Sydney's Powerhouse Museum

[nuuumannn]

Rumour has it that the Powerhouse Museum is going to be moved, lock, stock and Catalina to Parramatta into a new purpose built facility, or possibly split between two sites. This has caused a moral uproar in the city, with artisans and cutural people voicing much opposition to the move. The Ultimo site, inhabiting the ruins of a power station, is to be turned into housing development! Gee, culturally insensitive, much? Anyway, here are some photos from the museum, which has essentially remained unchanged from when it opened in 1988, part of the complaints for it to be moved. I would'a thought changing the displays was what was needed, not demolition of the site and the collection dispersed! Link to more below:

Bugatti 2

VH-TRN 2

X-ray machine 4

VH-ASA 2

Sputnik

Bleriot XI 2

Link to more photos: www.flickr.com/photos/147661871@N04/sets/72157689147003612/with/27774745659/

[saratoga]

Yep,visited there years ago, a nice find with the aviation items.
You used to be able to buy 1/48 vacform Catalina models(before the Monogram one came along),was tempted but..vacform...ugghh.
Guess it'll be in for a name change then, the reason its named 'Powerhouse museum', 'cause its in the old powerhouse!.
Wonder whose idea to sell for housing,the mighty $$$ must have struck again,though it is in Sydney in what would now be prime location.I remember when it was the bad side of town!

[ZacYates]

I don't think I've seen the pair of Soyuz before - is it 1:1 or scaled?

Nice to see the Cierva, and Dick Smith's JetRanger (I've got a kit waiting to get his markings). A lovely selection of photos Grant, thanks for sharing.

[planecrazy]

Have visited a couple of times always worried about that Cat being strung up in the roof,
obviously it is safe up there but always wondered. She is pretty rare only 67 PB2B-2
Catalinas made and pretty sure Frigate Bird ex A24-385 is the last one in existence.

The other thing about all the aviation stuff is it is all so hard to view and photograph.
Also a bonus if it moves we may be able to get a little closer to the aeroplanes.

[nuuumannn]

Hi Zac, the Soyuz is 1/3rd scale model of Soyuz 4 and 5 link up in Janauary 1969, the first time two manned spacecraft actually linked in space. I've just finished captioning the pictures on my Flickr page, a little more info there. Very cool models of Soviet hardware in the museum.

Soyuz 2

[Dave Homewood]

I would not mind the move if they do it. That place gave me a bit of vertigo. And while they have some really interesting and important exhibits it seemed like there was a lot of empty space around too. A really strange layout. Maybe I was just burned out after two solid weeks of museum and collection visits but the Powerhouse Museum was not really one of the highlights of my trip. Cool to see but I doubt I'd go back.

[kiwithrottlejockey]

I actually visited the Powerhouse Museum in 1988 when it was brand new (the museum, not the building).

It was either just before, or just after the Bicentennial Airshow at Richmond.

[nuuumannn]

Dave, I think the layout has been dictated by the preservation of the remains of the Ultimo power station, hence the name, but yes, it does meander about several different levels that are quite open, inducing vertigo. I remember visiting it for the first time in about 1990 and it hasn't changed much since then. It definitely needs revamping and is in a prime location only 10mins walk from Darling Harbour, but I think moving it to Parramatta will be its death knell; I suspect it won't get anything like the visitor numbers it has had, although these have fallen recently, mainly bercause it doesn't change much. People only go back if there is a temporary exhibition.

Imagine if the Auckland council decided to move MoTaT to Papakura (Papakura - Parramatta), or such like, to build houses on the Western Springs site? Wouldn't go down well.

[Dave Homewood]

That would be fine by me, much closer to visit at Papakura.

How far away is Paramatta from where it is now?

[saratoga]

Jan 9, 2018 13:55:12 GMT 12 nuuumannn said:

Dave, I think the layout has been dictated by the preservation of the remains of the Ultimo power station, hence the name, but yes, it does meander about several different levels that are quite open, inducing vertigo. I remember visiting it for the first time in about 1990 and it hasn't changed much since then. It definitely needs revamping and is in a prime location only 10mins walk from Darling Harbour, but I think moving it to Parramatta will be its death knell; I suspect it won't get anything like the visitor numbers it has had, although these have fallen recently, mainly bercause it doesn't change much. People only go back if there is a temporary exhibition.

Imagine if the Auckland council decided to move MoTaT to Papakura (Papakura - Parramatta), or such like, to build houses on the Western Springs site? Wouldn't go down well.

Well, at least if they changed it to housing its already got its own 'light rail'!