Susannah Place Museum, Sydney

Susannah Place Museum is a preserved row of four working-class terrace houses located in The Rocks, one of Sydney’s earliest neighbourhoods. Built in 1844 by Irish immigrants Edward and Mary Riley, the terraces were constructed from hand-pressed local sandstone and brick. The Rileys lived in one of the houses and rented out the others, a common practice among working families seeking stability in the growing colony. The buildings are a rare surviving example of modest 19th-century domestic architecture and have been carefully conserved to tell the story of ordinary urban life over more than a century.

Each terrace is presented to reflect a different period in its long occupancy, with interiors furnished using original and reconstructed household items that capture the evolving character of Sydney’s working-class homes. Visitors can explore the narrow staircases, sculleries, and tiny courtyards that reveal how families adapted to limited space and changing social conditions from the 1840s through to the 1970s. The museum also highlights the effects of urban renewal and redevelopment that reshaped The Rocks during the 20th century.

A restored corner shop, once central to the community, recreates the atmosphere of everyday commerce before the rise of supermarkets and large retailers. Guided tours offer personal stories of former tenants, blending social history with architectural preservation. Operated by Sydney Living Museums, Susannah Place Museum provides an intimate and tangible link to Sydney’s early domestic and immigrant heritage, preserved within the historic fabric of The Rocks.