Between 1819 and 1848, around 50,000 convicts passed through Hyde Park Barracks (mhnsw.au, free), which despite its refined appearance was then a miserable, overcrowded and rat-infested place. A visit to this UNESCO World Heritage Site, designed by convict architect Francis Greenway, provides a poignant insight into life in the penal colony.
Visitors can request a free audio guide, which provides essential background information as you take the self-directed tour. Each floor has a theme: "Control" on the 2nd, "Fear" on the 1st and "Hope" on the ground level. Along the way, intricate dioramas tell the story of expanding colonial settlement and its devastating effect on the lives of Indigenous Australians. Artifacts also illustrate the building's subsequent use as a women's immigration depot and asylum. The tour ends with inspiring video testimonies from Indigenous Elders and the descendants of those who passed through these doors.
Entry is by timed ticket, so it's worth prebooking online to avoid a wait.
