Nutcote was built for May Gibbs and her husband, James Ossoli Kelly, in 1925 by acclaimed Sydney architect B J Waterhouse. Located in neutral Bay on Sydney Harbour, Nutcote is a beautiful little Mediterranean-style cottage with stuccoed yellow walls, blue/green window shutters and an English garden created by May herself. May Gibbs lived in Nutcote for 44 years, working in her studio to create the comic strips, Bib and Bub and Tiggy Touchwood, and writing and illustrating Scotty in Gumnut Land, Mr and Mrs Bear and Friendsand her last ever publication, Prince Dande Lion.

When May Gibbs died on 27 November 1969, she left Nutcote to UNICEF. However, at that time UNICEF was unable to hold property so the house and contents were auctioned off in 1970. Later buyers wanted to demolish the house and develop the site. In 1987 the May Gibbs Foundation was formed by a group of concerned relatives and friends to save Nutcote. The Foundation was successful in getting a permanent Conservation order to protect part of Nutcote and having it placed on the Register of National Estate. In 1990 North Sydney Council, responding to the support generated by the Foundation and the local community, bought the property. Nutcote is currently on lease to the Nutcote Trust and has been faithfully restored and refurbished. In 1994 it was opened as a historic house museum.

Nutcote offers a wealth of information on May Gibbs and her work, while the Education Centre offers facilities for school classes activities including illustrating, writing and conservation issues and is also used for Children's birthday party activities. Visitors can tour the house and garden and examine the wonderful displays of May Gibbs' personal artefacts, pictures, sketches, letters and other memorabilia.