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It’s been a while in the works, but this weekend, Powerhouse Parramatta officially opened its doors – welcoming thousands of visitors to the largest museum to be built in NSW history. Here’s what to know about the huge new opening.
One of the first major cultural institutions of its kind in Western Sydney, the new museum has already attracted a whole lot of buzz. According to the team, more than 26,000 people registered to attend opening weekend, and another 6,500 tickets were snapped up for paid events across its opening festival, which runs until November 29.
Inside the (v architecturally impressive) space, there's a lot to get stuck into. Across five exhibitions, Powerhouse Parramatta brings together more than 3,000 objects, including more than 1,600 from the Powerhouse collection. The displays have been developed in collaboration with 85 international, national and local industry and community partners, with everything from space exploration to shopping malls and First Nations water country on the agenda.
The five exhibitions include Task Eternal, an exploration of space and flight; The Mall, which looks at shopping centres alongside Western Sydney's industrial history and innovation; and The Dark, an immersive, interactive adventure designed with younger visitors in mind. There's also Overflow, a powerful exploration of First Nations water country, and The Turning, an evolving installation by internationally acclaimed artist Es Devlin. Our fave part? Entry to the museum is free, with 65 per cent of the festival program also available at no cost. Visitors under 16 will receive free entry to all exhibitions.
Some of the museum's most meaningful contributions come from its community, too. Visitors might get the joy of meeting 100-year-old Meg Stevenson, who has volunteered with the museum for more than three decades, or discover a dinosaur, horseshoe and T80 paper-model bus in The Dark. The latter were donated by the museum's youngest collaborators, four-year-olds Theodore Bui, Jason Cilia and Tyler Pham Luu.
The museum's opening marks a major milestone for Parramatta and the wider Western Sydney region. According to stats from the NSW Government, a workforce of 4,000 people contributed more than 2.7 million hours to bringing the project to life, with three-quarters of workers coming from Western Sydney and $329 million directed to local businesses.
The museum will operate seven days a week, with regular opening hours from 10am to 5pm Monday to Wednesday. During the opening festival, it'll stay open until 9pm from Thursday to Sunday. If you're keen to make a day of it, dining destinations Simara and Folded will also be open from 8am until late. Find out more and plan your visit over here.
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