Powerhouse Museum facts for kids
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Locomotive No. 1 in MAAS Turbine Hall
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| Former name | Technological, Industrial and Sanitary Museum of New South Wales (1879–1882) Technological Museum (until August 1893 – March 1988) |
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| Established | 1879 as the "Technological, Industrial and Sanitary Museum of New South Wales" |
| Location | 3 locations in greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: *500 Harris Street, Ultimo *Observatory Hill *Castle Hill |
| Type | Technology museum |
| Visitors | 757,166 (2018–19) |
| Owner | New South Wales Government |
| Public transit access |
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The Powerhouse Museum is a super cool place in Sydney, Australia. It's the main part of the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences (MAAS). This museum is owned by the government of New South Wales. The Powerhouse is actually a group of museums. Its main spot is in Ultimo, New South Wales. Other parts include the old Sydney Observatory at Observatory Hill and the newer Museums Discovery Centre at Castle Hill.
The Ultimo location will be closed for about three years starting in February 2024. This is for big upgrades. A new Powerhouse Museum in Parramatta is set to open in 2025.
Many people call the Powerhouse a science museum. But it has a huge and varied collection! You can find all kinds of technology here. This includes decorative arts, science, communication, transport, costume, furniture, media, computer technology, space technology and even steam engines.
The museum has been around for over 125 years. It had different names before, like the "Technological, Industrial and Sanitary Museum of New South Wales". It was also called the "Technological Museum". As of 2022, the museum has over 500,000 items. These have been collected over 135 years. Many are shown or kept at its current home since 1988. This building used to be an electric tram power station in Ultimo. It was built in 1902 and is a popular place to visit in Sydney. The building is famous for its Federation architecture style.
The current building was designed by Lionel Glendenning in 1988. It even won an award for its architecture. It has a special steam system. This system uses the old boiler house to power the big, rare steam machines on display.
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Discover the Museum's Past
The Powerhouse Museum started with an idea in 1878. This idea came from the Australian Museum and two big exhibitions. These were the Sydney International Exhibition of 1879 and the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The Sydney exhibition was held in the Garden Palace. This was a special building in the Royal Botanic Gardens. After the exhibition, a group chose the best items. They wanted to show them forever in a new museum. This new museum was to be in the Garden Palace. It was called the Technological, Industrial, and Sanitary Museum of New South Wales. Its goal was to show new ideas in industry, building, and design. This would help improve people's lives and health.
In September 1882, a fire completely destroyed the Garden Palace. The museum's first curator, Joseph Henry Maiden, was left with almost nothing. Only the strongest items survived. One amazing survivor was a statue of an elephant made of graphite. It fell five stories but was okay!
Maiden started collecting items again. For the next ten years, the new museum was in a big tin shed. It shared this space with the Sydney Hospital morgue. The smell was not great for a museum about health! Finally, after a lot of effort, the museum moved. It went to a three-story building. Then it got a new, special home on Harris Street in Ultimo. It was also given a new name: the "Technological Museum".
The new museum was right next to the Sydney Technical College. It was meant to inspire the students there. Over time, its name changed to The Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. It also opened smaller museums in other cities. These included Broken Hill, Albury, Newcastle and Maitland. The main Harris Street site quickly became too small. By 1978, many exhibits were just stored away.
On August 23, 1978, the Premier of New South Wales, Neville Wran, announced a big change. The old Ultimo Power Station would become the museum's new home. It was a run-down building near the Harris Street site. The museum first opened a part of itself in the nearby tram sheds. It was called Powerhouse Museum – Stage One. Then, on March 10, 1988, it fully reopened as the Powerhouse Museum at the new site. The main museum building has five levels, three courtyards, and a cafe. Workshops, a library, and storage are in the old tram sheds. The museum's collection keeps growing. So, it also has storage places away from the main site.
The new Powerhouse allowed hundreds of hidden treasures to be shown. Many had not been seen for almost a century. In 1982, the museum also took over the Sydney Observatory. The museum moved to 500 Harris Street in March 1988. It got its new name from this new location.
After it stopped being a working observatory in 1982, Sydney Observatory became part of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. Even though that was its formal name, from 1988, the museum mostly used the Powerhouse Museum name.
Future Plans for the Museum
In 2015, the government talked about moving the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta. This idea caused a lot of discussion. In 2017, they decided the museum would stay in Ultimo. But in 2018, the plan to move was back on. They planned to close the Ultimo site between 2020 and 2021. The new design for the Parramatta museum was shown in 2019. The old Ultimo site was going to become a theatre and fashion museum. But in July 2020, they changed their minds again. The Ultimo site would not close or move its collections.
The new museum in Parramatta was planned to be much bigger. It would have 30,000 square metres of space. About half of this would be for exhibits and public areas. The government promised to make it a world-class facility. It would be able to show very large items. These included the Catalina flying boat and Locomotive No.1. But there were worries about moving these big items. People were concerned about risks and how the items would be seen in a new place.
All the changes and the COVID-19 pandemic made planning very hard. Many people were against the move. Museum experts, architects, and community leaders spoke out. They worried about losing cultural history. They also worried about the high cost and risks.
Some main worries about the move included:
- It would damage important old buildings. This included the museum's original building. It also included a 19th-century house in Parramatta called Willow Grove.
- Moving the huge collection would be very expensive and risky.
- Closing or selling the museum would mean losing a valuable public asset.
- Many people and experts were against it. A survey showed this. A union even put a "green ban" on destroying Willow Grove.
- The plan to move did not look at keeping the museum at its current site.
- The new Parramatta building seemed more like an event space than a museum. Most of the 500,000 items could not be shown there. It had many cafes but no storage or proper labs for caring for items.
- The new site was on a flood plain. This could put visitors and collections at risk from floods.
New Museum in Parramatta
On July 4, 2020, a new decision was made. The Ultimo building would be kept and updated. An extra museum would be built in Parramatta. The Premier said this would create "outstanding visitor experiences". It would focus on technology, science, engineering, and design. Like the Smithsonian museums in the US, there would be multiple places to see the museum's collections. Some people called this a "win-win" for Sydney and Parramatta. Others said it would be a "lose-lose," with both cities losing important history. On July 29, 2020, the government said they would not move the three biggest exhibits. These were the Boulton and Watt steam engine, Locomotive No. 1, and the Catalina flying boat.
Sydney's Powerhouse Museum would have three main spots. These are the Ultimo building, the Parramatta riverside, and the Museum Discovery Centre at Castle Hill. The Sydney Observatory is also part of it. The decision to keep Ultimo was made because people realized how much cultural damage a closure would cause. Also, the COVID-19 pandemic affected arts and culture. The design for the Parramatta museum was changed. It would have less exhibit space. It would also be further from the river. In March 2021, the proposed area flooded again. Even with the changes, experts worried about humidity damaging delicate items.
In November 2020, new plans to move Willow Grove "brick by brick" also caused debate. Experts said taking apart such an old building would be very expensive and damaging. Powerhouse Parramatta is expected to open in 2025.
Ultimo Site Upgrades
In December 2023, Arts Minister John Graham announced news for the Ultimo site. It would close from early February for up to three years. This is for major upgrades and changes. A new public square is planned. The entrance will also move to face The Goods Line walkway from Central Station.
Why the Building is Special
The Powerhouse building is listed as important heritage. It played a big part in developing the Ultimo/Pyrmont area in the 20th century. It also helped with saving old buildings in New South Wales. It was part of a big project to change an industrial area. This area became a place for culture, education, and tourism.
Who Leads the Museum
In January 2019, Lisa Havilah became the CEO of MAAS. She was previously the director of Carriageworks. As of December 2023, she is still in charge.
Amazing Things to See
The museum has many permanent exhibitions. These include displays about different ways people travel and communicate.
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Must-See Exhibits
The Powerhouse Museum has some truly special exhibits. One is the oldest working rotative steam engine in the world, the Whitbread Engine. It was built in 1785. It's one of only a few made by Boulton and Watt. The museum got it from Whitbread's London Brewery in 1888. This engine was even named a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1986.
Another important exhibit is Locomotive No. 1. This was the first steam locomotive to pull a passenger train in New South Wales. It was built in 1854. A very popular exhibit is "The Strasburg Clock Model". A 25-year-old Sydney watchmaker named Richard Smith built it in 1887. It's a working model of the famous Strasbourg astronomical clock in Strasbourg Cathedral. Smith had never seen the real clock. He built it just from a pamphlet describing its time and astronomy features.
The Catalina Flying Boat Frigate Bird II is also on display. Sir Patrick Gordon Taylor flew this plane on the first flight from Australia to South America. He also brought 29 soldiers home from New Guinea in 1945. It's the largest plane hanging in any museum in the world! This type of flying boat was very important. It helped connect Australia by air with the rest of the world after World War II.
Journey Through Transport
The transport exhibition shows how people have traveled through time. You can see horse-drawn carts, steam engines, cars, and planes. It even has the latest hybrid technology. On display is Steam Locomotive No. 1243. This train worked for 87 years. It's the oldest train built by a contractor in Australia. It stands next to a pretend railway platform. On the other side is the Governor of New South Wales's railway carriage from the 1880s. You can also see the original destination board from Central railway station, Sydney.
The Powerhouse Museum also fixed up two locomotives, 3830 and 3265. Sydney's last Hansom Cab was given to the museum by its driver. There's also a horse-drawn bus and many motorbikes. Airplanes hang from the ceiling. You can see them from balconies. These include the Catalina flying boat and a Queenair Scout. This was the first Flying Doctor Service plane. Among the cars is a 1913 Sheffield Simplex. It's one of only 8 in the world. A short film shows old videos of public transport.
The Powerhouse Museum also has Sydney trams. These include C11 (1898), O805 (1909), and R1738 (1938). You can also see steam tram motor 28A, hearse car 27s, and Manly horse car 292.
The Power of Steam
This exhibition is amazing because almost all the engines work! They are regularly shown running on steam power. Along with the Boulton and Watt engine and the museum's trains, they form a special collection. They show how steam power developed from the 1770s to the 1930s. You can see an 1830s Maudslay engine. There's also a Ransom and Jeffries agricultural engine. The Broken Hill Fire Brigade's horse-drawn pump-engine is here too. The museum has many mechanical musical instruments. A fairground barrel organ is in the steam exhibition. A small fairground engine powers it.
Exploring Time and Space
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The most popular exhibit might be the museum's model of the Strasbourg astronomical clock. This clock is in Strasbourg Cathedral. A 25-year-old Sydney watchmaker named Richard Bartholomew Smith built the model. He made it between 1887 and 1889. He had never seen the real clock. He used a pamphlet that described its time and astronomy functions. The museum bought it in 1890. The clock is made of carved and painted wood. It shows the position of planets, days of the month, solar time, lunar phases, and regular time.
The Space exhibition looks at space and discoveries. It has a life-size model of a space-shuttle cockpit. It also features Australian satellites. This exhibit connects to the Transport exhibit through an underground walkway.
The Powerhouse Museum has a 7 1⁄2-inch Merz Telescope. It was made in 1860–1861.
Our Environment
The EcoLogic exhibition focuses on environmental challenges. It shows how humans impact the Earth. It also presents ways and technologies to help. There's an "Ecohouse" setup. Here, you can change light settings to see the effect. There are also other energy use games. You can play an 'ecological footprint' game. The exhibition includes a tree section with a timeline on its rings. This timeline goes back to the 17th century.
Computers and Connections
The 'Interface: people, machines, design' exhibit explores how technology has changed us. It's a gallery of computing technology. You can see everything from typewriters to Tamagotchis. It shows good and not-so-good design choices in the world of computers.
Fun with Experiments
"Experimentations" is a science exhibition. It has hands-on displays. You can learn about magnetism, light, electricity, motion, and your senses. There's a machine that explains how chocolate is made. You can even taste four 'stages' of chocolate! There's a full-sized model of a firetruck front. It measures how much pedal-power you use to sound its horn and lights. A hand-powered model railway uses magnets to power the track. One popular feature is a plasma ball. It shows electric current through glowing gas. It changes when you touch it.
Art and Industry
The museum has a large and important collection of Doulton ware. It also has other ceramics. You can also see industrial equipment and designs, like furniture.
Special Exhibitions
The museum often hosts temporary exhibitions. These change over time.
Arts Exhibitions
Past arts exhibitions have included the Fabergé exhibition. There was also the Treasures of Palestine exhibition. Other popular ones were the Strictly Mardi Gras exhibition. The Christian Dior exhibition and the Audrey Hepburn exhibition were also popular. Kylie: an exhibition celebrated Kylie Minogue. It showed many of her costumes. An exhibition about Diana, Princess of Wales, called Diana: a celebration, included items from her family home. This included her wedding gown.
Harry Potter: The Exhibition in 2011–2012 was very popular. It showed real costumes and props from the Harry Potter films. You could see the golden snitch and broomsticks. There were also items from all the main characters.
In 2011, the Powerhouse celebrated 20 years of The Wiggles. They put on The Wiggles Exhibition. It showed items from the group. It also had things from The Cockroaches, an earlier band. This exhibition was so popular it became a permanent part of the museum.
Movie-Themed Exhibitions
Since 1988, the Powerhouse has hosted many big temporary exhibitions. Some were based on popular movie series. These included Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination. This Star Wars exhibit showed models, props, and costumes. It also showed how new technology is making fantasy real.
Museums Discovery Centre
About 95 percent of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences collection is kept in storage. From late 2004, 60 percent of this moved to a new site. This is a 3 hectares (7.4 acres) area in Castle Hill. It cost A$12 million to build. This facility has seven huge sheds. One is as big as an aircraft hangar. Inside, you can find amazing items. These include a piece of the mast from HMS Victory. This was Nelson's ship at the Battle of Trafalgar. You can also see the spare wheel from Bluebird-Proteus CN7. This was the car Donald Campbell drove to break the world land speed record in the 1960s.
Temporary Closure
On February 4, 2024, the Powerhouse had its last day of operation for a while. It closed the next day. It will be closed until 2027 for big upgrades.
More to Explore
- German Museum of Technology – trains, ships, planes
- Musée des Arts et Métiers, Paris – science and culture items
- Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago) – transport (ships, trains, air, space)
- National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.
