Major new cultural landmark in Sydney opening 2026
Promotion: Australia's largest museum group, Powerhouse, is developing the highly anticipated museum, Powerhouse Parramatta, on a landmark site in western Sydney.
At 30,000 square meters, Powerhouse Parramatta is the largest cultural infrastructure project in Australia since the Sydney Opera House.
The building was designed by Franco-Japanese architects Moreau Kusunoki in collaboration with Australian architects Genton and is near completion, with interior and exhibition fit-outs underway across the site.
Powerhouse Parramatta will deliver dynamic international exhibitions alongside an innovative learning and community programme. It intends to "pioneer a new museum model" that redefines contemporary museum practice and culture.
The building will feature seven large-scale exhibition spaces alongside learning and digital studios, a cinema, a 900-seat theatre, an extensive rooftop garden, restaurants and cafes.
Thirty residential studios will be integrated into the museum programme, bringing together scientists, researchers and artists to collaborate with Powerhouse and its communities.
On opening, it will house Task Eternal, an aerospace exhibition tracing humanity's pursuit of flight and space, developed in partnership with architectural practice Open, led by Li Hu and Huang Wenjing in response to work by author Ted Chiang.
Innovation surrounding food culture and production will be showcased through the Vitocco Family Kitchen, a 200-seat space equipped with a large-scale demonstration kitchen, which will bring together chefs and producers across Australia and around the world.
A green landscaped public domain between the museum and the river will be open 24 hours a day, connecting the community and supporting festival events and programmes for audiences of up to 10,000.
The Lang Walker Family Academy will offer expansive STEM learning programmes onsite at Powerhouse Parramatta in state-of-the-art education spaces, as well as accommodation for 60 students and teachers.
According to Powerhouse, this will set a new benchmark for innovative learning experiences for students and drive change for young people by providing access to world-class science, technology and cultural learning experiences.
The building has been designed to operate at net-zero carbon. Sustainability is embedded across the project, from renewable energy and water systems to zero-waste exhibition principles.
The edge of the river will be planted with native eucalyptus species, while the terrace will feature Ginkgo biloba trees, which reference one of the earliest donations to the Powerhouse Collection in 1893 from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew.
Powerhouse Parramatta will open in 2026. For more information on the project, visit the Powerhouse website.
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for Powerhouse as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
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