The S.H. Ervin Gallery is one of Sydney's finest art institutions. It is located on Observatory Hill in the historic Rocks precinct. It features a diverse collection of Australian art and hosts seven unique exhibitions a year. It is particularly renowned for paying tribute to the contribution women artists have made to art in Australia.

The site of the gallery was first established as a military hospital in 1815. The military left the area in 1850 and in 1856, the building that now houses the gallery was built as an addition to the nearby Fort Street School.

The school was one of the leading education institutions at the time and was growing. So in 1911, the school was split in three and the site became Fort Street Girls' High School. The school remained until 1974 when the female students were moved to Petersham to re-join the boys.

Soon after the closure of the school, the building was acquired by the National Trust and in 1978 was opened as the S.H. Ervin Gallery.

S.H. Ervin was a generous patron of the arts and was dedicated to the protection and preservation of Australian art. He contributed a large sum of money to restore the building so it could be opened as an art gallery and left much of his estate, including many works of art to the National Trust.

The artwork displayed at the S.H. Ervin Gallery is of a consistently high standard. Artists featured include Conrad Martens, Arthur Streeton, Eugene von Guerard, Thea Proctor and Nora Heysen. Other artists who have had work displayed here include Ken Done, Sidney Nolan and Russell Drysdale.