You’ve probably walked past dozens of interesting objects on campus without thinking twice, but you may not know that some of them have wild backstories!
From a Picasso hidden inside a plastic bag, to a collection of violins with a mysterious owner, to a tiny metal duck that sparks big debates in class. These aren’t just museum pieces or dusty history, they're treasures connecting students with moments of generosity, creativity, and discovery that continue to shape our community.
Next time you’re walking across campus, take a closer look. With 175 years of history under our belt, something as simple as a sandstone wall could hold a story!
Here are a few of the most surprising.
Jeune Fille Endormie, a 1935 portrait by Pablo Picasso of his muse, Marie-Thérèse Walter.
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LinkA Picasso in a plastic bag
In 2010, a woman walked into campus carrying a painting in a shopping bag. Hidden inside was a rare masterpiece, an original Picasso worth $20.7 million. The sale of the painting went on to fund research at the Charles Perkins Centre, which today brings together scientists, clinicians, engineers, economists and policy experts to tackle chronic disease.
The Carillon’s hidden names
If you’ve heard the bells ringing from the clocktower in the Quadrangle, then you've heard the Carillon. If you ever get a chance to look closely at its bronze panels, you'll see that they are engraved with the names of 197 staff and students who lost their lives in WWI. Among them is Murray Rainsford Smith, an engineering student whose legacy has supported a prize for civil engineering for students since 1919.
Transporting the Carillon Bells to the University past Railway Square. Image source: University of Sydney Archives, REF-0009686
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LinkJustice Roderick Meagher's bequest included this bronze weight, which has gained a new life. Image source: Chau Chak Wing Museum/ Kylie Holmes, UA2012.1123
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LinkThe mystery duck
At the Chau Chak Wing Museum, a tiny metal duck once thought to be an “opium weight” is used in classes to spark debate and fresh ideas. It turns out the duck’s real purpose was as a standardised market weight in Myanmar, but the mystery itself helps students think in new ways.
Violins with no backstory
Tucked away at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music is a collection of more than 150 violins and violas. They were donated by a man we know almost nothing about – why did he collect them? Why did he leave them to the University? We might never know the backstory behind the instruments, but they are already having a big impact. Con students will soon be able to access professional-quality instruments that would usually be out of reach.
Mr Bedford's violin gift will vastly expand access to quality instruments for Conservatorium students. Photo credit: The University of Sydney / Stefanie ZIngsheim
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