Hyde Park Barracks
Hyde Park Barracks - a museum about itself
UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hyde Park Barracks has a fascinating history, having served numerous roles since opening in 1819. Located at adjacent to the northeast corner of Hyde Park this historical building was ironically designed by a convict (Francis Greenway) for convicts.
They barracks were designed to house up to 600 men, but the population of convicts housed there soon grew as high as 1400 men. From 1819 to 1848, it is estimated that up to 30,000 men and boys had been housed there.
In 1848 there was a huge need for women to be brought into the Colony due to a population imbalance and the need for more workers, servants and mothers. Due to this demand, Hyde Park Barracks became the processing centre for 1000s of immigrating women and even many children. In 1862 wards were added to the top floor for women with no means to support themselves.
In 1887 the Barracks were renamed Chancery Square and converted to Government offices and courtrooms where, over the years, thousands of public service employees worked out of cramped and run down offices.
In the late 1970s the Hyde Park Barracks were cleaned up and converted to a museum about their own amazing history. In 2019 the museum was closed to facilitate an $18 million upgrade to create an more contemporary and interactive visitor experience that includes over 4000 original artefacts.
A visit to the Hyde Park Barracks is well worth the nominal cost of admission.
Nearby attractions: Hyde Park, St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney Tower, and the Australian Museum.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: YesHyde Park Barracks Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Address: Queens Square, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Phone: (02) 8239 2311
Official Website: Hyde Park Barracks
Hyde Park Barracks Reviews
Rated out of 5
Nice modern museum and free entry. There was interesting diorama displays of life during convict times, life looked tough! There were objects, murals and nicely restored buildings. There was not many written displays as the museum is mostly via audio headphones. It would be great for older kids and adults.
Alice Moon-Star - a month ago
Came here with zero expectations but left 100/100 impressed! 🤯✨
It’s free to enter and comes with an audio guide 🎧 that automatically plays based on where you are in the building.
Each room is beautifully designed and the storytelling is done in a narrative style — almost like a fairy tale 📖🗣️, which makes it super engaging and never boring.
You’ll really get a sense of what life was like for convicts back then 🕰️🚪
Highly recommended for tourists and anyone curious about history and human stories 🙌🌍
tongwariss - 3 months ago
Great, educational experience. Love that this is free! Really enjoyed all the information given to us and the relics on display. The audio guide was super neat and I liked that you didn’t have to press any numbers into it, it would just start at the designated area.
Briana Le - a month ago
Definitely a historically significant place to visit. It is free and you can donate money to help restoration funds. Headsets are provided which are triggered at each location but go slowly as its easy to walk past a trigger point and miss the information. Headsets cleaned at the end. Well worth a visit.
Valerie D - 3 weeks ago
Had 1 day in Sydney and came with our 2 girls (age 7 &9) to give them a bit of history before going to other less historical attractions.
This place is amazing, I came years ago and it's very much upgraded since then. It's completely free and they give you headphones which detects your location and talks you through all the history as you move through the rooms. So interesting, it really brings the stories to life.
We had to rush round a bit due to having so much on the agenda but could have spent a while there.
The staff were also lovely!
Katie BC - 4 months ago
Directions
| Train Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Light Rail L2 | QVB | 8 minutes |
| T2, T3, or T8 | St. James | 2 minutes |
How to get to Hyde Park Barracks by Train
By Light Rail L2: Exit at the QVB Stop, proceed north on George Street, and right (east) on Market Street to Hyde Park. Follow the path northeast to the Macquarie Street Entrance and cross Prince Albert Road.
By Train: Take T2, T3, or T8 to James Station and proceed northeast through Hyde Park as above.
Map & Instant Route Finder
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Accommodations near Hyde Park Barracks:
Photo Gallery
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Entrance to the Hyde Park Barracks Museum cc licensed photo by KirrilyRobert -
Photo Credit: hugh llewelyn - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Sydney Heritage - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: hugh llewelyn - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: sv1ambo - cc license via Flickr
