Museum of Sydney: The History of Australia's Harbour City Revealed
The Museum of Sydney is located on the site of one of early Sydney’s most significant buildings, the first Government House built in 1788 by Gov. Arthur Phillip. After housing the first nine governors of New South Wales, the building was demolished in 1864. The original footings were uncovered in 1983 and are now a prominent feature of the museum, run by Sydney’s Historic Houses Trust. Glass panels in the floor of the museum allow the footings and part of the excavation to be viewed, while the principal rooms of the old house have been re-created in the galleries.
The museum explores Sydney’s history from its pre-colonial days up to the 1850s, chronicling the first contact between Aborigines and Europeans through to the subsequent invasion, colonisation and development of the penal colony and trade port.
The stories of the indigenous people and the early settlers are told through a mix of state-of-the-art sound and video installations and memorabilia, including goods for sale in the 1830s in Australia.
The first settlement exhibit contains governors’ records, possessions, works of art, furniture and artifacts which came directly from the first Government House. The Cadigal gallery honours the history and cultural traditions of Sydney’s Cadigal tribe, displaying artworks, tools, weaponry and other hand-crafted artifacts. A video wall spans the full height of the building and charts the physical development of the city.
At the front of the museum, the iconic Edge of the Trees sculpture by Fiona Foley and Janet Laurence symbolises the first encounter between the Cadigal people and the Europeans as they hid behind the trees and watched the officers of the First Fleet come ashore.
Posted by Fiona Davies
