Museums of History NSW

Museums of History NSW

Museums of History NSW logo
The Mint – Headquarters of the HHT
Statutory authority overview
Formed	1980
Jurisdiction	New South Wales
Headquarters	The Mint, 10 Macquarie Street, Sydney, Australia
Employees	251 (2016–2017 annual report headcount)
Annual budget	A$27.664 million[when?]
Minister responsible	Minister for the Arts
Parent Statutory authority	Create NSW
Key documents	Historic Houses Trust Act 1980 Museums of History NSW Act 2022
Website	https://mhnsw.au

Museums of History NSW is a statutory body of the government of New South Wales that is responsible for historic sites, state collections and archives in New South Wales, Australia. In 2023, the former State Archives and Records Authority was merged with Sydney Living Museums (formerly known as Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales) to form MHNSW. The sites include various houses, gardens, parklands and urban spaces. In 2011, its sites attracted over two million visitors each year.^[1]

The chief executive of the former Sydney Living Museums, called Executive Director, was responsible to the Department of Planning and Environment cluster.^[1][2] The Trust reported to the Minister for the Arts. Ultimately the minister is responsible to the Parliament of New South Wales.

The Historic Houses Trust was established under the Historic Houses Trust Act 1980^[3] and originally charged with the running of Elizabeth Bay House and Vaucluse House. Since then, the Trust has expanded to care for 12 houses, gardens and museums in New South Wales. The Trust also looks after over 48,000 catalogued objects across all of the sites. In 2013, the Historic Houses Trust launched its new identity as Sydney Living Museums to refresh and unify its diverse range of properties and highlight its role and relevance for current and future generations.^[1] In 2023, Sydney Living Museums merged with the State Archives and Records Authority to form Museums of History NSW.^[4]

Prior to the 2023 establishment of Museums of History NSW, Sydney Living Museums managed the following sites:

Property	Image	Acquired/ assumed management	Date opened	Status
Vaucluse House, Wentworth Road, Vaucluse		1980	1980	Museum
Elizabeth Bay House, Onslow Avenue, Elizabeth Bay		1980	1980	Museum
Elizabeth Farm, Alice Street, Rose Hill		1984	1984	Museum
Lyndhurst		1984	(sold 2005)	Offices and library
Meroogal, Cnr West & Worrigee Streets, Nowra		1985	1988	Museum
Rouse Hill Estate, Rouse Hill		1987	1999	Museum
Rose Seidler House, Clissold Road, Wahroonga		1988	1991	Museum
Hyde Park Barracks, Macquarie Street, Sydney		1990	1991	Museum
Justice & Police Museum, Circular Quay, Sydney		1990	1991	Museum
Museum of Sydney, Cnr Philip & Bridge Streets, Sydney		1990	1995	Museum
Young Street Terraces, Young Street, Sydney		1990	–	Offices
Susannah Place Museum, The Rocks, Sydney		1990	1993	Museum
Walter Burley Griffin House		1993	(sold 1995)	Conservation project
The Mint, Macquarie Street, Sydney		1998	1998 and 2004	Offices and the Caroline Simpson Library & Research Collection
former Rouse Hill Public School, Rouse Hill		2003	2010	Museum and education facilities
Tusculum		2007	–	Leased
Exeter Farm, Exeter		2007	–	Endangered Houses Fund project
Glenfield		2007	–	Endangered Houses Fund project
Nissen hut[where?]		2007	–	Endangered Houses Fund project
Moruya Presbyterian Manse, Moruya		2007	–	Endangered Houses Fund project

• National Trust of Australia (New South Wales)

• Media related to Sydney Living Museums at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website