Hyde Park Barracks Museum

What they say: Hyde Park Barracks has been many things to many people over the past 190 years, but never a prison or an army base. As many as 50,000 convicts transported to New South Wales from around the old British Empire spent some time at the Barracks. Later the old building was a temporary home for thousands of female immigrants and infirm or destitute women. By the turn of the 20th century its rooms and corridors echoed to the sound of a range of public servants. Today it is a museum of its own history and a window into our past.


What I say: This is a fascinating museum which charts not only the history of the barracks itself but also of the people who passed through the doors. The museum is arranged over three floors. The first dealing with the convicts and the convict hulks, the second with the uses for the barracks over the years - a convict barracks, a female immigration depot, a destitute asylum, courts and governments offices and finally a museum. The top floor has been refurbished to represent the convict barracks of 1819-1848, with the convict hammocks displaying just how close quarters were.
The stories are one of brutality and harsh values. Read the court entries (displayed on user friendly computer screens) to see some of the flimsy reasons for transportation - the theft of Calico or stealing a candlestick. Although there were a fair few highwaymen and murders in there too. For those foolish enough to consider a further crime once arrived in Australia the threat of retransportation to Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) or Norfolk Island was held over the convicts. A threat for many worse than death.
This is an excellent museum giving key information about the formation of the colony in colourful and hands on detail. Social history at its best.


Where: Queens Square, Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000


When: Daily 9:30 - 5pm. Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day


How much: $10 adult. Or join the Historic Houses Trust and get entry for free http://www.net.au/.