Free? Sydney Museums & Art Galleries | Sydney Study Abroad Diary #2

In this article, I will introduce Sydney recommended spots that I have visited during my study abroad, using my after-school time and weekends.

👉 Click here for the previous article

The museums, art galleries, and shopping centers introduced here are all located close to each other, so you can easily visit them all in one day!

Moreover, there are many facilities you can enjoy for free, so I hope you will use this as a reference for your sightseeing.

I would be happy if you read until the end, along with my thoughts on each place!

🏛 Australian Museum

First, I will introduce the oldest museum in Australia, aptly named the Australian Museum.

There are many valuable exhibits where you can explore the nature, culture, and history of Australia and the Pacific Islands.

I started here just last Sunday.

In contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city center, the interior was calm and had a comfortable number of people.

So, I think you can enjoy it without worrying about crowds, even on weekends.

And it's free...! I thought it was wonderful that you can just drop by casually without being tied down by ticket reservations or time constraints.

Australian Museum Official Website

📍Level 4/1 William St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

The Voices of Australia's Indigenous People - Aboriginals

The exhibit that left the strongest impression on me was the Aboriginal exhibit (Unfinished business).

It features 3D photos of Aboriginal people and displays their voices.

Aboriginal is a general term for the diverse tribes (indigenous peoples) who lived there before colonization, and there were once about 250 unique languages and dialects.

Currently, they account for about 3% of Australia's population.

While more people are succeeding socially after overcoming a history of invasion and exclusion, discrimination against Aboriginals and their poverty remain major issues.

Due to changes in lifestyle and living in environments where they cannot receive adequate medical care, it is said that half of the total Aboriginal population suffers from some form of physical disability.

Also, it seems that alcohol addiction due to stress and the incidents associated with it remain a problem.

The weight of facing these issues through exhibits was completely different from just knowing about them through information on the internet.

There were messages from 30 people lined up, but I became so overwhelmed halfway through that I couldn't finish reading them all.

Even after leaving that place, their presence remained in my mind for a long time.

On the other hand, wildlife and ancient dinosaur exhibits are spaces that purely excite you.

Australia's nature and ecosystem are truly fresh to me. Even here in the big city of Sydney, the street trees are incredibly thick and sturdy, and the birds sing in voices I've never heard before.

I walked around, deeply feeling how interesting the Earth is.

There were also exhibits of Aboriginal art and musical instruments from ethnic groups living on the islands of the Pacific Ocean.

I thought I'd like to collect mysterious instruments little by little... haha.

It was a very content-rich museum where you could feel the depth of culture and history.

Even so, in the end, thoughts of the Aboriginal people suddenly came back to me.

I'm not yet sure what I will do now that I know about this issue, but one thing I can say is that the way I see the world has changed after becoming aware of it compared to before.

I want to study it little by little.

🎨 Art Gallery of New South Wales

Next, I will introduce an art gallery located just a short walk from the Australian Museum.

It is called the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

I went to the museum in the morning, had a light snack, and then headed here in the afternoon.

This is also free! It's wonderful...!
*Special exhibitions for a limited time require an additional fee

📍Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW 2000

The Art Gallery of New South Wales has a wide collection, including Western modern art from places like the UK and Italy, as well as Australian contemporary art, and Aboriginal art.

Paintings of various sizes line the walls, and there are sculptures placed throughout, with a large sofa in the center of the classic room.

I felt that the style, including the architecture and the atmosphere inside the building, was close to that of a European art museum.

Since there is quite a lot to see, for me, it feels more like a place to enjoy the space itself, including the interior rather than looking at each piece of art carefully one by one.

In Japanese exhibitions, the concept of the collection is usually clear—such as focusing on the artist's upbringing or a specific era—and they come with detailed explanations, so it's possible to dig deep, almost like a fan activity.

I love those kinds of exhibitions too, but European art museums and this state gallery here in Australia have a very relaxed atmosphere flowing through them, even if you aren't that passionate, and I think you can spend your time however you like.

If you look closely, works by famous painters that everyone knows, like Van Gogh, were also just casually (lol) on display.

It looked like it was going to rain, and since I didn't have an umbrella, I decided to head outside a little early.

It was a happy discovery to find a place I feel I can come back to again and again.

🏰 Queen Victoria Building

The last place I'll introduce is a shopping center in the heart of Sydney that uses a historic building...!

The Queen Victoria Building apparently opened in 1898, and this architectural style is called Romanesque.

There are many luxury brands inside, so I felt a bit intimidated, but just going to see the beautiful dome-shaped interior and the stained glass windows is fun enough.

Also, the staff are all casual and friendly, so it was surprisingly okay to walk into brand-name stores without feeling nervous.

If you want to experience shopping inside a historic building, you should definitely pay a visit!

📍455 George St, Sydney NSW 2000

A sustainable wallet I found at OROTON

When I stopped by the QVB, I happened to be looking for a wallet.
The reason is that the local wallet I brought from Japan was gradually falling apart... (´；ω；`)

It was an old one I hadn't used in a while, so it seems its time had come.

While looking around at various shops, my feet naturally stopped in front of a store called OROTON.

When I looked it up, it seemed to be a long-established Australian brand, which was another nice point.

At that moment, what caught my eye wasn't a wallet, but a bag... lol

https://oroton.com/

With the intuition that 'I definitely love this design! I'm sure I'll find a great wallet too!', I went straight into the store, and sure enough, I had a wonderful encounter♡

There were no price tags, so I nervously asked a staff member, but I was relieved to find that the price was reasonable for the quality.

The design is simple yet elegant, and you can really tell the quality of the materials.

The very philosophy of 'using good things for a long time' might be the charm of this brand.

It's a small wallet I bought during my study abroad, but I intend to use it with care from now on!

Since it hasn't launched in Japan yet, I actually really want the bag I fell in love with at first sight... but it was a bit pricey, so I had to tearfully skip it this time.

This time, I want to spend my money on experiences that will help me feel more of Australia!

Thank you for reading until the end.
What did you think about the free spots to enjoy in Sydney?
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