The Hyde Park Barracks was constructed with convict labor in the middle of the 1800s. Since that time the Hyde Park Barracks have been home to male prisoners, single female immigrants with children, and served as an asylum. Today the building serves as a museum with guided tours through the barracks where visitors can learn about the history of the building. Designed by Francis Greenway, the Hyde Park Barracks is considered to be among his finest works and is a much loved landmark in Sydney.
The Hyde Park Barracks offers visitors a rare glimpse into the colonial history of Australia through the eyes of the convicts who were among the first settlers here as well as the immigrants. Though the Hyde Park Barracks has been home to less than reputable tenants it is still an important historical fixture in Sydney. A trip here is well worth it as the displays are in depth and include artifacts used in the 1800s and early 1900s and the guides will be able to impart valuable information.