SMSA SMSA SMSA

Visit Us

Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts (SMSA), located in the heart of the CBD at 280 Pitt Street, Sydney, is a community hub that provides members and the wider community with diverse social, cultural and educational experiences.

Visit the SMSA Members’ Library on Level 2 today to browse and borrow. You can become a member in person at the library or join online.

SMSA offers a range of free public events as well as exclusive members’ activities and events.

We are proud to be the home of the Tom Keneally Centre, Thomas Keneally’s living legacy to Australia, holding books and memorabilia that have significance to him. Everyone is welcome to visit and SMSA Members may borrow from the collection.

We provide flexible venue hire options for volunteer, not-for-profit, commercial and government organisations. Please enquire to receive more information about venue hire at SMSA.

Getting here

Location

Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts is located at 280 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000.

Directory

  • Windeyer/Dowling & Woolley/Lawson Meeting Rooms and Theatre — Level 1
  • SMSA Library — Level 2
  • SMSA Reception & Offices, Norman Selfe Meeting Room — Level 3
  • Tom Keneally Centre — Level 3

Opening Hours

Library

Monday to Friday: 9:00 am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 3:00pm
Closed on Sundays & Public Holidays

Lifts stop running 10 minutes before the library closes.

Tom Keneally Centre

Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays: 10:30am – 2:30pm

Venue Hire and Administration

Monday to Friday 9:00am-5:00pm

280 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW, Australia
20210413_SMSA-103

Plan your trip to the SMSA

Public Transport 

Train

The nearest train station is either Town Hall or Museum, depending on which line you are travelling.

Bus

Park St Buses – Get off at Town Hall or QVB

Elizabeth St buses – Get off at Hyde Park opposite Bathurst St

Light Rail 

Randwick Line (L2) or Kingsford Line (L3) – Get off at Town Hall or QVB

For further assistance with trip planning, please refer to the Transport NSW website.

Accessibility

Level access

The SMSA is accessible via ramp or stairs at our entrance on Pitt Street. All levels of the SMSA, including the library, are accessible via lifts.

Wheelchair access

All areas of the SMSA are wheelchair-accessible except for the stage in our theatre which has one small step. An accessibility ramp can be provided upon request. 

Guide dogs

Assistance and guide dogs are welcome at the SMSA. Water is available on request.

Toilets

An accessible toilet is located on the Ground Level and is located to the right of the lifts. The accessible toilet opens using a standard MLAK key. A MLAK key to access the toilet can be provided on request during SMSA Reception office hours, Mon – Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm. 

Sydney-Town-Hall-Clock-Tower-Bernard-Spragg.-Creative-Commons-Public-Domain.

Parking

Although there is some on-street metered parking available in surrounding streets, most visitors to the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts find it is more convenient to use a nearby parking station.

Find a parking station near Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts

Subscribe to stay up-to-date