Which Sydney museums are free for kids?

General entry to several major museums and galleries is free, including those we list. Special exhibitions may cost extra, so check the listing before you go.

What is the best rainy day activity for toddlers in Sydney?

Libraries with story time and children's corners are a safe bet, and open gallery spaces let toddlers move. The listing helps you choose a place with room for a pram.

Is the Australian Museum good for dinosaur fans?

Its dinosaur gallery is a draw for children who love dinosaurs. Check the listing for what is free and what needs a ticket, and plan for one gallery rather than the whole building.

How do we stop museum visits ending in tears?

Keep it short and let the child choose the next room. Bring snacks for a break outside, and leave while they still want more. A second visit is easier than a rescue.

Rain-safe: free museums, galleries and libraries in Sydney

Sydney rain arrives in bursts, and it can ruin a beach plan in the time it takes to unpack the car. The good news is that this city has a fine collection of free indoor places, and most of them suit children better than you might expect. Museums, galleries, historic houses and libraries are the backbone of a wet-day plan. The Australian Museum in Darlinghurst, with its dinosaur gallery, is a favourite for dinosaur lovers. The Art Gallery of New South Wales has free general entry and spaces that children enjoy, and the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney offers objects to look at up close. Hyde Park Barracks and the Justice and Police Museum bring history to life, and the Rocks Discovery Museum tells the story of the neighbourhood. White Rabbit Gallery in Chippendale shows contemporary Chinese art. Out west, the Australian PlantBank at Mount Annan offers a different kind of rainy-day outing. Libraries, such as Green Square Library, often run story time and have lovely children's areas. The secret to a good museum day with children is shortness. Pick one gallery, one question to answer, and leave before anyone melts down. Check the listing for any charges for special exhibitions, because general entry is one thing and a ticketed show is another. Opening days vary, so confirm before you go.

Our picks

Hyde Park Barracks Sydney
Hyde Park Barracks is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed convict-era building on Queens Square, Macquarie Street, run by Museums of History NSW.

★ 4.7 (2,130)
Art Gallery of New South Wales Sydney
The Art Gallery of New South Wales is on Art Gallery Road in The Domain, Sydney.

★ 4.7 (15,072)
Chau Chak Wing Museum Camperdown
The Chau Chak Wing Museum is a free public museum at the University of Sydney, with temporary and permanent exhibitions across four floors.

★ 4.7 (817)
Green Square Library Zetland
Green Square Library is an award-winning underground City of Sydney library at 355 Botany Road, Zetland, next to Green Square train station.

Before you go

Best for which ages

Babies and toddlers enjoy libraries, story time and open gallery spaces. Preschoolers love dinosaur displays and hands-on corners. Primary children enjoy museums with objects to look at. Teenagers often like contemporary art, history and anything with a story, especially when they can choose the room.

What to bring

A pram or carrier, a drink bottle and a few snacks for outside the galleries. Bring a small notebook or a sketching pad. A change of clothes and a towel are handy for the wet walk in. Keep an umbrella, since the queue outside can be damp.

Parking and facilities

Many of these places are in the city or inner suburbs, where parking is limited and costly. Trains, buses and light rail are often easier. Toilets, lifts and cafes are common, but the listing says what is on site. Lifts and baby change are common in the big institutions, and libraries are usually the easiest of all to enter.

Best time of year

These places work in every season, but they are especially useful in wet weather and in the hottest weeks of summer. Weekday mornings are quieter than weekends. School holidays are busy, so go early. Winter holidays can bring queues at the big names, so smaller galleries and libraries are a calmer choice when everyone else has the same idea.

Prams and accessibility

Most large museums and galleries have lifts and wide halls. Older heritage buildings may have steps or narrow spaces. Suburban libraries are usually the easiest place to get a pram through the door. Check the listing for access details at each place. Many galleries will store a pram or offer a loan, but it is worth asking at the desk before you queue.

Free museums, galleries and science

Permanent collections with free entry. Special exhibitions can be ticketed; the listing says so.

Hyde Park Barracks Sydney
Hyde Park Barracks is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed convict-era building on Queens Square, Macquarie Street, run by Museums of History NSW.

★ 4.7 (2,130)
Art Gallery of New South Wales Sydney
The Art Gallery of New South Wales is on Art Gallery Road in The Domain, Sydney.

★ 4.7 (15,072)
Chau Chak Wing Museum Camperdown
The Chau Chak Wing Museum is a free public museum at the University of Sydney, with temporary and permanent exhibitions across four floors.

★ 4.7 (817)
Australian Museum - Dinosaur Gallery Sydney
The Dinosaurs exhibition is a permanent gallery on Level 2 of the Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Sydney, opposite Hyde Park.

★ 4.6 (13,690)
Vaucluse House Vaucluse
Vaucluse House is a 19th-century harbourside estate run by Museums of History NSW; it became Australia's first official house museum in 1915.

★ 4.6 (1,052)
White Rabbit Gallery Chippendale
White Rabbit Gallery at 30 Balfour Street, Chippendale, shows 21st-century Chinese contemporary art from Judith Neilson's collection across four levels.

★ 4.6 (2,354)
Australian Museum Darlinghurst
The Australian Museum at 1 William Street, on the corner of College Street opposite Hyde Park, is a natural history and culture museum with free general entry to its…

Sensory-friendly sessions · ★ 4.6 (12,918)
Justice and Police Museum Sydney
The Justice & Police Museum is a Museums of History NSW site in a former police station and courthouses on the corner of Albert and Phillip streets, Sydney.

★ 4.5 (654)
Australian PlantBank Mount Annan
The Australian PlantBank is the Botanic Gardens of Sydney's plant conservation research and seedbank facility at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan.

★ 4.7 (114)
The Rocks Discovery Museum The Rocks
The Rocks Discovery Museum at 2-8 Kendall Lane, The Rocks, tells the story of The Rocks from before European settlement to the present, displaying archaeological…

★ 4.4 (649)
Rouse Hill Estate Rouse Hill
Rouse Hill Estate is a historic rural homestead museum run by Museums of History NSW at 356 Annangrove Road, Rouse Hill, on Dharug Country.

★ 4.4 (244)
Powerhouse Castle Hill Castle Hill
Powerhouse Castle Hill, at the Museums Discovery Centre, 2 Green Road, Castle Hill, is where the Powerhouse museum stores and cares for its collection of more than half…

★ 4.4 (215)
Museum of Sydney Sydney
The Museum of Sydney, run by Museums of History NSW, is built over and around the remains of Sydney's first Government House on the corner of Phillip and Bridge streets.

★ 4.1 (3,038)
Hurstville Museum & Gallery Hurstville
Hurstville Museum & Gallery is run by Georges River Council at 14 MacMahon Street, a short walk from Hurstville station.
Museum of Chinese in Australia (MOCA) Haymarket
The Museum of Chinese in Australia (MOCA) shares the history, traditions and culture of Chinese Australians.

Libraries, story time and rhyme time

Free sessions for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, usually in school term.

Green Square Library Zetland
Green Square Library is an award-winning underground City of Sydney library at 355 Botany Road, Zetland, next to Green Square train station.

Questions parents ask

Which Sydney museums are free for kids?: General entry to several major museums and galleries is free, including those we list. Special exhibitions may cost extra, so check the listing before you go.
What is the best rainy day activity for toddlers in Sydney?: Libraries with story time and children's corners are a safe bet, and open gallery spaces let toddlers move. The listing helps you choose a place with room for a pram.
Is the Australian Museum good for dinosaur fans?: Its dinosaur gallery is a draw for children who love dinosaurs. Check the listing for what is free and what needs a ticket, and plan for one gallery rather than the whole building.
How do we stop museum visits ending in tears?: Keep it short and let the child choose the next room. Bring snacks for a break outside, and leave while they still want more. A second visit is easier than a rescue.