 The Linnean Society of NSW presented the Macleay's early plant and seed books to the Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW.By 1875 the Macleay family collections at the house were now so large that William John had a curator George Masters appointed to look after the collection.In 1889 the collections were presented to the Macleay Museum at the University of Sydney, where the government built a museum (1886–88) to which the collections were transferred, together with some original collector's cabinets, library, Macleay papers, and an endowment for a curator (this remains as the Macleay Museum).