Constructed in 1819 by convicts, the Hyde Park Barracks were the first lodgings built to house convicts. During the early years of the colony, convicts had to find their own accommodation after the day's work. As time passed, it became an asylum for young orphans & single female immigrants before being refurbished and used as courts and legal offices.After further re-furbishment, it re-opened in 1990 as a museum that highlights the conditions of early colony life with an ever-changeing exhibition of social history. Included in these displays are convict quarters and various colonial artefacts and equipment. The second floor of the Barracks holds various exhibitions dealing with the culture and history of early Sydney. Look out for the clock on the tower, which is the oldest functioning public timepiece in New South Wales. The Hyde Park Barracks is a part of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales