Convicts: life at the barracks

From assigned convict servants to government men, this exhibition is the story of Sydney's male convict labour force.

Between 1819 and 1848 more than 15,000 male convicts passed through the Hyde Park Barracks. The majority were English and Irish men found guilty of theft. Their punishment was exile to the opposite side of the world.

Discover everyday life at Hyde Park Barracks including the convicts' labour, lodgings, meals, religious instruction, medical attendance and discipline. While superintendents and overseers were instructed to maintain good order and prompt obedience to reform the convicts 'ideas and habits' - at times the Barracks seemed in a state of disarray.

Historic images, personal observations and rare objects provide intimate glimpses of individual lives and fresh perspectives on the history of the barracks, including the uses of its rooms and spaces.