The reimagined BridgeMuseum (formerly known as the Pylon Lookout and Museum) has officially opened inside the original south-east pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The renewed experience combines immersive exhibits, rich historical storytelling and sweeping 360-degree views across the city and harbour.
Walking across the steel arches of the Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Sydney’s most iconic tourist activities, with BridgeClimb attracting visitors from around the world. Having experienced it ourselves, we can confidently say it’s worth the hype.
However, many people crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge may not realise that its South-East Pylon is home to a hidden museum. Better still, the newly reimagined BridgeMuseum offers panoramic city views, interactive exhibitions, striking artwork and a collection of stories and artefacts that give visitors a whole new appreciation for the Harbour Bridge.
With adult tickets priced at $39.95 and children’s tickets at $22.95, the BridgeMuseum offers a more affordable alternative to climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. While it doesn’t deliver the same adrenaline rush as the climb itself, visitors can still explore the bridge’s history and enjoy plenty of opportunities to capture spectacular views of the harbour.
The experience is also self-guided and has translations available in Mandarin, Korean, French, German and Japanese, making it accessible to international visitors.
We were given an early preview of the new BridgeMuseum before it opened to the public, and these were our highlights.
The remarkable stories behind the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Now you might be thinking, ‘How interesting can this museum be? It’s just a bridge!’
At first glance, a museum dedicated to a bridge might not sound all that exciting. But the Sydney Harbour Bridge isn’t just any bridge. It’s one of Australia’s most recognisable landmarks, with a history packed full of remarkable, quirky and little-known stories.
Some of my favourites? Perhaps the fact that Paul Hogan, aka Crocodile Dundee, took a job as a rigger on the Bridge in the 1970s. He needed a steady job to support his family, and ended up getting his big break while still working on the bridge.
The museum also shares the story of the pylon’s famous feline residents: Bridget and Pylon, two white cats that moved in with Pylon Exhibition operator Yvonne Rentoul in 1950. Over the following years, more than 60 white cats would eventually call the pylon home, and they became a tourist attraction in themselves.
The South-East Pylon also served as a World War II lookout and even housed a post office at one point, playing host to many chapters of Sydney’s history.
The museum is dedicated to bringing these stories to life, with visitors given interactive wristbands that can be tapped against displays throughout the experience. When activated, the displays light up, move and respond, adding an immersive layer to each story.
One of our favourite interactive screens showed alternative Harbour Bridge designs, including a three-way bridge designed by Francis Ernest Stowe, which linked Miller’s Point, Balmain and Balls Head, with a 152-metre-high tower on Goat Island.
First Nations perspectives
First Nations perspectives are woven throughout the renewed BridgeMuseum, developed in collaboration with Indigenous design agency Balarinji, with Gadigal insights included embedded across the storytelling.
One of our favourite experiences in the BridgeMuseum is the final room, where projections light up the walls and take you on an immersive journey, weaving together Country, engineering, community and celebration in a sensory finale that honours the Bridge’s legacy and the people who shaped it.
Another incredible First Nations perspective in the museum is the artwork from Gadigal artist Colin Isaacs. His artwork is projected onto the walls of the museum as you ascend, and responds when prompted by the interactive wrist bands.
Isaacs’ work being showcased in the museum is a full-circle moment, as there is a familial connection involved. He stated,
“My grandfather, Colin Davison, was a painter on the Bridge; my niece, Mataya Cruise, has had her artwork of whales projected onto it; and now I have the honour and privilege of having my art housed within it.”
The view at SkyHouse
One of the main highlights of the BridgeMuseum was, of course, the view from the SkyHouse.
Located 87 metres above sea level, a viewing platform wraps around the top of the pylon, allowing guests to see the Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay and an incredible angle of the Harbour Bridge itself.
BridgeMuseum is now offering an end-of-day experience called SkyHouse After Hours, which includes access to the museum outside of standard opening hours, plus complimentary beverages and gourmet canapés in the space. The experience starts at $79.95, with session times starting at 5:35pm from April to September and 7:35pm from October to March.
Capture incredible photos of the Harbour, enjoy the sunset over the city, and catch up with friends as you take in one of the best views in Sydney.
To book your tickets to the BridgeMuseum, click here.
