Museum of Contemporary Art AustraliaCredit: Destination NSW
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
Ground-breaking art exhibitions that challenge your thinking. World-class museums that reveal life’s mysteries in all their spectacular glory. Perspective-bending festivals that fire up the imagination, bring us together to dream. And a hitlist of shows that awe and thrill… Whether you’re a true culture vulture or simply looking for a hot new way to enrich your mind on a cool winter’s day, you’ll find the inspiration is on tap across Sydney – this is the cultural capital of the Asia Pacific, after all. Here, just 15 of the Harbour City’s stellar ways to go inside and play, all winter long…
Leave ordinary life behind
Dive into the surreal and spectacular world of Cerith Wyn Evans at the Museum of Contemporary Art (6 June–19 October), where the Welsh artist’s mesmerising light and sound installations create a meditative landscape inspired by Japanese gardens, conceived as an immersive journey through space and time. While you’re there, explore more of what this lauded museum does best: spotlighting bold, boundary-pushing work by living artists from Australia and around the world. With free exhibitions, guided tours, and glittering views from its rooftop café, the MCA offers countless ways to free your imagination, whatever the weather.
Tune into Australia’s heartbeat
Feel your soul stir as 60,000 years of living cultural heritage leaps from the walls of the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Yolŋu Power: The Art of Yirrkala (21 June-6 October), where artworks from the 1940s to today chart a timeless story of Country and connection. The powerful visual storytelling continues in the Archibald Prize 2025 exhibition (10 May-17 August), with contemporary portraiture capturing the faces shaping our times. With free entry to most displays and tickets for special exhibitions, let your curiosity lead the way through the gallery’s bright halls, sunlit foyers and charming terraces, and to its lauded onsite restaurant, Crafted by Matt Moran, where culinary artistry is served by the plateful.
See the light & live the Dream
Immerse in Sydney’s imagination as Vivid Sydney returns from 23 May to 14 June 2025, its Dream theme freeing your mind at more than 300 electrifying events across the city. Wander through 8km of technicolour light installations, recharge with new rhythms at Vivid Music’s live concerts and free performances; fire up your tastebuds with Vivid Food’s gourmet popups, and feel your creativity surge as the Vivid Ideas program breaks new ground with talks, workshops and screenings. Wherever you dare to dream, this world-renowned festival’s bold creativity and inclusive spirit make every moment shine.
Belly laugh and sing along at the Capitol
Sydney’s cultural heart beats strong under the footlights – and your pulse will quicken the moment you take your seat in the heritagelisted Capitol Theatre. From 15 July to 26 October, the ninetime Tonywinning musical The Book of Mormon delivers outrageous wit and musical hits that’ll keep you chortling long after the curtain falls. If you can’t wait to dive into Haymarket’s theatre hub, catch Annie, closing 21 June.
Vivid Sydney 2024 [EMBARGOED FOR MARKETING USE] Credit: Destination NSW
EMBARGOED FOR MARKETING USE. .Views of Sydney Harbour during Vivid 2024
Vivid Sydney 2024 [EMBARGOED FOR MARKETING USE] Credit: Destination NSW
EMBARGOED FOR MARKETING USE. .Views of Sydney Harbour during Vivid 2024
Trace the city’s evolution
Linger over centuriesold artefacts and contemporary works at the Museum of Sydney for a dive into the city’s past, present and future in one memorable visit. From 17 April to 2 November, Seeing Sydney, Knowing Country invites you into the colony’s evolution, while its permanent collection features Edge of the Trees and Yura Nura: People & Country, a First Nations reflection on Sydney’s living cultural heritage. Plus, curious minds of all ages can get hands-on with an ever-changing roster of experiences and workshops highlighting the city’s unique character.
Moonwalk into the Sydney Lyric Theatre
Bow down to the King of Pop at the Sydney Lyric Theatre as MJ: The Musical whisks you into Michael Jackson’s world of fearless choreography, highvoltage staging and earworm hits, courtesy of Christopher Wheeldon’s savvy direction and Lynn Nottage’s gripping storytelling. With nightly shows and weekend matinees to choose from until 3 August, here’s your toe-tapping proof that Sydney’s theatre scene sparkles brightest when temperatures drop.
Head indoors for ocean wonders
Get a boost of Vitamin Sea at the Australian National Maritime Museum, where you can climb aboard authentic naval vessels – from a Cold War submarine to a faithful replica of Captain Cook’s HMB Endeavour – delve into artefactpacked indoor galleries, and catch highlights like Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Ultimate Depth. With handson encounters and blockbuster exhibitions lighting up an actionpacked winter calendar, the museum promises a deepsea adventure that brings Australia’s maritime story vividly to life.
Where curiosity’s a super-power
Find power where art, science, technology and design collide in the Powerhouse’s group of museums. Custodian to more than half a million objects of national and international significance, the Powerhouse spans four locations across the city. While The Ultimo museum undergoes heritage revitalisation and the Parramatta branch is under construction, the Powerhouse Castle Hill rolls out the welcome mat rolled all winter long with railway artefacts, illuminating talks, engrossing Mystery Object Challenges, and more. Back on the harbour’s shores, the Sydney Observatory invites you to look up for new perspectives on human connection, astronomy and art.
Make the House your home
Just as Sydney is the Southern Hemisphere’s centre for the arts and creativity, the Sydney Opera House is its pulsating epicentre, with its globally acclaimed performances shining even brighter in winter. Feel your hair stand on end as Bangarra Dance Theatre’s choreography captivates your imagination in Ilume from 4-14 June, spotlighting the transformative power of light through a First Nations lens. Add your own guffaws to the audience’s roars as the Olivier and Tony Award-winning comedy, The Play That Goes Wrong, unleashes its side-splitting chaos from 19 June, and as Roald Dahl’s rip-roaming romp, The Twits, brings the family-friendly belly laughs from 5-19 July. For a classic opera with a quintessentially Sydney twist, don’t miss Carmen as acclaimed director Anne-Louise Sarks lifts the curtain on her bold interpretation of the visceral hit (10 July to 19 September).
Bangarra Dance Theatre, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Bangarra Dance Theatre performance, Sydney. For media use only in Australian markets to promote NSW.
Bangarra Dance Theatre, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Bangarra Dance Theatre performance, Sydney. For media use only in Australian markets to promote NSW.
The Backstage Tour, Sydney Opera House Credit: Destination NSW
Visitors enjoy the Backstage Tour at Sydney Opera House. DESTINATION NSW USAGE ONLY
The Backstage Tour, Sydney Opera House Credit: Destination NSW
Visitors enjoy the Backstage Tour at Sydney Opera House. DESTINATION NSW USAGE ONLY
More Inspirational Stories
The Day Spa by Chuan, at The Langham, SydneyCredit: The Langham
Set underground at The Langham, Sydney, The Day Spa by Chuan boasts a 20m heated pool.
The cooler days have arrived, but that doesn’t mean you need to hang up your swimming cap – for many locals, a winter dip is the perfect way to refresh, reset and feel new. Whether you’re plunging into a brisk ocean pool to enliven every sense, chasing your personal best in a heated Olympic pool, or floating on your back in an exclusive indoor waterhole, here’s everything you need to dive into winter in Sydney – where the water is warming all year round.
Immerse in a luxury stay
As the big chill takes hold, Sydney’s luxury hotels become the ultimate relaxation stations, where heated pools become balmy oases to soak away the everyday. And whether you’re up for endorphin-drenched laps or a laidback float under the stars, you’re spoilt for choice on the Harbour’s banks and beyond.
In Barangaroo at Crown Sydney, the city’s first infinity pool offers 28°C waters, jaw-dropping views over the harbour and private poolside cabanas that make every dip inspiring and indulgent. Just a short stroll away, W Sydney’s 30m rooftop pool is perched high above Darling Harbour on Level 29, offering daybed lounging by day and luminous skyline views by night, while a sleek indoor pool on Level 22 keeps the warmth flowing round the clock. Nearby, the Shangri-La Sydney’s charming 13m heated pool is ideal after a session at their award-winning spa or a fine-dining feast overlooking Circular Quay. In Millers Point, The Langham Sydney’s serene 20m pool is crowned by a star-dappled ceiling, while Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney cocoons its inviting 15m heated pool inside beautiful, reimagined heritage walls.
Prefer your own private Airbnb haven? Cosy up in a luxurious two bedroom apartment on the water’s edge for access to indoor and outdoor pools, as well as steam rooms and spas; or set your sights on the Spa Serenity cottage in Seaforth, where a private pool and hot spa are all yours, 24/7.
Swim laps around winter
Sydney’s landmark Olympic pools have long been at the heart of the community – these are the places that have made history, sparked dreams, and kept the city moving for generations. Perfect your tumble-turn in the hallowed pools of the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre, home to some of the world’s greatest sporting moments since the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Carve through four indoor heated pools, unwind in the spa and sauna, or let the kids blow off steam in the Splasher’s Water Playground, where slides, water cannons and a rapid river ride bring the splashy fun.
InUltimo, you can swim in the wake of one of Australia’s most iconic Olympians at the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre, with three indoor heated pools, a state-of-the-art fitness centre, and sleek, modern design just minutes from Darling Harbour.
Closer to Central Station in Surry Hills, locals flock year-round to the historic Prince Alfred Park Pool, a 50m outdoor heated offering surrounded by lush lawns, tennis courts, fitness stations and dog-friendly spaces. And keep your goggles handy: North Sydney Olympic Pool, long considered the world’s most spectacular swimming pool thanks to its dazzling harbourfront setting – beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge and next to Luna Park – is set to reopen this winter after a major revitalisation project.
Wherever you mount the starting blocks, Sydney’s Olympic pools will leave you energised long after you’ve towelled off.
Crown Sydney, Barangaroo Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying the luxurious pool at Crown Towers hotel, Crown Sydney, Barangaroo.
Crown Sydney, Barangaroo Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying the luxurious pool at Crown Towers hotel, Crown Sydney, Barangaroo.
Darling Harbour, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
City views featuring King Street Wharf, Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour and the Sydney CBD.
Darling Harbour, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
City views featuring King Street Wharf, Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour and the Sydney CBD.
Take an invigorating cold plunge
Promising a brisk hit of Vitamin Sea to shake up your circulation for head-to-toe revitalisation, Sydney’s ocean pools sing their siren’s song all winter long, tempting the brave to meet the season head-on. Between Cronulla and Palm Beach, more than 35 ocean pools transform the coast into a playground of salt-sprayed invigoration – even when the water’s temperature is a chilly 16-18°C.
Right alongside Bondi Beach’s golden sands, Bondi Baths set the benchmark. Home of winter swimming since 1929, their 50m ocean-fed pool and separate kids’ pool invite you to test your mettle with every frosty lap – all against a backdrop of iconic beach views – then thaw out with a warm drink in Bondi Icebergs afterwards. Or hotfoot it with locals along the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, pausing for a float and soak in the ocean-fed lap pool tucked into the southern headland at Bronte, before continuing on to Coogee. Here, Wylie’s Baths have enticed wintertime swimmers since 1907, with sweeping views across Wedding Cake Island and a historic timber promenade adding to the ambience. A further 7km south, Malabar Ocean Pool offers protected waters, fewer crowds, and the chance to spot fish darting below.
Sydney Harbour’s cool waters set the stage for refreshing dips, too. The Murray Rose Pool in Double Bay is a netted haven with calm waters and a welcoming community vibe. And at Mosman’s Cremorne Point, the glamour of the city skyline and Harbour Bridge views frame every stroke at the 33m Maccallum Pool.
Rug up for an adrenaline rush
Feel the thrill of a cool-season adrenaline hit with a host of quintessentially Sydney activities, both in and on the water. Zip up your winter wetsuit for a snorkel in the Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve in Manly, where fewer swimmers mean better wildlife encounters, especially in the rocky shallows. Home to more than 150 species of marine life, here you might spot cuttlefish, gropers, Port Jackson sharks, rays, turtles, dolphins and even distant humpback whales. Or, head to Gordons Bay, a hidden cove between Clovelly and Coogee, for a signposted underwater nature trail leading through shimmering schools of fish and swaying seaweed gardens.
For a heart-pumping rush in perfect barrels, don your steamer for a thrilling winter surf session at URBNSURF Sydney. Here you can expect hundreds of perfectly curved waves every hour as well as formal lessons tailored to your experience, a Surf Academy, and a hot lagoon-side leisure pool to warm up between rides – all just 20 minutes from the city centre.
Prefer a more peaceful paddle? Brave the chill for a sunrise kayaking tour on Sydney Harbour with Sydney By Kayak. Paddling out as the city skyline glows to life is an unforgettable way to start your winter morning – complete with coffee on the water and unbeatable Harbour Bridge views.
Wherever you take the plunge this winter, you’ll discover the city’s waters – cold, hot, and everything energising in between – are inspiring, thrilling and truly extraordinary. But that’s Sydney for you.
Sydney Kayak Experience, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoy the unique experience of a Sunrise Kayak Tour with Sydney Kayak Experience, Sydney.
Sydney Kayak Experience, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoy the unique experience of a Sunrise Kayak Tour with Sydney Kayak Experience, Sydney.
URBNSURF Sydney Credit: Applejack_Sandy's_URBNSURF Sydney
URBNSURF Sydney
URBNSURF Sydney Credit: Applejack_Sandy's_URBNSURF Sydney
URBNSURF Sydney