside Kevin Borland, Peter McIntyre, and Bill Irwin. As honorary architects for National Trust Victoria from the late 1950s, they were also instrumental in preserving many of Victoria's significant historic buildings. Caroline Simpson Library, The Mint Open Tuesday to Friday, 10am–4pm ✨ Read more about the life and work of Phyllis and John Murphy: https://lnkd.in/g-Zru-5W #MHNSW #CarolineSimpsonLibrary #MurphyWallpaperCollectionW

We’re excited to announce Museums of History NSW’s work on the 'Digitisation: Records of Stolen Generations' was recognised and named the winner for the category Connecting Communities in the 2024 Premier’s Awards. In partnership with Aboriginal Affairs NSW and Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ), this important project addressed recommendation 25 in the Unfinished Business Report into Reparations for the Stolen Generations. Congratulations to Ben Alexander, Director of Commercial Services, and the Government Records Repository team, and Martyn Killion, Director of Collections, and the Collections team on their collaboration and for being selected as a winner. The Premier’s Awards celebrate outstanding achievements from across the NSW public sector, and recognition as a winner of a Premier's Award demonstrates the highest level of achievement. Read more about the 2024 Premier’s Awards winners: https://lnkd.in/gbXh4EdF #PremiersAwards

📢 Last chance this weekend! Don't miss 'Ngaya (I am)' by Peter Waples-Crowe and 'Cast in cast out' by Dennis Golding—two powerful exhibitions closing this Sunday 17 November at the Museum of Sydney. Experience Waples-Crowe’s bold video installation celebrating identity, song, and dance, and Golding’s striking ironwork panels that reflect on place, displacement, and reclaiming Indigenous identity. Join us in exploring these unique perspectives on Country before they’re gone! 📍 Museum of Sydney Open daily, 10am–5pm Find out more & plan your visit 🔗 mhnsw.au/whats-on/ #ngayaiam #castincastout 📷 1 & 2. Photos © Hamish McIntosh for MHNSW; 3 & 4. Photos © Joshua Morris for MHNSW

🌸 November in Sydney means it's jacaranda season! 🌸 The iconic purple blooms paint three of our sites, Vaucluse House, Elizabeth Farm, and Meroogal in a stunning lavender haze. But hurry—this breathtaking sight won’t last long! ✨ FREE entry - Plan your visit now https://mhnsw.au/visit-us/ Curious about the story behind the jacaranda trees? 🌿✨ Read more here https://lnkd.in/d7_UYh8B #JacarandaSeason #SydneyInBloom #VaucluseHouse #ElizabethFarm #Meroogal #SydneyHistory #FreeEntry 1-3. Vaucluse House 4-6. Elizabeth Farm 7. Meroogal. Photos © MHNSW

🚧 Conservation in progress at Rouse Hill Estate! 🚧 MHNSW’s dedicated Capital Works and Heritage teams have embarked on a major conservation project at the state heritage–listed Rouse Hill Estate. After extensive inspections, this large–scale project will address important conservation needs while respecting the site’s unique character and heritage. The project is supported by our multidisciplinary team, including Collections Care experts, heritage specialists, and structural engineers, working together to protect this historic property. 🕰️ When? November 2024 – May 2025 🌳 What you need to know: Rouse Hill Estate remains open to visitors, though some areas, such as parts of the main house and stables, will have limited access. Keep an eye on this page for milestone updates and conservation highlights as the work progresses! Find out more about this project: https://lnkd.in/gieqhX25 #MHNSW #RouseHillEstate #ConservationWorks #Heritage

🌟 #WallpaperWednesday 🌟 Acanthus leaves abound in the recently-donated John and Phyllis Murphy Collection of over 3,000 wallpaper samples. The use of the motif has a rich history, notably appearing in the capitals of Corinthian columns stemming from Ancient Greek architecture. To see luxuriant beds of living acanthus, come and visit The Mint where it graces the front garden beds! A selection of wallpapers, sample books and objects from this extraordinary collection are now on display at the Caroline Simpson Library, Australia’s largest repository of historical wallpapers. Caroline Simpson Library, The Mint Open Tuesday to Friday, 10am–4pm 🔗 Find out more and plan your visit: https://lnkd.in/gse7RVdE #MHNSW #CarolineSimpsonLibrary #MurphyWallpaperCollection

Happy National Recycling Week! 🌍♻️ A surprising amount of plastic is used in caring for MHNSW collections. Large plastic sheets or bags are used to protect collection items during extreme weather events like flooding, for building maintenance, and in the treatment of objects when dealing with pests (such as through freezing). The Collections Care team minimises the use of plastic by reusing all plastic that remains intact and clean after its initial use. Nitrile (rubber) gloves are worn by staff to protect collection items from the natural oil in skin and to protect themselves when handling objects that may have been contaminated in the past. The used gloves are returned to a recycling centre and broken down to be manufactured into new products. Museums of History NSW is proudly part of the City of Sydney Sustainable Destination Partnership: a groundbreaking collaboration dedicated to making Sydney a model of sustainability in the tourism industry, bringing together key stakeholders including cultural institutions. Photo © MHNSW #NationalRecyclingWeek #SustainableSydney #SustainableDestinationPartnership #CircularEconomy #CollectionsCare