Powerhouse Parramatta, the biggest cultural infrastructure project in Australia since the Sydney Opera House, has set an opening date of late 2026.
Designed by Franco-Japanese architects Moreau Kusunoki and Australian architects Genton, the 30,000-square-foot museum is located in western Sydney on Dharug land.
Construction on the $915 million institution started more than four years ago and is well underway. The main building by delivery partner Lendlease is now complete.
Nic Walker
Interior exhibition fit outs are in progress across the site, and final works are continuing on the new museum's public spaces.
Once complete, the building will feature seven large-scale exhibition spaces alongside learning and digital studios, a cinema, a modern theatre space for up to 600 people, an extensive rooftop garden, and a restaurant and cafe.
Additionally, a green public area between the museum and the river will be open 24 hours a day, and will be used for festivals, events and programmes for audiences of up to 10,000.
New cultural landmark for Sydney
"Powerhouse Parramatta is a new generation museum, conceived to redefine the role of cultural institutions in contemporary life," said Powerhouse's chief executive Lisa Havilah.
"Through its infrastructure and programmes, Powerhouse will create a dynamic ecology that will bring together industry and community, present collections, histories, and ideas in new ways.
"It will be a museum embedded with innate flexibility, with the ability to continuously evolve, changing with the world to ensure that it remains relevant and impactful for generations to come."
Rory Gardiner
The museum is opening with net zero emissions from day one of operations, and will embed sustainability across its design, operations and programming, Powerhouse said in a press release.
Powerhouse is the largest museum group in Australia with four locations across Sydney.
Powerhouse Parramatta is part of Powerhouse's A$1.4 billion infrastructure renewal programme, which includes the renewal of the Powerhouse in Ultimo, expanded research and public facilities at Powerhouse Castle Hill, and the ongoing heritage restoration of the Sydney Observatory.
Images courtesy of Powerhouse
