Terra Cotta Warriors and Sydney's Convict History

China's still on my list of places I'd like to visit someday. I got a taste of one of China's great historic treasures at the Art Museum of New South Wales (March 5) when I checked out the First Emperor Exhibit. The highlight of the exhibit was several warriors, horses and carriages that were almost lifesize. Each was unique and very realistically posed to "protect" the Emperor once he'd been buried in the tomb that thousands of Chinese workers had built.

Afterwards, I wanted to check out The Mint where I was going to host a work event later that week. Right next door was The Hyde Park Barracks Museum which is a museum about its own history. Having gone to one museum already, I was in the mood to check out another.

The Barracks was built in 1819 to house convict men and boys. Then in 1848 it was like Ellis Island (NY) and Angel Island (California) whereby immigrants were processed into the country and then later in 1862 it was used as an asylum.

The Hyde Park Baracks Museum is listed as a World Heritage Site - Interesting that everything from national parks, islands (Lord Howe Island), reefs (Great Barrier Reef) to former jails can be listed as world heritage sites.



I read this museum exhibit description which says that Australians "treat their convict past with pride" and it didn't ring true - especially the word "pride". What I think might be more accurate is that Australians acknowledge their past and are instead more focused on the beautiful country and the great quality of life they enjoy today.



This part of the museum was about the punishments that were lashed out to the convicts. What's most shocking about these descriptions is how detailed yet unfeeling the observations of the punishment are.