EN
Explore a city
  1. Home
  2. Sydney
  3. With kids

Free things to do in Sydney with kids

Official sources checked Oct 5, 2026

Places where children have room to move and something to look at, all free. Booking rules matter more with kids in tow, so check each card.

Sydney

Always free in Sydney21

Open to everyone, every day they are open. No ticket to buy.

Illustration: Art Gallery of New South WalesFREE

Art Gallery of New South Wales

The Domain
Always freeIndoorGood with kidsArtArchitecture

The state art museum, spread over two buildings on the edge of the Domain: the old sandstone one with the colonial and European rooms, and Naala Nura, the 2022 building that steps down the hill towards Woolloomooloo. General entry to both is free.

  • Yiribana Gallery of Aboriginal art, by the Naala Nura entrance
  • The Tank, a wartime oil bunker under the new building
  • Wednesday Art After Hours, free until 10pm
Free when
Always · daily 10am to 5pm, Wednesdays until 10pm · closed Good Friday and Christmas Day
Free for whom
Everyone. Some temporary exhibitions are ticketed.
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
2 to 3 hours
How to get there
Train to St James or Martin Place, then 10 minutes on foot across the Domain. Bus 441 from the Queen Victoria Building stops outside.
Worth it? Yes.The best free indoor thing in Sydney. Go on a Wednesday after 5pm, when the gallery runs free talks, films and music until 10pm and the day crowds have left.
Source: Art Gallery of New South Wales · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Royal Botanic GardenFREE

Royal Botanic Garden

Farm Cove
Always freeGood with kidsNatureViews

Thirty hectares of lawns, ponds and old fig trees wrapped around Farm Cove, between the Opera House and Mrs Macquaries Point. The harbour path along the sea wall gives you the Opera House and the bridge in one frame.

  • Sea wall path around Farm Cove
  • Mrs Macquaries Point for the Opera House and bridge together
  • Flying foxes and cockatoos in the Palm Grove
Free when
Always · daily from 7am · closes 5pm in June and July, 5.30pm in May and August, 6pm in April and September, 6.30pm in March, 7.30pm in October, 8pm from November to February
Free for whom
Everyone. Entry is free except for special ticketed events.
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
1 to 2 hours
How to get there
Train, ferry or light rail to Circular Quay, then walk past the Opera House to the Queen Elizabeth II Gate. Martin Place station serves the Macquarie Street side.
Worth it? Yes.Yes. Walk the sea wall from the Opera House gate to Mrs Macquaries Point before 9am, when the light is behind you and the tour buses have not arrived.
Source: Botanic Gardens of Sydney · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Badu Gili at the Opera HouseFREE

Badu Gili at the Opera House

Bennelong Point
Always freeGood with kidsArtArchitectureAfter dark

A six-minute projection of First Nations art on the eastern Bennelong sail of the Opera House, shown several times a night. It is the free reason to be on the forecourt after dark, and walking around the outside of the building costs nothing at any hour.

  • Best seen from the podium at the top of the steps
  • Sunset screening has the harbour still lit behind you
  • Touch the roof tiles up close on the western boardwalk
Free when
Always · nightly from sunset, then three more screenings about half an hour apart · exact times change every few weeks and are listed on the Opera House page · occasional nights are cancelled for events
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
6 minutes, plus a walk around the building
How to get there
Train, ferry or light rail to Circular Quay, then 8 minutes on foot along East Circular Quay to the Monumental Steps
Worth it? Yes.Yes, as the end of a day at the Quay. Stand at the top of the Monumental Steps, on the podium, and look at the smaller sails facing the Botanic Garden, not the big ones facing the bridge.
Source: Sydney Opera House · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Harbour Bridge pedestrian walkwayFREE

Harbour Bridge pedestrian walkway

The Rocks to Milsons Point
Always freeGood with kidsViewsArchitecture

The footpath on the eastern side of the bridge, 50 metres above the water, with the Opera House below you the whole way across. It is a public footpath, so there is no ticket and no closing time.

  • Opera House side only, cyclists use the western path
  • Southeast pylon is 300 metres from the Cumberland Street stairs
  • Late afternoon puts the sun on the Opera House sails
Free when
Always · open at all hours, every day
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
20 to 30 minutes one way
How to get there
From The Rocks, take the lift or the Bridge Stairs on Cumberland Street, opposite the Glenmore Hotel. From the north side, stairs and a lift at Milsons Point station.
Worth it? Yes.Yes. Walk north to Milsons Point and come back by train or ferry. The pylon lookout on the way is now the BridgeMuseum and costs A$39.95 online or A$49.95 at the door, so the old cheap climb is gone. The view from the footpath is most of the way there for nothing.
Source: Sydney Harbour BridgeMuseum · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Barangaroo ReserveFREE

Barangaroo Reserve

Barangaroo
Always freeGood with kidsNatureViewsLocal life

A six-hectare headland park built on an old container wharf, planted with 75,000 native trees and shrubs and edged with big sandstone blocks you can sit on at the waterline. It looks west and north, to the bridge from its less photographed side.

  • Sandstone ledges at the water for sunset
  • Wulugul Walk runs south along the shore to Darling Harbour
  • Free harbour swim at Marrinawi Cove
Free when
Always · open 24 hours
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
45 minutes to 1 hour
How to get there
Metro to Barangaroo station, which opens almost at the park. From Circular Quay it is a 15 minute walk through The Rocks.
Worth it? Yes.Yes, and bring food. You can picnic here with your own drinks, alcohol included, and swim off the steps at Marrinawi Cove at the southern end.
Source: Barangaroo · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Observatory HillFREE

Observatory Hill

Millers Point
Always freeGood with kidsViewsLocal life

A grassy hill above The Rocks with old Moreton Bay figs, a bandstand and a wide view west over the bridge approach and the inner harbour. The 1850s Sydney Observatory sits on top.

  • West-facing lawn under the fig trees
  • Bridge seen side-on from the bandstand
  • Free no-ticket spot for the New Year fireworks
Free when
Always · open park, at all hours
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
30 minutes
How to get there
Train to Wynyard or Circular Quay, then 10 minutes on foot uphill. From The Rocks, take the Agar Steps off Kent Street.
Worth it? Yes.The best free sunset in the city centre, and locals know it. Sit on the western slope with something to eat. The view is of the bridge and the water, not the Opera House.
Source: City of Sydney · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Australian MuseumFREE

Australian Museum

Hyde Park
Always freeIndoorGood with kidsHistoryNature

The country's oldest museum, opposite Hyde Park: dinosaurs, a hall of skeletons, a large Pacific collection and good galleries on First Nations cultures. General entry has been free since 2020.

  • Bayala Nura gallery of First Nations objects
  • The Long Gallery, Australia's first museum hall, restored
  • Dinosaur gallery on level 2
Free when
Always · daily 10am to 5pm · closed Christmas Day
Free for whom
Everyone. Major touring exhibitions are ticketed.
Reservation
No ticket needed for the permanent galleries. Only special exhibitions are booked online.
Time needed
2 hours
How to get there
Train to Museum or St James, then 5 minutes on foot across Hyde Park to the corner of William and College streets
Worth it? Yes.Yes, and it is the obvious answer to a wet day with children. Start on the top floor and work down, because school groups fill the ground floor first.
Source: Australian Museum · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Hyde Park BarracksFREE

Hyde Park Barracks

Macquarie Street
Always freeBooking recommendedIndoorGood with kidsHistoryArchitecture

The 1819 convict barracks designed by Francis Greenway, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. You walk through with a headset that triggers audio as you move, ending in the dormitory hung with hammocks.

  • Hammock dormitory on the top floor
  • Rat-nest finds from under the floorboards
  • Greenway's brick facade from the courtyard
Free when
Always · daily 10am to 6pm, last entry 4.30pm · closed Good Friday and Christmas Day
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Free. The museum recommends booking a timed ticket online, because the audio tour starts in sessions every half hour.
Time needed
1 to 1.5 hours
How to get there
Train to St James, then 2 minutes on foot to Queens Square at the top of Macquarie Street
Worth it? Yes.Yes. It is the best explanation of how Sydney started, and the audio tour is good enough that people pay for worse elsewhere. Do not turn up after 4.30pm.
Source: Museums of History NSW · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Chau Chak Wing MuseumFREE

Chau Chak Wing Museum

Camperdown
Always freeIndoorGood with kidsHistoryArt

The University of Sydney's museum, which pulled its antiquities, natural history and art collections into one building in 2020. It has Egyptian mummies, Greek vases and a Lego model of Pompeii, and entry is free.

  • Mummy Room on the lower level
  • Lego Pompeii, popular with children
  • University Quadrangle and its jacaranda, next door
Free when
Always · Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 12pm to 4pm · closed 21 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, 26 January and Good Friday
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
1 to 1.5 hours
How to get there
Any Parramatta Road bus from Railway Square, by Central station, to the University of Sydney footbridge. The museum is on University Place, beside the Quadrangle.
Worth it? Yes.Yes, and combine it with a walk through the sandstone Quadrangle next door. Weekend hours are short, so go on a weekday if you can.
Source: The University of Sydney · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Anzac Memorial and Hyde ParkFREE

Anzac Memorial and Hyde Park

Hyde Park
Always freeIndoorGood with kidsHistoryArchitecture

The Art Deco war memorial at the southern end of Hyde Park, with a domed hall of 120,000 gold stars and a 2018 extension underneath. The park itself, an avenue of fig trees from here to the Archibald Fountain, is the oldest in Australia.

  • Dome of 120,000 gold stars, one per NSW volunteer
  • Hall of Service floor with soil from 1,701 NSW towns
  • Fig avenue north to the Archibald Fountain
Free when
Always · memorial daily 9am to 5pm · Hyde Park is open at all hours
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
30 to 45 minutes
How to get there
Train to Museum station, which exits into the park beside the memorial
Worth it? Yes.Yes. It takes twenty minutes and is the finest Art Deco interior in the city. Look down from the Hall of Memory into the Hall of Silence before you take the stairs.
Source: Anzac Memorial · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Customs HouseFREE

Customs House

Circular Quay
Always freeIndoorGood with kidsArchitectureLocal life

The 1845 customs building facing the ferry wharves, now a public library and lounge. Under a glass floor in the atrium is a scale model of 10 square kilometres of the city centre that you walk over.

  • City model under the glass floor of the atrium
  • Free wifi and seats in the ground floor lounge
  • Free exhibitions through the year
Free when
Always · Monday to Friday 8am to midnight, Saturday 9am to midnight, Sunday 9am to 5pm · the library inside keeps shorter hours
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
15 to 20 minutes
How to get there
Directly opposite Circular Quay station and the ferry wharves, at 31 Alfred Street
Worth it? Yes.A short stop that earns its place: free toilets, free wifi, armchairs and a model that shows you how the city fits together. Useful on the first morning.
Source: City of Sydney · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Bondi to Coogee coastal walkFREE

Bondi to Coogee coastal walk

Eastern Suburbs
Always freeGood with kidsNatureViewsLocal life

Six kilometres of clifftop path linking Bondi, Tamarama, Bronte, Clovelly and Coogee beaches, with ocean pools cut into the rocks along the way. It is graded easy but has long flights of stairs, mostly around Gordons Bay.

  • Mackenzies Point lookout, 10 minutes from Bondi
  • Free ocean pool at the south end of Bronte
  • Waverley Cemetery boardwalk above the cliffs
Free when
Always · open at all hours · sections close now and then after storms
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
2 to 3 hours one way, longer with swims
How to get there
Bus 333 from Circular Quay or Bondi Junction station to Bondi Beach. Start at the Icebergs end. From Coogee, buses 373 and 374 run back to the city.
Worth it? Yes.Yes, this is the walk. Go south from Bondi so the sun is behind you in the morning, and take swimmers: the sea baths at Bronte and the Ross Jones pool at Coogee are free. If you only have an hour, Bondi to Bronte is the best stretch.
Source: Destination NSW · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Manly Beach and Shelly BeachFREE

Manly Beach and Shelly Beach

Manly
Always freeGood with kidsNatureLocal life

Two kilometres of surf beach lined with Norfolk pines, patrolled by lifeguards all year. A flat foreshore path from the southern end leads in 15 minutes to Shelly Beach, a sheltered cove where you can snorkel over fish in shallow water.

  • Foreshore path from South Steyne to Shelly Beach
  • Snorkelling in the Cabbage Tree Bay reserve
  • Free filtered water taps along the promenade
Free when
Always · open at all hours · lifeguards patrol Manly year round, Shelly Beach is not patrolled outside summer
Free for whom
Everyone. The beach is free. The ferry to reach it is not.
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
Half a day
How to get there
F1 ferry from Circular Quay to Manly Wharf, 30 minutes, then 5 minutes on foot down The Corso to the ocean beach
Worth it? Yes.Yes, and it beats Bondi for a full beach day, because the ferry ride is half the fun. Swim between the flags at Manly. Take a mask to Shelly Beach if you have one.
Source: Northern Beaches Council · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: South Head Heritage TrailFREE

South Head Heritage Trail

Watsons Bay
Always freeGood with kidsViewsHistoryNature

A one kilometre loop from Camp Cove along an 1870s cobbled road to the red and white striped Hornby Lighthouse at the mouth of the harbour, past old gun emplacements. It is short, easy and has open ocean on one side and the city skyline on the other.

  • Hornby Lighthouse at the tip of the headland
  • Whale watching from the cliff edge in winter
  • Camp Cove, a calm harbour beach at the start
Free when
Always · open daily · some military structures are fenced for repairs through 2026 and 2027, the trail stays open
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
30 minutes to 1 hour
How to get there
F9 ferry from Circular Quay to Watsons Bay, or bus 324 or 325 from the city, then 10 minutes on foot to Camp Cove
Worth it? Yes.Yes. Pair it with a swim at Camp Cove and a look over the cliffs at The Gap on the way back to the wharf. From June to October, watch for whales off the lighthouse.
Source: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Cockatoo IslandFREE

Cockatoo Island

Sydney Harbour
Always freeGood with kidsHistoryArchitectureViews

The largest island in the harbour: a convict prison, then a shipyard that closed in 1991, now left open to walk through. Empty turbine halls, dry docks, a tunnel through the rock and a UNESCO-listed convict precinct on the plateau. Admission is free.

  • Turbine Shop, a ship-building hall the size of a cathedral
  • Dog-Leg Tunnel cut through the sandstone
  • Convict barracks and solitary cells on the upper level
Free when
Always · daily, from the first ferry to the last · visitor centre 10am to 4pm · some event days restrict access
Free for whom
Everyone. Admission is free. You pay the ferry fare to get there.
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
2 to 3 hours
How to get there
F3 or F8 ferry from Circular Quay or Barangaroo to Cockatoo Island wharf, about 20 minutes
Worth it? Yes.Yes, and it is underrated. Pick up the free map at the visitor centre and walk the tunnel and the Turbine Shop. Bring lunch, because the two cafes are the only food on the island.
Source: Sydney Harbour Federation Trust · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Wendy's Secret GardenFREE

Wendy's Secret Garden

Lavender Bay
Always freeGood with kidsNatureLocal lifeViews

A terraced garden that the artist Wendy Whiteley planted on derelict railway land below her house after 1992. Winding bark paths, tree ferns and benches drop down the slope towards Lavender Bay, with the bridge showing through the fig trees.

  • Bridge framed by the Moreton Bay fig at the top lawn
  • Hidden tables and sculptures along the lower paths
  • Lavender Bay foreshore walk back to Milsons Point wharf
Free when
Always · no gates and no set hours, open every day · visit in daylight, there is no lighting and the paths are steep
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
30 to 45 minutes
How to get there
Train to Milsons Point, then 8 minutes on foot to Lavender Street. Or walk across the Harbour Bridge and continue past Luna Park.
Worth it? Yes.Yes, as the reward at the far end of the bridge walk. Enter from the lawn at the top by Clark Park and work down. Wear proper shoes, because the paths are uneven and slippery after rain.
Source: Wendy's Secret Garden · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Paddington Reservoir GardensFREE

Paddington Reservoir Gardens

Paddington
Always freeGood with kidsArchitectureLocal lifeHistory

A sunken garden inside the roofless shell of an 1860s water reservoir on Oxford Street. Brick arches, iron columns, a pond and a chamber of preserved graffiti from the years it sat abandoned.

  • Brick vaults and cast-iron columns on the lower level
  • Graffiti preserved in the eastern chamber
  • Lift down from the Oxford Street side
Free when
Always · street level open at all hours, the sunken lower level in daylight only
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
20 minutes
How to get there
Bus 333 or 440 along Oxford Street to Paddington Town Hall. The garden is across the road.
Worth it? Yes.A good 20 minutes, not a destination. Stop on the way to Centennial Park or the Saturday Paddington Markets. It photographs best around midday, when the sun reaches the lower level.
Source: City of Sydney · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: The Rocks MarketsFREE

The Rocks Markets

The Rocks
Always freeGood with kidsLocal lifeFoodHistory

Stalls under white canopies along the sandstone lanes below the bridge: jewellery, prints, soaps and street food. Fridays are a smaller version on Jack Mundey Place and Playfair Street. Weekends spread up George Street as well.

  • Playfair Street stalls are the least touristy
  • Duck into Nurses Walk and Suez Canal lanes
  • Fridays are quieter but end at 3pm
Free when
Always · Fridays 10am to 3pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10am to 5pm
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
45 minutes
How to get there
Train, ferry or light rail to Circular Quay, then 5 minutes on foot along George Street towards the bridge
Worth it? Depends.Fine for a wander, not a reason to cross town. The stalls are aimed at visitors and priced that way. The lanes behind them, Nurses Walk and Suez Canal, are the better part and are there every day.
Source: The Rocks · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Museum of SydneyFREE

Museum of Sydney

Circular Quay
Always freeBooking recommendedIndoorGood with kidsHistory

A small museum on the site of the first Government House, built in 1788. The foundations show through glass in the forecourt, and the galleries inside rotate exhibitions about the city.

  • First Government House foundations under glass outside
  • Edge of the Trees sculpture in the forecourt
  • Free 10 minute spot talks at 11.30am and 2.30pm
Free when
Always · daily 10am to 5pm · closed Good Friday and Christmas Day
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Free. Booking a ticket online is recommended but walk-ins are normal.
Time needed
45 minutes
How to get there
Train, ferry or light rail to Circular Quay, then 4 minutes on foot up Phillip Street to the corner of Bridge Street
Worth it? Depends.Worth half an hour if you are already at the Quay or it is raining. It is small, and how good it is depends on the current exhibition. There is a free 15 minute guided introduction if you ask at the desk.
Source: Museums of History NSW · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Centennial ParkFREE

Centennial Park

Paddington
Always freeGood with kidsNatureLocal life

A 189-hectare Victorian park of ponds, paperbark groves and open fields, ringed by a 3.8 kilometre drive that half of the eastern suburbs runs or cycles around. Black swans, flying foxes and long-necked turtles live here.

  • Paperbark grove near the Paddington Gates
  • Flying fox colony at Lachlan Swamp
  • Duck Pond and black swans in the centre
Free when
Always · open every day of the year · gates 6am to 8pm during daylight saving, 6am to 6pm in April and September, 6.30am to 5.30pm from May to August
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
1 to 2 hours
How to get there
Bus 333 or 440 to the Paddington Gates on Oxford Street, or light rail L2 to Moore Park and 10 minutes on foot
Worth it? Depends.Worth it if you are in Sydney for more than three days or need a morning away from the harbour crowds. On a short trip, the Botanic Garden does the same job with a better view.
Source: Centennial Parklands · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps
Illustration: Sydney Fish MarketFREE

Sydney Fish Market

Blackwattle Bay
Always freeIndoorGood with kidsFoodArchitectureLocal life

The new fish market building on Blackwattle Bay, which replaced the old sheds next door in 2026. It costs nothing to walk in, look at the counters of oysters, crabs and whole tuna, and sit on the public steps by the water.

  • Retail counters are busiest and best stocked before noon
  • Waterfront steps facing the Anzac Bridge
  • Avoid weekend lunchtimes, the queues are long
Free when
Always · daily 7am to 10pm · individual traders keep their own hours
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
45 minutes
How to get there
Light rail L1 from Central to Wentworth Park (400 metres) or Glebe (450 metres)
Worth it? Depends.Go to look, not to save money. Walking around is free and the building is worth seeing, but a plate of seafood here costs as much as a restaurant. Go before 11am on a weekday, eat somewhere else.
Source: Sydney Fish Market · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps

Free on certain days, or for certain people1

Mostly museums. The free window, who it applies to and the booking rule are on each card.

Illustration: Museum of Contemporary Art (free for under 18s only)FREE

Museum of Contemporary Art (free for under 18s only)

The Rocks
Free on certain daysIndoorGood with kidsArt

The contemporary art museum on the west side of Circular Quay. It was free for decades and many lists still say so. It is not: entry has been ticketed since 2025, and only under 18s and members get in without paying.

  • Rooftop cafe terrace looks straight at the Opera House
  • Collection galleries of Australian art on level 2
  • Open until 9pm on Thursdays
Free when
Free for under 18s on any open day · Monday and Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm, Thursdays until 9pm · closed Tuesdays and 25 December
Free for whom
Under 18s and MCA members. Adults pay for a ticket.
Reservation
Tickets, including free under 18 tickets, are issued online or at the desk. The museum is cashless.
Time needed
1 to 1.5 hours
How to get there
Train, ferry or light rail to Circular Quay, then 3 minutes on foot along the western side of the quay
Worth it? Depends.For a family with teenagers it is still a good free hour. Adults on a budget should walk ten minutes to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, which is larger and charges nothing.
Source: Museum of Contemporary Art Australia · checked Oct 5, 2026Open in Maps

Free things in other cities

USANew York35 free thingsUSAChicago23 free thingsUSALas Vegas22 free thingsUSAWashington DC29 free thingsUSALos Angeles25 free thingsUSASan Francisco25 free thingsUSAOrlando21 free thingsUKLondon30 free thingsFranceParis31 free thingsItalyRome29 free things