Free Museums in Manly

"While the mere mention of the word "museum" may instantly cause a cloud of boredom to pass across the average child's face, these two quality exhibitions that are long-time staples of Sydney each go to great lengths in an attempt to appeal to people on all ends of the age spectrum. Sydney's Australian Museum, established in 1827, is the first originally-established museum in the country and has evolved over time to the point that it now puts a lot of effort into catering to kids as much as possible. Featuring numerous interactive, hands-on elements and exhibits that encourage participation rather than simple observation, kids will have fun trying out some of the displays while also hopefully learning something along the way."

"Bringing to life the perils and adventures of the sea, the Australian National Maritime Museum has a jam-packed kids calendar all year-round. During school holidays, there are plenty of activities for kids of all ages to learn about maritime, but when Family Fun Sunday rolls around (once a month), all hands are on deck with character-led tours, live performances, face painting and activities. They have Mini Mariners play space and permanent exhibits that show how families travelled on to Australia on the First Fleet and convict ships."

"Catch the ferry back to Darling Harbour where you can jump off and visit the Maritime Museum. There’s lots to see and do with collections about the history of boats and sea exploration around Australia. The permanent exhibitions and some children’s activities are free."

"Housed in a beautiful art deco style building facing Circular Quay’s waterfront, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, otherwise known as the MCA, is dedicated to exhibiting, collecting and interpreting the work of today’s contemporary artists. The museum is home to a great collection of Australian and international modern artworks and exhibitions, spread over multiple floors, making contemporary art and ideas widely accessible to a range of audiences. The MCA is a not-for-profit, charitable organisation that offers free general admission, while certain exhibitions and events are ticketed."

"The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia celebrates the work of living artists, bringing exceptional exhibitions of international and Australian art to as many people as possible – welcoming over a million visitors each year – in the belief that art is for everyone. Find creative opportunities for families to discover contemporary art and participate in fun and playful learning experiences together. They offer a range of free and ticketed programs for families with kids aged 0–12 years."

"Wander through galleries of exciting modern art from leading Australian and international artists at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA). Grab a coffee at the rooftop cafe and sculpture terrace and enjoy the stunning harbour view. The MCA runs lots of free and small donation activities for kids throughout the year too, from their monthly Sunday Family Fun Days to a drop in activity room and school holiday crafts."

"The Big Dig Archaeology Education Centre is part of Sydney Harbour YHA in The Rocks heritage precinct of Sydney. The centre facilitates hands-on archaeology educational experiences and opens the archaeological site to the public. Opening Times: The Big Dig welcomes the general public to visit the site during daylight hoursTicket Prices: varied depending on programAddress: 110 Cumberland St, Sydney NSWWebsite:thebigdig.com.au"

"The Big Dig Cumberland Street Archaeological Site is a heritage-listed archaeological site in The Rocks. The centre is part of Sydney Harbour YHA,, and while it is no longer an “active” excavation site, it does facilitate hands-on archaeology educational experiences and opens the archaeological site to the public. The general public are welcome to visit the Big Dig site during daylight hours."

"You’ll see a great mix of architecture as well as Sydney’s Oldest pub, the Big Dig Archaeological Site underneath the YHA hostel, Suez Lane which was once run by gangs and 4 houses preserved from different decades at Susannah Place. Head to The Rocks Square for plenty of dining options or the famous Rocks Markets on Saturdays for some independent stalls and delicious food."

"Built by famous convict architect Francis Greenway, Sydney’s Conservatorium, part of the University of Sydney, began life as a Gothic picturesque stable for Governor Macquarie. Known as “a palace for horses”, the building was so expensive it caused Macquarie to be recalled to Mother England. Today you can visit the building to attend one of the many concerts put on by students or stroll the outside when touring the Botanic Gardens."

"Sydney’s premier music school is on the edge of the Royal Botanic Garden. The building looks like a castle but was actually originally built as stables for the nearby Government House. Because it’s a school, not all areas are open to the public but you can see three levels of the atrium."

"A landmark building near Circular Quay, this is the location of the library. It used to be the headquarters of the Customs service and is an impressive building to walk through. One of the best features to check out is a small scale model of Sydney under the glass floor."

"Built in the 1850s, Sydney’s copper-domed, Italianate sandstone observatory squats atop Observatory Hill, overlooking the harbour. Inside is a collection of vintage apparatus, including Australia’s oldest working telescope (1874), as well as background on Australian astronomy and transits of Venus. Also on offer (weekends and school holidays) are child-focused tours (adult/child $10/8), including a solar telescope viewing and planetarium show. Bookings are essential for night-time stargazing sessions, which come in family-oriented (adult/child $22/17) and adult (adult/child $27/20) versions."

"Speaking of underappreciated places, the Sydney Observatory is not something you should overlook. There’s nothing more calming and inspiring than gazing at the stars and just enjoying the vastness of space at night. This can also be a great learning experience for your little ones as they learn about science, technology, and so much more."

"Sydney Observatory was built in 1858 on a hill above The Rocks and was used for decades for research into astronomy and weather conditions. It was also crucial for navigation, meteorology and timekeeping. The observatory is still an important scientific site but is used mainly as a museum these days."

"Before the light rail returned to Sydney, trams were something that many people believed was a Melbourne thing unaware that Sydney had an extensive tram system in place. It makes sense then that the Sydney Tramway Museum is Australia’s oldest tramway museum and the largest in the southern hemisphere. The Sydney Tramway Museum boasts quite a collection of trams including Sydney trams from 1896 to 1997 as well as trams from across Australia (Brisbane, Melbourne, Ballarat and Adelaide) and even from overseas such as San Francisco, Nagasaki, Berlin, Munich and Milan."

"The Sydney Tramway Museum is the oldest museum of its kind in Australia and is a fantastic family-friendly destination. For anyone who has wondered what it would be like to get on board a tram in the early 20th century..."

"This gelato mecca has been around for 17 years and they're always trying something new, whether it's a new flavour, new healthy range or a mash-up you didn't see coming, like the new Brown Sugar Bubble Milk Tea gelato. This limited edition flavour is made up of organic Assam tea, a robust, black tea with notes of malt, which is brewed and infused with the decadent creamy gelato, and finished off with a swirl of rich brown sugar syrup. Each scoop of Brown Sugar Bubble Milk Tea is then topped with extra soft and chewy tapioca pearls for an added layer of texture and to remain true to its dessert inspiration."

"A post shared by the AU review (@theaureview) on Nov 18, 2015 at 9:52pm PST. Beaches and ice cream are an undeniably appealing combination and Gelatissimo at Cronulla treats this winning formula with all due respect by serving up over 30 flavours of freshly made gelato, including truly tempting salted caramel, peanut butter fudge and macadamia nut. Alongside the superb scoops, there are also plenty of incredible eat-in dessert options like their heavenly gelato doughnuts."

"Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by Gelatissimo (@gelatissimogelato) on Mar 11, 2019 at 11:04pm PDT"

"This is one of my personal favourites simply because of how underrated it is. It literally is a hole in the wall along the streets of Newtown. Their Apple Crumble, Coconut, and Tim Tam flavours are known to be amazing, and in the sorbet range, the Champagne or Fresh Pear and Ginger are not to be missed."

"Located just a short distance from the popular Bondi Beach, but refreshingly far from the crowds, Tamarama Beach is a secluded spot that encompasses 80m of breathtaking shoreline. With strong currents and a left-hand reef break, this panoramic beach is a favourite of surfers and locals. Nicknamed ‘Glamarama’ back in the 1980’s, this beach became known for attracting beautiful, glamorous visitors to its narrow, luxurious stretch of sand."

"Tamarama Beach is a prime spot for getting away from the mega-crowds of Bondi while still staying close to all the city’s action—something that’s well-advised in today’s world. Here, you can throw a towel down on the light tan sand, go for a swim and surf the popular left-hand reef break. It has a truly local feel to it, attracting Sydney’s residents instead of solely backpackers and tourists like many of the city’s other beaches."

"In Manly, walk down the palm tree-lined Corso towards the beach for an ice-cream, walk around to picturesque Shelly Beach, or grab a cold beer at Manly Wharf Hotel. Time your return ferry trip back to the Quay to coincide with the sunset behind the harbour bridge."

"Positioned in Sydney Harbour, 1km from the mouth of Rose Bay, Shark Island – Boowambillee (booh-uhm-'bil-ee) is a picnic spot with a difference. Explore the island's foreshore, go swimming or relax in front of amazing Sydney Harbour views."

"Calories don’t count in lockdown, so head over to Dr Dough Donuts for your daily sugar fix stat. They also offer same day delivery."

"If you’re vegan, stop and drop everything - we’ve just found a cafe that has graciously made life a little sweeter with playful desserts, donuts and a full brekkie and lunch menu that are all prepared with the best naturally gluten-free ingredients!. At Nutie, they are all about ‘having your cake and eating it too!. Find them at: 44 Holt St,Surry Hills | 13 Beattie St, Balmain"