Perched on a hilltop with spectacular views of Sydney Harbour and Harbour Bridge, Sydney Observatory is home to a museum and public observatory. It sits within a Heritage-listed sandstone structure in The Rocks district. Inside, you’ll find a fascinating collection of artefacts, instruments, photographs and historic and modern telescopes.
You can explore exhibits, such as Aboriginal astronomy, before making your way upstairs to the telescope domes for night views of stars, constellations, planets, nebulae and the moon. On-site experts help with star identification and even guide you through the process of observing the sun through dedicated solar lenses in the daytime.
Stop by the 3-D Space Theatre and digital Sydney Planetarium to watch astronomy films and learn about the history of space exploration. Don’t miss the famous time-ball drop at 1pm, a tradition that’s been held since 1858.
Getting there
Sydney Observatory is about a 10-minute drive from The Rocks Discovery Museum and Circular Quay. You can take a train or ferry to Circular Quay, then a taxi to the observatory.