Greater Sydney & Central West Powerhouse Castle Hill
Contact point
Background
The Powerhouse Museums Discovery Centre was expanded as part of a broader Powerhouse renewal initiative. The expansion aimed to increase community access to the collection and improve its storage and care.
The project involved the construction of a new 8,000 square meter building, increasing storage capacity by 30% and providing new workstations for 50 employees.
Our role
NSW Public Works (NSWPW) played a leading role in the project, drawing on our extensive experience in managing large and complex government construction projects. We were involved in the project from May 2020 until the project's completion. Our responsibilities included supporting the design phase, managing procurement, and overseeing the construction.
Key facts
- Mechanical – Humidity control system +/- 2% to maintain integrity of Artifacts
- Cyclorama photo studio – one of the biggest in the southern hemisphere with turntable
- Aboriginal participation in construction of 12%
- 175,000 worker hours utilising 1,445 people
Outcomes
Completed in March 2024, Powerhouse Castle Hill is the new home for the storage, conservation, and display of the Powerhouse Collection, which includes more than 500,000 objects. Constructed to international museum standards, the facility features a visible store, allowing public viewing into the 3,000 sqm Large Object storage area that houses the museum’s transport collection.
The new space caters for:
- Storage for the Powerhouse collection and archives
- Flexibles spaces for education and public programs, workshops, talks, exhibitions and events
- Conservation laboratories and collection workspaces
- Photography, digitisation and collection documentation facilities
- Workspace for 50 staff and visiting researchers
- Object and exhibition preparation, packing, quarantine and holding areas.
The building also offers public access for education programs, workshops, talks, exhibitions, and other events, as well as working spaces for academic researchers, scientists, and industry partners.
Photographs by Rory Gardiner, courtesy of Powerhouse