Museums - Blue Mountains

A list of museums in the Blue Mountains:

Leuralla NSW Toy & Railway Museum, Leura

36 Olympian Parade, Leura
Telephone 02-4784-1169
Website: www.toyandrailwaymuseum.com.au

The Toy & Railway Museum is housed in the historic home of Leuralla, one of the oldest Blue Mountains heritage listed homes set in 12 acres of beautiful gardens.

See a unique collection of toys and trains including pre and post-war dolls, teddy bears, lead figures, comics, books, tinplate trains, aeroplanes, automobiles and working model railway sets. See the biggest Barbie Doll display in Australia and a Matterhorn railway garden plus NSW Railway trackside and station memoribilia.

Also on display is the Doc Evatt Memorial photographic exhibition. The photographs commemorate the life of former Australian Labor leader Dr Herbert Vere Evatt (1894-1965) who was also elected President of the UN General Assembly in 1948. The photographs are a 'who's who' of international politics from the 1930s-1950s.

Leuralla is still in the hands of the Evatt family.

Open daily 10am to 5pm.

 

Bygone Beautys Treasured Teapot Collection, Leura

Cnr Grose and Megalong Sts, Leura
Telephone 02-4784-3117, 02-4784-3108, or 1800-663- 619.
Website: www.bygonebeautys.com.au

See the world's largest private teapot collection - and enjoy a delicous devonshire tea at the Bygone Beautys Tearooms in Leura.

Open: 10am - 5.30pm every day except Christmas Day and New Year's Day
 

 

Turkish Bath Museum, Mount Wilson

The Avenue, Mount Wilson
Telephone 02-4756-2006

The Turkish Bath Museum is a unique building within the Wynstay Estate. This was the first property established in Mt Wilson in 1875 by Richard Wynne, founder of the Wynne Art Prize. The Turkish Bath serves as a museum displaying exhibitions of the history of Mt Wilson and Mt Irvine. The Turkish Bath building itself is also of great interest.

Open: For opening times please refer to - www.mtwilson.com.au/mt-wilsonmt-irvine-historical-society/turkish-bath-museum.html
Entry: Adults $5, child free

 

Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum

17b Tusculum Rd, Valley Heights
Telephone 02-4751-4638 (weekends only)

The museum houses a collection of historic railway and tramway locomotives which depict the development of rail transport in NSW from the 1880s to the 1980s. Have fun with Interactive exhibits of engines and carriages and view railway memorabilia. Take a ride in a restored historic Sydney Steam Tram, see the Model Railway, explore the oldest remaining Steam Locomotive Roundhouse in NSW and restoration works on tramway and railway exhibits.

Valley Heights is located between Blaxland and Faulconbridge.

Open: 10am-4pm - on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month (except Mothers Day and last Sunday in December)
Entry: Adults $13, Pensioners/Concession $11, Students (5-18yrs) $9, Family (2 adults/2 children or 1 adult/2 children) $35, Children aged 4yrs and under - free
Email: atmuseum@optusnet.com.au

 

Esbank House & Museum, Lithgow

Cnr Inch & Bennett Street, Lithgow
Telephone 02-6351-3557

Esbank House was built in 1842 and is one of the oldest homes in the Lithgow Valley.

This historic home is open to the public and features an extensive display of period furniture and memoribilia of early life in Lithgow. See also the largest collection of Lithgow Pottery in Australia.

The stables and blacksmith's courtyard are also open to the public and contain excellent displays.

Open: 10am-12.30pm and 1pm-4pm Wednesday to Sunday.
Website: www.lithgow.com/eskbank/index.html

 

Hartley Historic Site, Hartley

Old Bathurst Road, Hartley
Telephone 02-6355-2117

While not a museum as such, the Hartley Historic Site is a collection of 17 buildings of historical significance and gives a glimpse of life in the 19th century.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service administer Hartley Historic Site and has an office on site in the Farmers Inn building.

The historic buildings are open to the public and guides are on hand to help you understand the history of Hartley.

Open: 10.00am - 4.20pm Daily (closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day)
Email: hartley@environment.nsw.gov.au
Website: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkHome.aspx?id=N0203
 

Lithgow State Mine Heritage Park and Railway

State Mine Gully Rd (off Atkinson St), Lithgow
Telephone 02-6353-1513

"Walk Amongst the Union Banners" - visit the Lithgow State Mine Museum Bath house for this special exhibition (until October 2012).

Open: 12pm - 4pm Weekends, school holidays and public holidays
Website: www.statemine.org.au

 

Lithgow Small Arms Museum

Methven St, Lithgow
Telephone 02-6351-4452

Open10-4 Weekends, school holidays, public holidays; 9.30am-2.30pm Tue and Thu; closed Christmas Day and Good Friday.
Website: www.lithgow-tourism.com/samuseum/index.html

 

Kurrajong Radio Museum

842 Bells Line of Road, Kurrajong Hills
Telephone 02-4573-0601

Open 10am - 5pm most weekends (phone to check)
Website: www.vk2bv.org/museum/

 

Woodford Academy

Great Western Highway, Woodford
Telephone: 02-4758-7809

Historic Woodford Academy dates back to the 1830s and is the oldest collection of buildings in the Blue Mountains.

Open: 11am-5pm, 3rd Saturday fo the month or by appointment
Website: www.nationaltrust.com.au/placestovisit/woodford/

 

Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, Katoomba

The Blue Mountains Cultural Centre is due to open in November 2012. The Cultural Centre will incorporate the state of the art Katoomba City Art Gallery plus the Blue Mountains World Heritage Exhibition - Into the Blue. This exhibition will feature high-tech interactive exhibitions exploring the natural as well as social landscape of this unique area. Audiences will be invited to navigate their way through these stories through an immersive exhibition experience, introducing them to the richness and wonders of the Blue Mountains World Heritage area.

Admission charges to the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre will  be:
Adults - $5
Concession - $3
Children under 16 - Free

Admission charges include entry into both the Blue Mountains World Heritage Exhibition and Blue Mountains City Art Gallery.

Where: Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, 39 Parke Street, Katoomba

Open: 10am-5pm Monday-Saturday, 10am-4pm Sunday. Closed Public Holidays