Sydney Living Museums – What's On These School Holidays
Sydney Living Museums, which used to be known as the Historic Houses Trust, cares for 12 historic houses, gardens and museums. It is part of NSW Office of Environment and Heritage within the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.
There’s always plenty on offer for little visitors to Sydney Living Museums and each school holidays special programs open up the properties to kids too.
There are also special family tours. All of this aims to truly make history live again and to inspire young minds to engage with our history and the importance of preserving the past for the future.
Here’s a handy list for you of all the properties managed by Sydney Living Museums.
Elizabeth Bay House
Elizabeth Farm, Rosehill
Hyde Park Barracks Museum, Sydney City
Justice and Police Museum, Circular Quay
Meroogal, Nowra
The Mint, Sydney City
Museum of Sydney, Circular Quay
Rose Seidler House, Wahroonga
Rouse Hill Hoiuse and Farm
Susannah Place Museum, The Rocks
Vaucluse House
Caroline Simpson Library, Sydney City
Read more on each house via the website here.
Sydney Living Museums School Holiday Program Summer 2015/2016
Build a Model Bush Hut
Explore the bush huts and other fascinating buildings at Elizabeth Farm or Rouse Hill House & Farm, then use recycled materials and images from colonial Australia to create your very own colonial bush hut to take home.
A drop-in activity for families of all ages.
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Where: |
Elizabeth Farm and Rouse Hill House & Farm |
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When: |
Daily, 4 – 26 January, 10am – 4pm |
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Tickets: |
Free with museum entry |
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Info: |
Website: slm.is/fun |
Paperplay: boats & fans
In the spirit of traditional holiday play, create and decorate your own paper fan to keep cool during the summer, or set sail in the summer breeze with your own paper boat creation.
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Where: |
Vaucluse House, Elizabeth Bay House and Meroogal |
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When: |
Daily, 4 – 26 January |
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Tickets: |
Free with museum entry |
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Info: |
Website: slm.is/fun |
Tiny Tastes of Summer
Enjoy a hands-on tasting tour of Vaucluse House or Elizabeth Farm. Hunt for edible flowers in the kitchen garden, taste the property’s fresh honey and try your hand at creating your own refreshing summer drink. Ages 5–12.
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Where: |
Vaucluse House and Elizabeth Farm |
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When: |
Monday 11 & 18, Wednesday 13 & 20, Friday 15 & 22 January Sessions at 10.30am-12pm and 1.30–3pm |
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Tickets: |
$15 per child, $10 members |
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Bookings: |
Website: slm.is/fun or Box Office: 02 8239 2211 |
Digital Farm Claymation
Be inspired by the rustic surroundings and lively farm animals at Rouse Hill House & Farm to create a mini Claymation film. Children will write, direct and shoot their film with their own clay character creations! Design backdrops, and even add music and sound effects in this full-day workshop. Ages 8+
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Where: |
Rouse Hill House & Farm |
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When: |
Friday 15 or Monday 18 January, 9am–3.30pm |
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Tickets: |
$110 per child, $95 Members |
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Bookings: |
Website: slm.is/fun or Box Office: 02 8239 2211 |
Pleasure Garden
Step into an immersive sonic experience where music and environmental sounds weave through the beautiful Vaucluse House pleasure garden. This magical soundscape was composed by Genevieve Lacey and Jan Bang, in collaboration with Jim Atkins, Robin Fox, Pete Brundle and Sera Davies, and was inspired by the story and music of the 17th century musician and composer Jacob van Eyck. Genevieve Lacey is a recorder virtuoso, artistic director and soloist with international orchestras and ensembles. Part of Sydney Festival.
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Where: |
Vaucluse House |
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When: |
7 –26 January, 8am–8pm |
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Tickets: |
Free entry |
Special family tours of our house museums
These school holidays, unlock the secrets of our house museums with tailored tours for children and families. Full details at slm.is/housetours
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Where: |
Various house museums |
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When: |
11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm & 3pm |
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Tickets: |
Free with museum entry |
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Info: |
Website: slm.is/housetours |
Sydney Harbour Icons with LEGO ® Bricks
Come and be inspired by the spectacle of Sydney Harbour’s icons made in LEGO bricks. Under the glow of LEGO fireworks, discover minifigs at the opera, on a cruise, having fun at Luna Park and climbing the Harbour Bridge.
See how Ryan McNaught, Australia’s own certified LEGO professional has brought our beautiful harbor to life with remarkable LEGO models incorporating lights, movement and almost 1,000 minifigs.
With plenty of loose bricks on hand, you can lose yourself in the glamour, fun and adventure of Sydney Harbour and build your own harbour icon in a sea of LEGO bricks.
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Where: |
Museum of Sydney |
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When: |
Saturday 7 Nov 2015 – Sunday 31 Jul 2016 |
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Tickets: |
$15 per person, $45 family, Under 4 free, Members free |
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Bookings: |
Recommended online at slm.is/harbouricons or Box Office: 02 8239 2211 |
Australia Day Extravaganza with LEGO Bricks
Join LEGO builder Ryan McNaught on the forecourt of the Museum of Sydney to help build a giant LEGO cruise ship this Australia Day, with a chance to win a P&O family cruise.
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Where: |
Museum of Sydney |
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When: |
Tuesday 26 January, 9am–3pm |
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Tickets: |
Free |
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Info: |
Find out more at slm.is/harbouricons |
If your children have any interest in history, they’ll really enjoy taking part in activities like these.
My friend Carolyn at Desire Empire has a great post about her kids day at Vaucluse House last year – lovely photos too.
School holiday really are a great time to let kids learn through experience and to explore places (and times) they wouldn’t normally get a chance to.
Happy holiday planning
Photo credits: all ©James Horan for Sydney Living Museums, except the Digital farms Claymation which is courtesy of DigiEd.
