Description of the attraction
The Sydney Museum is built on the ruins of a building that housed the first governor of the New South Wales Colony, Arthur Phillip, at the corner of Phillip and Bridge Streets. That building was erected back in 1788, and its ruins were discovered by archaeologists in 1983.
The Sydney Museum was built as part of a large complex in downtown Sydney, which also includes Governor Phillip's Tower, Governor Macwire's Tower and First Government Building Square.
Today, in the Sydney Museum, with the help of various exhibits, paintings and digital technologies, you can get acquainted with the history of the colonial past of the largest city in Australia and its present. Panoramic views of Sydney from 1788 to the present day stretch along the walls of the building. The era of the settlement of the city by exiled convicts is presented in an extensive exhibition of various objects and personal property discovered by archaeologists.
Here you can also learn about the aboriginal history of Sydney - people of the Gadigal tribe lived on the lands around Sydney Harbor for thousands of years before the first Europeans appeared here. Aboriginal sculptures, unusual names, artifacts, primitive paintings - everything immerses museum visitors in the mysterious past of this land.
While wandering around the courtyard of the museum, you should definitely look under your feet to see the granite markers that mark the sites of archaeological excavations. Before becoming a museum, this place served many functions - it housed the first Government Building, a yard for drafts, and a parking lot.
During the 1980s, archaeologists discovered drainages and the foundations of the first Government Building here, as well as thousands of fragments dating back to 1788. You can see many artifacts even today in one of the exhibitions.
The final chord of visiting the Sydney Museum can be a climb to the observation deck of one of the skyscrapers surrounding the museum, from where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Sydney Harbor.
