We didn't have time to explore the interior of the Barracks. Reading my guide book I have a better understanding of what this structure was used for and what is its main purpose now.

It was originally constructed to house convicts, later it was used as a hostel to house immigrant women and then used as a courthouse. Currently, this structure is a museum highlighting the building's history and Sydney's colonial life.

I'm a history junkie, and I love tourist destinations that give a lot of insight about the history of a certain place. The Hyde Park Barracks Museum is a restored building that was, at various times in Australia's history, a prison for convicts, a halfway house for immigrant women, and a court. The displays are very educational, and I learned a lot about the history of Australia and the struggles of the European settlers as Australia transitioned from convict destination to a new land of adventure for free emigrants from the Britain.

The first two floors are the more cerebral of the three floors: explaining the lives of the different inhabitants of the building and displaying various items found during archaeological digs of the building. The third floor is set up for emotional impact: two rooms are set up to look like the barracks that they originally were. One has been transformed into an installation art display to help visitors ponder the individual lives of the barracks' inhabitants.

At two different places in the building, computers are available for visitors to search the database for information on the individual convicts who inhabited the barracks when it was a prison.

Entrance: A$10; 20% discount using the voucher in the free Sydney guidebook available at the airport; allot an hour.

"Come on you lubbers! Put some bloody effort into it!"

An colonial overseer stood stood over a group of children making ropes. He bawled them out to work faster.

Of course this wasn't an Australian penal colony in the 1830s but Sydney's best historical museum - the Hyde Park Barracks. The overseer wasn't a cruel colonial guard but a volanteer showing schoolchildren in 2005 what life was life back then complete with authentic period costume and dialogue. A fantasy? Well, I had to suppress a chuckle—those kids certainly worked faster.

The Hyde Park Barracks are a terrific attraction on the edge of the CBD on Hyde Park. This is where Australia began and was where convicts were kept on arrival at the penal settlement. Made of the local yellow sandstone, the Barracks is a compound with historic buildings dating back to 1819 and surrounded by a high wall. It was built by Francis Greenway, a man convicted of forgery and transported but originally studied under Nash - the man who built Bath. And there is a touch of the English city in the glowing sandstone with its wide frontage and clock tower. Despite its elegance, it was a secure hold for male convicts (females were not kept there until 1848). It also served time as a female infirmary, a destitute asylum, a government office, and court, and since 1979, a museum.

The exhibts were fascinating and I spent two hours there. The illustrations of early Sydney were absorbing - a cottage on Observatory hill with bouganvillea around the door and convicts working in the fields. The records of those brought over in the 19th century were harrowing especially their captivity in "hulks" in English ports before being transported to prison ships and taken to the other side of the world. They recreated a convict dorm complete with swinging hammocks. Here they were watched day and night just in case they got up to any hanky panky - homosexuality being a transporting offence back in the early 19th century.

It was the stories behind the pictures which really worked for me. One girl from the North of England was caught horse-stealing, she was transported and became a nanny to a rich family in Parramatta. She eventually served her term, married well, and eventually became the richest woman in the colony.

A few metres away across the Domain is Royal Botanical Gardens. Once upon a time they featured convict vegetable gardens and now every conceivable Australian flora sweeping down to the sea. There is a beautiful ivy covered cafe in the gardens where ibis' strut their stuff. And not far away were dozens of fruit bats dangling from the branches of trees, their faces turned towards you and it felt they were following you with their foxy eyes.

If you're looking to learn about Sydney's social and architectural history, this is a good place to visit. Built in 1816, without permission from London, to house 600 male convicts. These convicts then were used as labour for several public works projects. It was the philosphy of Governor Macquarie to use convicts to build grand public buildings such as this one and many others in this part of Sydney. This one and many others were designed by convict-architect Francis Greenway.

The museum has a lot of information about both of these men as well as the historical context of early Sydney. Quite interesting, even if or maybe especially if you're non-Australian.

The building is a grand building with an outer wall, courtyard, and surrounding buildings. Don't just spend your time in the main building itself. Wander the courtyard and visit the old courtrooms that make up the outer rim of the compund.

There are exhibits about the excavation of the barracks back in the late 70's/early 80's. You'll also see exhibits about the tiem the barracks took in single immigrant women. Another interesting piece of the area's history.

The exhibits themselves are informative and interesting but not flashy or interactive. With a few exceptions. The ground floor has a well put together exhibit showing the different layers of the foundation and other interesting things about the building. And up on the fourth floor you can swing in the prisoners' rough hammocks. There's also computer terminals which allow you to search for selected information on the convicts themeselves.

For only $6.50 it's worth spending a few hours here. You'll realy enjoy it if you enjoy history and learning. If you don't really care about doing this kind of stuff on your vacation, well you may be just as happy walking by and admiring the building or missing it all together.