Chau Chak Wing Museum Sydney

Chau Chak Wing Museum in Sydney

Located on the Camperdown campus of University of Sydney, the Chau Chak Wing Museum (CCWM) is a multidisciplinary public museum of art, science, history and ancient cultures. It officially opened in 2020, bringing together previously separate collections under one roof and making them publicly accessible for the first time in this integrated form.

Ancient Civilisations & Archaeology

The museum’s holdings include the impressive Nicholson Collection: nearly 30,000 artefacts from Egypt, Greece, Italy, Cyprus and the Middle East, spanning from the pre-Neolithic to the late medieval period. Among the treasures are a plastered skull from a 9,500-year-old Pre-Pottery Neolithic tomb at Jericho and limestone carvings of Assyrian archers from Nineveh.
There are also ancient coins, Roman mosaics, Greek vases, Etruscan urns, and a broad array of objects that tell the story of human civilisation.

Natural History & Ethnography

The Macleay Collections comprise Australia’s oldest natural history collection, originating from the cabinets of Alexander Macleay and expanding through the Macleay family’s worldwide network of collectors. Visitors will find specimens of insects, fish and other fauna, as well as historical scientific instruments and photographic archives. The ethnographic component includes over 16,000 objects documenting First Nations, Torres Strait Islander and Pacific Islander cultures with objects collected from the mid-19th century onward.

Art Collection

The museum’s art collection contains over 8,000 works of painting, sculpture, photography and ceramics. While there is a strong emphasis on Australian painting (including Indigenous work), there are also important holdings in European and Asian art. Visitors can enjoy rotating exhibitions drawn from this collection as well as special temporary exhibitions addressing contemporary issues.

The History of the Collection

The museum’s story spans over 150 years of collecting, scholarship and curation.

The roots lie in the Nicholson Collection of antiquities, established in 1860 by Sir Charles Nicholson, who donated Etruscan, Greek, Roman and Egyptian artefacts to the University of Sydney for teaching and research.
The Macleay Museum opened in 1892, reflecting the Macleay family’s deep interest in natural history and anthropology.
Over many decades, these collections grew: through donations, field-work partnerships (including excavations in the Middle East and Cyprus), and incorporation of scientific, ethnographic and photographic material. For example, the University sponsored excavations at Jericho in the 1950s, adding numerous artefacts to the Nicholson collection.
In 2020, the separate collections (Nicholson, Macleay and the University Art Collection) were amalgamated into the new Chau Chak Wing Museum building, designed by the firm Johnson Pilton Walker. Chinese-Australian philanthropist Dr Chau Chak Wing provided substantial funding to enable this architectural achievement. Furthermore, the museum operates as Australia’s largest university museum, spanning multiple floors of exhibition space within the Sydney University campus.

What to Expect

Visiting the Chau Chak Wing Museum gives you the chance to wander through worlds: from 9,000-year-old skulls and Egyptian mummies to contemporary Australian art; from insect collections and historic photographs to the cultural heritage of the Pacific. It’s a place where teaching, research and public engagement meet; and entry is free.

Whether you’re interested in ancient history, natural science, visual arts or cultural heritage, the museum offers something for a wide range of interests.