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Government House: interior Fri-Sun 10am-3pm; free guided tour 45min; grounds daily 10am-4pm. Within the northern boundaries of the Royal Botanic Gardens, the sandstone mansion glimpsed through a garden and enclosure is the Gothic Revival-style Government House (built 1837-45), seat of the governor of New South Wales, and still used for official engagements by the governor who now lives in a private residence. The stately interior has limited opening hours but you are free to roam the grounds. Further south of Government House, just inside the gardens at the end of Bridge Street, the Conservatorium of Music is housed in what was intended to be the servants' quarters and stables of Government House. Public opinion in 1821, however, deemed the imposing castellated building far too grand for such a purpose and a complete conversion, including the addition of a concert hall, gave it the loftier aim of training the colony's future musicians. A two-year renovation project, finished in 2000, uncovered an earlier convict-era site which led to an archeological dig being incorporated into the final re-design.
Conservatorium students have traditionally given free lunchtime recitals every Tuesday and Friday at 1.10pm during term time.
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