Museum of Sydney

Built over and around the remains of Australia’s first Government House, the Museum of Sydney tells highly engaging tales of the city’s development, from a prison settlement for British convicts (hastily created on the ancient land of the Gadigal people) to a multicultural metropolis. Its permanent displays are supported by temporary exhibitions that cover fascinating and niche histories – topics have included demolished buildings, the early days of Chinese immigration and photographic mugshots from the 1920s.