Welcome

The University of Sydney has one of the largest and finest university collections of antiquities, art, ethnography and natural history in Australia. While these collections are used for teaching, they also provide an opportunity for the University to contribute to the cultural life of the country.

University Art Gallery
Founded in the 1860s, the University of Sydney Art Collection now holds more than 3,000 paintings, sculptures and works on paper by Australian, Asian and European artists. The University Art Gallery showcases changing exhibitions of works from the collection as well as high quality exhibitions of both contemporary and historical works.

Macleay Museum
The Macleay Museum had its origins in the collection of insects begun by Alexander Macleay in the late eighteenth century. It has developed into an extraordinary collection of natural history specimens, ethnographic artifacts, scientific instruments and historic photographs

Nicholson Museum
The Nicholson Museum contains the largest and most prestigious collection of antiquities in Australia. It is also the country's oldest university museum, and features masterpieces of ancient art and objects of daily life from Egypt, the Middle East, Greece, Rome, Cyprus and Mesopotamia.

I invite you to come and enjoy our very special museums and collections in the historic settings of the University of Sydney. The Macleay Museum, Nicholson Museum and University Art Gallery are open to the public and entry is free.

David Ellis
Director