History

Through intimate guided tours, we tell the stories of everyday families who helped shape Sydney.

A narrative driven walking tour of Sydney's CBD for locals and tourists

It's our story to be told.

An extraordinary collection of rare manuscripts, books, maps and navigational instruments

a new exhibition exploring how the Navy has grown alongside Australia, from colonial defence to a modern maritime force.

Torres Strait pearling history, centering the overlooked stories of Indigenous and South Sea Islander seafarers

Discover hidden gems and untold stories of the city's train stations

The evolution of Australian military service, focusing on the personal stories of NSW service.

Discover the work of the Anzac Memorial's 2024 Veteran Artist in Residence

Discover 90 treasures that have been donated to the Anzac Memorial from its opening in 1934.

Travel back in time to early medieval Scotland and discover unique and mysterious Viking-age treasures.

Step into the powerful story of Tự do (Freedom), the boat that carried Vietnamese refugees to Australia in 1977.

At 11am each day, the Anzac Memorial pauses for a Service of Remembrance.

Learn about Sydney's railways

Join us for an afternoon lecture about Homer, Hollywood and the quest to capture the ancient world on screen.

Indulge two course lunch at State Parliament House in Sydney

An exhibition focused on the dramatic events of the Japanese midget submarine attack on Sydney Harbour.

Archaeology along the Dead Sea Plain, Jordan

Classes cover the techniques of fencing with historical weapons and provide a safe place to spar with them

Discover Ralph Clark’s deeply personal First Fleet journal and the questions it raises.

Experience an intimate guided tour of the iconic heritage-listed Sydney Observatory.

Join daughter of Holocaust survivors, Freda Widawski, in conversation with interviewer Michaela Kalowski

Explore all things ghostly as we visit Sydney's most haunted pubs.

A gallery tour led by members of the ground-breaking Human Remains Research Project team

Join a buggy tour around Australia's oldest botanic garden and a 30-hectare paradise adjoining Sydney Harbour

Explore the iconic Sydney Observatory with a tour designed for groups that include young children aged 6 and older.

Indulge in an afternoon of elegance and history at the Parliament of NSW.

Discover the architecture of Pyrmont and learn about its history in a two hour walk with a trained AAA volunteer

TAMPA The Turning Point – exclusive screening and panel discussion

Join us for a special event commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the Tampa affair.

Uncover the stories of the past at a special after dark tour of this stunning Georgian property

Hear from our model maker Richard Braddish about the scale model of our local area.

A symposium on transnational exchanges in architecture and art

Celebrate City of Sydney Archives 50th anniversary with a look into the rich history of Kings Cross and surrounds.

As evening falls, enjoy an exclusive and intimate tour of Vaucluse House after dark

The Cult of Gloriana: Art, Music and Politics at the Court of the Virgin Queen

An Aussie and a Russian walk into a bar...

Be transported through improvisation and sound as the Hilary Geddes Quartet play music from the album Redleaf.

From Hyde Park to the Opera House, uncovering Sydney’s hidden past

Explore Sydney’s Metro from Waterloo to Victoria Cross. Discover buried artefacts, station art, remarkable engineering

Join us for this informative heritage walk

Explore the origins of Ancient Egypt in this fascinating 4-week online course

Go where the locals go

Hear how 1930s Razorhurst became a seeding ground for Italian criminal networks connecting Sydney to North Queensland.

Go where the locals go

Go where the locals go

Join us for this free session to help you discover your past.

Exclusive experiences at the Anzac Memorial this History Week.

Join acclaimed author Sue Whiting for an interactive online workshop exploring her novel Our History: Hill End Gold

Bruce Scates and Rae Frances will speak about Dr Mary Booth, the woman who shaped the Anzac Legend

Come along to the Ron Williams Community Centre Open Day and hear the history of the Centre and Redfern

Stories exploring the value of archives and archivists, celebrating the City Archives and the many ways it is used.

Celebrate Matariki and learn about Māori history in Sydney on a guided walk in The Rocks

Saturday September 12th - Remembering the famine in Ireland, ancestors, and Irish influence in Australian development

Science journalist Rich Haridy reports on the latest developments in psychedelic medicine in Australia.

Join us for a hands-on walking art workshop at Taylor Square

The Great Age of the Shogun: Art and Culture in Edo Period Japan

Marie Conte-Helm presents: NATURE, ART, AND GARDENS IN JAPAN: From Tradition to Contemporary Life

Come and hear scintillating tales about Sydney Inner West dark history with Heather from Dark Tales.

An evening with Shaun Micallef live on stage to discuss his new book, ‘Matthew Flinders’.

Free entry. Rare books, maps, prints & ephemera for sale. The Glasshouse, State Library NSW. 22–24 October 2026.

A relaxed music/talk series at the State Library of NSW

Lee Miller's son Antony Penrose presents: Hand Grenades Like Cartier Clips: Lee Miller’s Life and Work in Fashion

Free tour por Sídney en Español