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Enjoy Contemporary Chinese Art at the White Rabbit Art Gallery Sydney

September 10, 2020 / Indoor Play, Museums, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

White Rabbit Art Gallery Sydney

Enjoy a showcase of contemporary Chinese art at the White Rabbit Gallery in Sydney. The collection includes 2000 works by almost 700 artists and is dedicated to works made in the 21st century.

The White Rabbit Gallery is a privately owned gallery in Chippendale. It was opened in 2009 by Judith Neilson, who has built one of the world’s most significant collections of Chinese contemporary art through her regular aquisition trips to China and Taiwan.

The gallery is housed inside what was once a Rolls-Royce service depot in the 1940s. After a complete refit to suit its new purpose as an exhibition space, the gallery has four floors of exhibition space as well as a theatrette, a library and a teahouse. As only a fraction of the collection is able to be displayed at any one time, the entire contents of the gallery are rehung twice a year.

The White Rabbit Collection documents social and artistic change in twenty-first century China. The majority of art works in the collection are by young, emerging artists.

Children are welcome to visit the gallery, however those under the age of 10 are required to hold an adults hand at all times while exploring the art works. While there are no family-specific materials or trails, we found the collection to be highly engaging for our family, with plenty of art works leading to discussions.

There is stair and elevator access to all four levels of the gallery, and a bathroom with changing table available.

Before leaving the White Rabbit Gallery, stop by the gift shop and tea house on the ground floor, right near the entry/exit. The tea house serves the most beautiful teas including flowering teas in glass pots, freshly handmade dumplings from 11:30am, and a sweet or savoury snack plate with dried fruit, nuts and homemade biscuits.

Admission is free.

If driving to the gallery, you may be able to score on-street parking. The gallery is a short walk from Central Station.

White Rabbit Art Gallery Sydney
30 Balfour St, Chippendale
Hours: Wed-Sun 10am-5pm
https://www.whiterabbitgallery.org

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26 Of The Best Museums In Sydney

March 26, 2018 / CBD, Indoor Play, Museums, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

Sydney is renowned for it’s natural beauty, but it’s also full of history and culture. We love to spend our weekends learning about art, anthropology and archaeology, particularly when the weather is not so favourable outside. Check out the best museums in Sydney below.

The Best Museums In Sydney

Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)

Wander through galleries of exciting modern art from leading Australian and international artists at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA). Grab a coffee at the rooftop cafe and sculpture terrace and enjoy the stunning harbour view.

The MCA runs lots of free and small donation activities for kids throughout the year too, from their monthly Sunday Family Fun Days to a drop in activity room and school holiday crafts.

MCA
The Rocks
General Admission is free
australianmuseum.net.au

Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM)

The Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) is Australia’s national centre for maritime collections, exhibitions, research and archaeology. Grab a free ticket from the front desk for admission into the permanent indoor galleries and under 5s play area “Mini Mariners”.

For entry into our fave spot, the “Kids on Deck” craft area, visiting exhibitions and the ships, a paid ticket is required. The ANMM runs lots of programs for kids all year round including live shows, “Mini Mariners” for kids aged 2-5 and the cabinet of curiosity that contains all kinds of wonders for kids to touch, like the tooth of a blue whale. Check their calendar for upcoming events and look out for when Bailey, the museum dog, is scheduled to make an appearance.

Australian National Maritime Museum
2 Murray St, Sydney
anmm.gov.au

Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW)

Stroll through five levels of masterpieces including an extensive collection of Aboriginal art, European masters, Asian art and visiting exhibitions. The general galleries at the Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW) are all free to enter.

Children can use online booklets to explore artworks or download free audio tours that have been created just for kids. The AGNSW frequently runs free activities for kids on Sundays and school holidays.

Get info on visiting the AGNSW with kids here.

Art Gallery of NSW
The Domain
General Admission is free
artgallery.nsw.gov.au

Australian Museum (currently closed for renovations)

The oldest museum in Australia, The Australian Museum has excellent exhibitions focusing on natural history and anthropology.

When it opened in 1897, The Australian Museum became the first museum in Australia, with an international reputation in the fields of natural history and anthropology. The museum’s dinosaur exhibition, containing 10 complete dinosaur skeletons and eight life-sized models is very popular with kids.

The dedicated Kidspace area is a hit with littles aged five and under (as well as the slightly bigger kids who still like to sneak in!) while older kids will love the Search & Discover research centre.

The Australian Museum also runs family-focussed programs year round for kids aged 9 months and up. School aged kids always have a large range of science-based activities to choose from during the school holidays.

Read more about visiting the Australian Museum here.

Australian Museum
1 William St, Sydney
Admission required a fee
australianmuseum.net.au

The Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS)

The MAAS is Australia’s contemporary museum for excellence and innovation in applied arts and sciences. Their venues include Powerhouse Museum, Sydney Observatory and Discovery Centre.

Powerhouse Museum

An interactive art and science museum located in Ultimo.

The museum’s collection encompasses science, technology, design and decorative arts, engineering, architecture, health and medicine, fashion and contemporary culture.

Locomotive No. 1, the first steam locomotive to haul a passenger train in New South Wales, is a popular drawcard just inside the museum’s entrance, as is the ever-popular interactive Wiggles Exhibition. More on the Wiggles exhibition here.

Throughout the year the Powerhouse Museum hosts temporary exhibitions plus a wide range of kid-focussed activities and workshops with a strong focus on science and coding, particularly during the school holidays. The focus on science and technology in a very family-friendly environment makes the Powerhouse Museum a top choice for things to do with kids in Sydney. Check out their calendar for upcoming events.

Powerhouse Museum
500 Harris St, Ultimo
maas.museum/powerhouse-museum

Sydney Observatory

Located in The Rocks, the hill is is a gorgeous spot for a picnic with a view, as well as being home to the Sydney Observatory, a heritage-listed museum and public observatory. The Sydney Observatory runs and family tours and activities throughout the year which are perfect for mini star gazers.

Sydney Observatory
1003 Upper Fort St, Millers Point
maas.museum/sydney-observatory

Museums Discovery Centre (MDC)

Inside the Museums Discovery Centre you’ll find millions of treasures and the opportunity to learn about museum collecting, conservation and research practices.

Museums Discovery Centre
172 Showground Rd, Castle Hill
maas.museum/museums-discovery-centre

Museum of Sydney

Located on the site of the first Government House of NSW, the Museum of Sydney tells the story of Sydney’s history and its people.

The Museum of Sydney offers family-friendly exhibitions and programs year-round (check what’s on here) and kids eat free with each adult meal purchased at the downstairs restaurant, The Governors Kitchen.

Image credit: Edge of Trees Photograph (c) Brett Boardman

Museum of Sydney
Cnr Phillip and Bridge Streets, Sydney
sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/museum-of-sydney

NSW Rail Museum

Bring your locomotive-loving kids to get up close to trains at the NSW Rail Museum in the historic town of Thirlmere. Since 1975 this little town has been home to a large collection of NSW’s railway heritage, including over 100 vehicles that move on a railway including locomotives, railroad cars and more.

Get info on visiting the NSW Rail Museum here.

NSW Rail Museum
10 Barbour Rd, Thirlmere
https://www.nswrailmuseum.com.au/

Sydney Bus Museum

The 100-year-old Leichhardt Tramshed is home to a vast collection of historic buses, open to the public every first and third Sunday of the month. Jump aboard a vintage double-decker bus over the ANZAC Bridge to the Queen Victoria Building in the CBD and back again.

Sydney Bus Museum
25 Derbyshire Rd, Leichhardt
sydneybusmuseum.info

Museum of Fire

Enjoy exhibits focusing on fire safety and firefighting and explore historic fire trucks at the Museum of Fire in Penrith.

Junior firefighters will enjoy puzzles, dress-ups, fire safety activities and computer games.

Museum of Fire
1 Museum Dr, Penrith
museumoffire.com.au

Image credit: Destination NSW Adam Hollingsworth

Sydney Jewish Museum

The Sydney Jewish Museum is dedicated to the documentation of the Holocaust and the history of the Jewish people in Australia.

Sydney Jewish Museum
148 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst
sydneyjewishmuseum.com.au

Justice and Police Museum

Housed inside the sandstone buildings that contained the original Water Police Court (1856), Water Police Station (1858) and the Police Court (1885), the Justice and Police Museum features 1890s holding cells, offices, charge room and courts, forensic evidence, historic weapons and forensic photography.

The Justice and Police Museum runs family-friendly programs throughout the year for kids to learn about the law, hear true life tales and take park in mock trials. Get info on events here.

Justice and Police Museum
Phillip St & Albert St, Sydney
sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/justice-police-museum

Image credit: Police Station Charge Room, Justice & Police Museum

Hyde Park Barracks Museum

The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hyde Park Barracks is a cutting-edge museum that brings Sydney’s past to life through a series of innovative and immersive experiences.

Built in 1819 by convict labour under the commission of Governor Lachlan Macquarie, the Hyde Park Barracks were originally designed as a place to house up to 600 male convicts.

The Barracks, over time, have also been an immigration depot, asylum, law courts, government offices hospital and mint. It is now a museum and cafe and one of 11 Australian convict sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Hyde Park Barracks runs family-friendly programs year-round to engage children in its history. Get info on upcoming events here.

Find out more about visiting the Hyde Park Barracks Museum here.

Casula Powerhouse

Located in South West Sydney, the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre is a place to experience the arts including performances and exhibitions. As well as featuring six galleries with rotating exhibitions, the Powerhouse also has a pair of three-story decommissioned tanks that are open to the public as legal graffiti spaces.

The Casula Powerhouse runs family-friendly art programs throughout the year. Check out their upcoming events and workshops here.

Casula Powerhouse
1 Powerhouse Road, Casula
casulapowerhouse.com

Image credit: Casula Powerhouse

The Rocks Discovery Museum

Rocks Discovery Museum, a free museum located inside a restored 1850s sandstone warehouse with an interactive kids corner upstairs, or grab one of the best scones in Sydney at The Tea Cosy (their kids’ Devonshire tea is adorable and delicious).

The Rocks Discovery Museum
Kendall Ln, The Rocks
therocks.com/things-to-do/the-rocks-discovery-museum

The Big Dig Archaeology Education Centre

The Big Dig Cumberland Street Archaeological Site is a heritage-listed archaeological site in The Rocks. The centre is part of Sydney Harbour YHA,, and while it is no longer an “active” excavation site, it does facilitate hands-on archaeology educational experiences and opens the archaeological site to the public.

The general public are welcome to visit the Big Dig site during daylight hours. This visit is best in conjunction with The Rocks Discovery Museum, where significant finds from the site are displayed.

The Big Dig Archaeology Education Centre
110 Cumberland St, Sydney
thebigdig.com.au

Savannah Place

Built in 1844, Savannah Place is a heritage-listed former grocery store and workers’ cottages. The terrace of four houses was built by Irish immigrants, home to more than 100 families over 150 years.

Savannah Place is now a historic house museum, telling the stories of the people who called this place and this neighbourhood home.

Savannah Place
58/64 Gloucester St, The Rocks
https://sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/susannah-place

White Rabbit Collection

Stroll through four floors of one of the world’s largest and most significant collections of contemporary Chinese art. There is also a tranquil street-level Tea House to enjoy.

Rea more about visiting the White Rabbit Art Gallery.

White Rabbit
30 Balfour Street, Chippendale
whiterabbitcollection.org

Elizabeth Farm

Built in 1973 for John and Elizabeth Macarthur, Elizabeth Farm is one of the oldest homes in Australia. Inside the house you’ll find reproductions of furnishings and objects that belonged to the home’s original owners. Wander the recreated 1930s garden or enjoy a Devonshire tea at the tea room. The scones are some of the best we have ever tasted.

Elizabeth Farm runs year-round family tours and programs to engage kids in the history of the property and introduce them to what life was like during the early 19th century. Kids will get a kick out of trying to do the laundry in a tub, throwing quoits or doing some craft. Get info on upcoming events and programs here.

Elizabeth Farm
70 Alice St, Rosehill
sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/elizabeth-farm

Vaucluse House

Vaucluse House was built in 1803 and was once owned by William Charles Wentworth, father of the Australian Constitution. It’s one of Sydney’s few remaining 19th-century mansions that is still surrounded by its ten hectares of original gardens and grounds.

Take a tour through the house for a glimpse of what life was life for the families who once lived there, stroll around the beautiful gardens and enjoy a high tea at the tea rooms.

Vaucluse House runs year-round family-friendly programs to immerse kids in colonial life. Get info on events here.

Get more info on high tea at Vaucluse House here.

Vaucluse House
69A Wentworth Rd, Vaucluse
sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/vaucluse-house

Carriageworks

Carriageworks is the largest multi-arts centre in Australia. The centre is free to enter and see the contemporary works commissioned for the space by Australian and International artists. The works displayed inside the Carriageworks are usually ambitious and monumental in size, and are always inclusive.

This is an excellent venue for wheelchairs and strollers. The Carriageworks also contains a theatre where shows are held, often with a family-focus.

Carriageworks
245 Wilson St, Eveleigh
https://carriageworks.com.au

Museums Outside of Sydney

Early Start Discovery Space (Wollongong)

This is one just for the kids! The Early Start Learning Space is Sydney’s only dedicated children’s museum, so well worth the drive to Wollongong to visit.

Inside the museum, kids can let their imaginations run wild with interactive and engaging playful exhibits. Everything is designed to be touched!

Kids will particularly enjoy crawling through a giant stomach, constructing a house, acting on stage and captaining a ship among many other things.

Get more info on visiting the Early Start Discovery Space here.

Early Start Discovery Space
UOW Building 21 Early Start Facility
Keiraville, Wollongong
earlystartdiscoveryspace.edu.au

Space Science (Wollongong)

Science Space is the only dedicated science experience in NSW and is home to DIGISTAR 6, Australia’s most digitally advanced Planetarium.

The museum focuses on educating and inspiring through hands-on learning with over 100 interactive exhibits, science shows and workshops.

Space Science
Innovation Campus, 60 Squires Way, North Wollongong
sciencespace.com.au

Norman Lindsey Gallery and Museum (Blue Mountains)

I’ve been visiting Norman Lindsay Gallery at Faulconbridge for over 15 years and it always enchants. Norman Lindsey (1879-1969) was an Australian artist, cartoonist, and writer. His former home and studio have been turned into a gallery and museum run by the National Trust, showcasing his work and life.

We love to wander around the landscaped gardens and admire his sculptures, or wander through the gallery to see his beautiful paintings and etchings. Norman Lindsey is also the creator of the Magic Pudding. Visiting the gallery is a great introduction for kids to this Aussie masterpiece.

Get more info on visiting the Norman Lindsey Gallery and Museum here.

Norman Lindsey Gallery and Museum
14 Norman Lindsay Cres, Faulconbridge
normanlindsay.com.au

Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame (Southern Highlands, Bowral)

Take a trip back to the glory days of cricket with a visit to the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame in the country town of Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands.

The museum features state-of-the-art interactive exhibits and a large collection of cricket memorabilia. Adjacent to the park where the Bradman Museum is housed you’ll find a cricket-themed children’s playground.

Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame
St Jude Street, Bowral
bradman.com.au

Image courtesy of DNSW.

More things to do in Sydney

Looking for more things to do in Sydney with kids? Head over here.

Find the best beaches to visit in Sydney here.

Get a list of free things to do in Sydney here.

Find the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney here.

MCA Sunday Family Fun Day

May 29, 2016 / Indoor Play, Museums, Sydney, Sydney Life / 6 Comments

The Museum of Contemporary Art in the Rocks is a regular fixture on our outing agendas, particularly when their Sunday Family Fun Day series is on. Around once a month (usually the last Sunday of each month) the MCA hosts a special day for families on level three in the National Centre for Creative Learning.

We’ve been to three or four of these “fun days” now, and really enjoy the format that each one follows.

1. Sign in at the level three learning centre and hand over a $5 donation.

2. Collect a “sketch activity card” – each month a different card is created by the MCA Artist Educator to inspire kids to explore the permanent collection in the gallery downstairs. The theme of activity is mirrored in the activities set up back in the learning centre.

On our most recent visit, the theme was “signs and symbols”. We were sent to find symbols around the gallery, then report back upstairs for the next step.

3. Get hands messy with art and craft activities in the learning centre.

Friendly MCA staff set the room up with activities that are designed to be adult-led. Whole family participation is encouraged, making this activity session an enjoyable way for parents to connect with their kids.

The activities are always set up to enable kids of a wide range of ages and abilities to participate. The guide is ages 4-12: we have been attending since just before Cheese turned four, so have always been on the parent participation end – but I can see that with a child who is closer to 12 that parents wouldn’t need to be so hands on.

The learning centre is a fabulous space. Light and bright, with huge glass windows that look over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, it’s a delightful way to spend a few hours with your child.

While a theme is encouraged, it’s not mandatory, so kids can really make whatever they want with the materials provided. On our most recent visit the theme was “signs and symbols” and there was an option to make your own encoded book, but Cheese preferred sticking tape on the window and creating a box that she covered in her own special symbols.

4. Outside the learning centre is an additional room for children that is always open as part of one of the museum’s main exhibitions. It often features activities for kids to create something like a drawing that is then projected onto a screen in the next room, which is set up with projectors.

On our recent visit, the room was set up like a movie set green screen, and kids could participate in a little movie magic, exploring how using various materials and signs would make them disappear on the large screen.

5. Eat! For a bit of a fancy meal, try GRACEMCA down on ground level (read about our delicious meal at GRAZEMCA here), or grab a more casual meal or snack on the level four Sculpture Terrace & Cafe (check out our experience dining at the MCA Sculpture Terrace & Cafe here)

Check out the MCA’s website for details on their next Sunday Family Fun Day.

Museum of Contemporary Art
140 George St,
The Rocks NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9245 2400
Get Directions

The Early Start Discovery Centre: Australia’s First Children’s Museum

March 6, 2016 / Indoor Play, Museums, Sydney, Sydney Life / 2 Comments

Australia’s first children’s museum has opened in Australia! The Early Start Discovery Space in Wollongong is the country’s only dedicated “Children’s Museum”. Last weekend we drove the hour and a half south of Sydney to check it out and see what made it different from a regular play space.

The Early Start Discovery Space is located on, and operated by, the University of Wollongong. It was designed to teach children through play using interactive exhibits. It was created using educational resources and is mapped to the NSW Board of Studies K-6 Syllabus. The museum is suitable for kids from birth to age 12, with the lower level completely accessible and some of the best family bathrooms I’ve ever seen.

We visited on a bit of a dreary day and expected the place to be crawling with people. It wasn’t. We were happy surprised that while there was a constant buzz of people in the space, it was certainly not full or so busy that Cheese couldn’t try her hand at every single exhibit without having to wait her turn. I ran into a friend there who mentioned how busy it was that day, compared to during the week, so I imagine if you do visit on a week day you might have this entire magnificent space to yourself!

The museum is spread across two floors, with each exhibit in a designated area. Upon entry we received a very helpful map which enabled us to plan our visit.

The majority of the exhibits are on the entry level:

Shipyard
Ahoy, it’s pirate play!

Tummy Tour
Crawl through a human digestive tract! In through the mouth, out through the … you get the picture.

Construction Site
Learn about safety on building sites, dress up in a vest, hard hat and tool belt, and build the city. Kids can lay carpet tiles, place mortar and bricks in the house to build walls, or thread pipes and connectors into the frame.

Market Place
Littlies will love “shopping” with realistic-looking groceries, and older kids can use a shopping list to collect their goods and then “buy” them.

CreARTivity Space
The place for artists to let their imaginations go wild. This space also features daily educator-led activities.

Book Nook
A quiet spot to enjoy a book or join story time activities.

The Cave
Grab a torch and discover stalactites and stalagmites.

Lights, Sound, Action!
Kids can dress up in costume and perform.

Games Area
Big kid games like chess and giant Connect Four.

Crawler’s Cubby
Soft play for babies plus gears for toddlers/preschoolers.

The Pod
A 2 story interactive LCD screen where kids can be part of the story on the screen in front of them.

The Dig/Archeology was closed for maintenance on our visit.

Also scattered around the floor are little nooks with activities like building, threading and puppets.

The floor is a giant circle with the exhibits and amenities spread around the inside and outside edges of the circle. It’s fantastic as kids can literally run in circles here and find it endlessly entertaining to start over at the exhibits they already discovered as they entered. Hours of fun, guaranteed.

Upstairs are activities best suited for slightly older kids.

Digital Media Lab
Kids can learn how to create an eBook, an ePoster, video and editing

Galileo’s Study
This science-themed area teaches kids how a telescope works and basic astronomy.

When it’s time for a snack, head outside to The Discovery Gardens. There are shaded picnic tables so you can bring your own food, and take a breather while kids explore the fruit and veggie beds, quarry and creek.

If you’re like us and never pack lunch (busted!) try the onsite cafe, Espresso Warriors, where all-day brekkie is on the menu, as well as amazing looking pastries and a kids menu that features meals like ham and cheese toasties, fish, sweet potato chips and grilled chicken for $10-11. Each kids meal comes with fresh fruit and a juice box.

The Early Start Discovery Space
University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong.
The Discovery Space is located on Ring Road opposite the Western (P4) Car park.
Hours: Tues-Sun 9am-4pm (Closed Mondays)
Prices: Adults and children 12 months and over: $15. Children under 12 months: free.
Get Directions

Pirate Fun at the Australian National Maritime Museum

January 12, 2016 / Indoor Play, Museums, Sydney, Sydney Life / 2 Comments

Swashbuckling fun for the whole family awaits at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Confession: I’ve never been to this museum before. I thought Cheese was way too young for it and as she’d showed zero interest in boats, didn’t think we’d be visiting till she was much older.

I’m so glad we dropped by during the school holidays however, as their various pirate exhibition and themed activities were an incredible hit with my four-year-old.

Kids on Deck: Patch-eyed Pirates
The entrance to this activity space is outside the main museum so we almost missed it completely. I’m so glad we didn’t, as it’s a fantastic area for kids aged 4-12. Kids can get busy crafting pirate ships, dressing up, building with Lego, reading pirate-themed books, playing games and making temporary tattoos.

Daily, 27 December 2015–25 January 2016
Times: 10am–4pm (hourly sessions)
Ages: 4–12
Cost: Entry with any paid ticket

Family Theatre Show: Calico Jack and the Pirate Cat
We spent a lot of time lining up to get into the theatre, and then waiting for the show to start. Possibly because we were there during school holidays, half the theatre was already filled with kids from daycares when we went in, meaning there weren’t enough seats for everyone. Lesson learned: line up even earlier if we want a seat! The show was a lot of fun, and our two four-year-olds and one 2-year-old were mesmerised the entire time by this lively and interactive theatre show.
Daily except Saturdays, 3–24 January 2016
Times: 11.30am and 2pm
Ages: 4–12 and adults

Horrible Histories: Pirates The Exhibition
The main attraction this school holiday is the extremely well done Horrible Histories: Pirates The Exhibition. The brand-new exhibition is very hands on and interactive, filled with a mix of digital and manual activities for kids, ranging from knot-tying to discovering treasure, firing cannons (the most popular area in the exhibit) and “squishing” projected rats. Cheese could have squished rats all. day. long.

The exhibit is based on the bestselling Horrible Histories series which Cheese is too young for, but that didn’t make any difference to her enjoyment of of the exhibit.

There was just so much for kids to do, all packed into the one room, it was quite impressive. Particularly how the exhibit had been designed to appeal to kids of a wide variety of ages. Since I was with a very active four-year-old we missed all the interesting info about the history of pirates, the ships they sailed and the rules they lived by. Instead we fired canons, stuck giant magnets on walls and took funny pirate pictures of each other.

At the end of the exhibit is the Passenger Theatrette, which shows episodes of Horrible Histories from 2:30pm daily. A perfect way to wind down after the frenetic activity of the Pirate Exhibition.

Daily until 27th April, 2016
Adult $20, kids 4-15 $12, under 4 is free.

We didn’t even get to explore all of the amazing things for kids to do at the museum. Next time we will try the Under 5s Tour, which promises stories, songs and dancing through the galleries, and the Cabinet of Curiosities, where visitors can touch objects like weapons and navigational tools related pirates.

There’s no eating inside the museum, but you only need to pop outside to the adorable Yot’s Cafe for waterfront dining with a pirate theme.

Added bonus – toys for kids to play with an even a little kiddie-sized table and chairs to sit at.

Australian National Maritime Museum
2 Murray St, Sydney NSW
Open daily except Christmas Day
Hours: 9:30am-5pm (6pm in Jan)
Prices: Permanent galleries are free but still require a ticket to view them.
Big Ticket (Access to everything open on the day of visit including the ships), Adult $30, kids 4-15 $18, under 4 is free
Special Exhibitions Ticket (Access to major temporary exhibitions such as Pirates) Adult $20, kids 4-15 $12, under 4 is free.
Get Directions

Wild Planet at the Australian Museum

September 22, 2015 / Indoor Play, Museums, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

Australia’s first museum has had a bit of a facelift. The aptly named Australian Museum recently unveiled a beautiful new entrance and exhibition that has brought a new lightness to the educational and cultural institution.

Another big change to the museum is their first permanent gallery to be added in over 50 years – Wild Planet. The gallery houses 400 animal specimens including lions and a very tall giraffe.

Upstairs, another new addition awaits – a roof-top cafe with an amazing view across the city skyline.

We trialled the cafe on our visit during the school holidays. I was excited to see great kid-friendly items on the menu like the $8 lunch boxes, but when we went to buy our lunch at 1pm, most of the food, including the kids boxes, were sold out.

Their milkshake machine had also broken, so there wasn’t much in the way of food left except for adult sandwiches and fried chips. D’oh. On the plus side, you can head up to the cafe without paying admission.

The kids’ favorite parts of the museum were the Wild Planet Activity Room and KidSpace.

The Wild Planet Activity Room costs $5 per child wanting to create a craft activity. When the kids got bored with colouring in their animal mobiles, they had fun dressing up and doing puzzles.

Wild Planet Activity Room
When: Daily
Time: 10am–3pm
Ages: All
Cost: Child $5, adults free (after general admission)
Booking: None required

The Kidspace area is free after admission and is especially designed for children under 5. The kids would have really been happy to just stay in the Kidspace all day. A great deal of thought has gone into this “mini-museum” to stimulate young children’s imaginations and introduce them to the natural world through real-life objects waiting to be touched, and specimens ready to be viewed under magnifying glasses.

Cheese really enjoyed the five cubby house “pods” that were filled with activities and natural materials.

For tiny ones there is a baby-friendly space designated for crawling babies only, fenced off to keep them safe. Additional kid-friendly features: pram parking, a bottle warmer (just ask one of the staff), change and feeding space.

Kidspace
When: Daily
Time: 9:30am-5pm
Location:Level 2
Cost:Free after admission

Australian Museum
1 William St, Sydney NSW 2010
Hours: Open daily, 9:30am-5pm
Prices: Adults $15, children under 16 free.