Opening in 2020, the Macquarie University History Museum is the newest addition to Sydney’s vibrant museum landscape.
By merging Australian history and ancient culture collections under one roof, we have created a cultural hub that is exciting and unique. With more than 18,000 objects, we trace world history from early settlement in Australia around 65,000 BCE through ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome to the 20th and 21st Centuries.
Located within Macquarie University's new purpose-built Arts Precinct, we are deeply embedded in the academic research and teaching of our leading historians.
Our extensive collection includes objects from the ancient world through to the modern day. Nine percent of these are displayed in our state-of-the-art museum.
Collections
Our collections include:
- Australian history – understand Australian history with this collection, which explores the diversity of the Australian people
- Cultural heritage – from Sydney to Nubia, this collection explores cultures developing concurrently around the world
- Ancient cultures – a collection of artefacts from the ancient civilisations of Egypt, Greece, Rome, Israel and the Near East.
Take a sneak peek at our collections.
Exhibitions
Our temporary and permanent exhibitions are designed to provide joyful and rewarding interactions with history during visits of any length — free of charge. Some of the features of our exhibitions include:
- fully labelled objects along the perimeter walls, tracking history across five continents and 5000 years
- corresponding free-standing display cases for (almost) label-free browsing of artefacts
- a timeline, maps and focus artefacts to track your journey through the past
- touch tables
- education information available online via tablets in the lounge area.
The museum also offers a wealth of resources for school students, university students and volunteers.