Customs House, Sydney

Name: Customs House
Address: Sydney, Australia
Telephone: +61 2 9247 2285

#258 among attractions in Sydney

Library, History museum, Art museum, Museum

Gallery (11)

Map

Gallery

Photo details 1. Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Greg O'Beirne / URL • 2. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / Sardaka / URL • 3. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Bidgee / URL • 4. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / Sardaka / URL • 5. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Jason7825 / URL • 6. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Jason7825 / URL • 7. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Jason7825 / URL

Facts and practical information

Customs House, Sydney is a heritage-listed museum space, visitor attraction, commercial building and performance space located in the Circular Quay area at 45 Alfred Street, in the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The building served as a customs house prior to Federation and then as the head office of New South Wales operations of the Government of Australia agency Department of Trade and Customs until 1988. The customs function relocated to a new site in 1990. The initial designs were by Mortimer Lewis and it was built during 1845 by under the administration of Governor Sir George Gipps. It is also known as Customs House and Site of former Customs House. The site was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004; and to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. ()

Opened: 1845 (179 years ago)Architectural style: NeoclassicismFloors: 6Coordinates: 33°51'44"S, 151°12'40"E

Address

Central Business District (Sydney City Center)Sydney Australia

Contact

+61 2 9247 2285

Website

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Sydney

Day trips

Customs House – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Argyle Stores, Museum of Contemporary Art, Justice and Police Museum, Museum of Sydney.

~1320 ftNW
Dancing, Nightlife, Colonial architecture
Argyle Stores, Sydney
7 min walk • Nestled in the heart of Sydney, Australia, the Argyle Stores stand as a testament to the city's rich mercantile history. This complex of buildings, originally constructed in the 1820s, served as a pivotal custom house and warehouse facility during the burgeoning trade...
~1000 ftNW
Hip visual arts collection on quayside
Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
5 min walk • The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) stands as a bastion of modern expression in the heart of Sydney, Australia. Overlooking the iconic Circular Quay, this museum is dedicated to exhibiting, collecting, and interpreting the work of today's artists.
~310 ftE
Museum, History museum, Specialty museum
Justice and Police Museum, Sydney
2 min walk • Nestled in the historic precinct of Circular Quay in Sydney, the Justice and Police Museum offers a gripping insight into the darker side of Australia’s past. Housed in the former Water Police Court (1856), Water Police Station (1858), and the Water Police Lock-up...
~620 ftS
Historic site honoring city's foundation
Museum of Sydney, Sydney
3 min walk • The Museum of Sydney is a historical collection and exhibit, built on the ruins of the house of New South Wales' first Governor, Arthur Phillip, on the present-day corner of Phillip and Bridge Street, Sydney.
~570 ftS
Archaeological site
First Government House, Sydney
3 min walk • The First Government House was the first residence for the Governors of New South Wales located at 41 Bridge Street, in the Sydney central business district in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1788 to 1789 and used until 1845, after which it was demolished in 1846.
~980 ftNW
Nightlife
Fortune of War, Sydney
5 min walk • The Fortune of War Hotel is a heritage-listed pub located at 137 George Street, in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the Tooth & Co. resident architect and built in 1922 by H. J. & H. W. Thompson.
~900 ftNW
Museum, Art museum
Sydney Cove West Archaeological Precinct, Sydney
5 min walk • Sydney Cove West Archaeological Precinct is a heritage-listed precinct that contains The Rocks police station, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, car park, parks, shops and roads located at 112-156 George Street, in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia.
~500 ftSW
Park
Macquarie Place Park, Sydney
3 min walk • The Macquarie Place Park, also known as the Macquarie Place Precinct, is a heritage-listed small triangular urban park located in the Sydney central business district in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia.
~380 ftS
Skyscraper
Quay Quarter Tower, Sydney
2 min walk • Quay Quarter Tower is a skyscraper located at 50 Bridge Street, Sydney. Originally built as the AMP Centre in 1976, the structure underwent a redevelopment from 2018 which increased its height, incorporated additional floorspace, and modernised the tower's entire form and design.
~1300 ftNW
Nightlife, Colonial architecture
Orient Hotel, Sydney
7 min walk • The Orient Hotel is a heritage-listed pub located at 87-89 George Street, in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1843 to 1844. The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales.
~730 ftS
Skyscraper
Governor Phillip Tower, Sydney
4 min walk • The Governor Phillip Tower, the Governor Macquarie Tower, and the Museum of Sydney are the main elements of one of the largest developments in the central business district of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When is Customs House open?

Customs House is open:

Monday 10 am - 7 pm
Tuesday 10 am - 7 pm
Wednesday 10 am - 7 pm
Thursday 10 am - 7 pm
Friday 10 am - 7 pm
Saturday 11 am - 4 pm
Sunday 11 am - 4 pm

Which popular attractions are close to Customs House?

Nearby attractions include City of Sydney Library, Sydney (1 min walk), Hinchcliff House, Sydney (1 min walk), Justice and Police Museum, Sydney (2 min walk), Jessie Street Gardens, Sydney (2 min walk).

How to get to Customs House by public transport?

The nearest stations to Customs House:

Bus

Stand A, Circular Quay, Alfred Street • Lines: 302, 303, 326 (2 min walk)
Circular Quay • Lines: 302, 303 (2 min walk)

Train

Circular Quay (2 min walk)
Martin Place (11 min walk)

Light rail

Circular Quay • Lines: L2, L3 (2 min walk)
Bridge Street • Lines: L2, L3 (7 min walk)

Ferry

Circular Quay Wharf 4 • Lines: F5, F6 (3 min walk)
Circular Quay Wharf 3 • Lines: F1 (3 min walk)