Parramatta Powerhouse opening date revealed

Powerhouse Parramatta will officially open to the public on Saturday, November 7 in what the government is celebrating as the most significant cultural infrastructure project since the Sydney Opera House.Most of the exhibitions held at the new museum will be free, with the opening program of five exhibitions including a celebration of the world’s aviation and space history and a major exhibition chronicling the evolution of shopping centres.The doors to the $915 million Powerhouse Museum along the Parramatta River will open to the public on November 7.Steven SiewertWith a construction price tag of $915 million, plus pre-opening expenses including a documentary on its opening costing around $1.7 million, the building on the banks of the Parramatta River is one of the most significant new museum projects in the world. The opening comes more than a decade after plans for the western Sydney museum were announced in 2015.“When it opens this November, Powerhouse Parramatta will transform Parramatta, linking the centre with the riverfront,” NSW Arts Minister John Graham said.“It will bring audiences from across Sydney, NSW, Australia and the world to explore its bold exhibitions and reshape what audiences think of a museum experience.”The first exhibition, Task Eternal, will trace humanity’s quest to defy gravity and take to the skies, exploring the history of international aviation. It will include a Qantas Avro 504k aircraft, a next-generation spacesuit and a rocket engine used for the Apollo space mission in the 1960s.The exhibition will occupy the largest gallery space in the new museum and will incorporate First Nations’ art and knowledge about the sky. The exhibition of more than 600 objects is a partnership with the British Museum and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.Another exhibition, The Mall, will examine the “history, evolution and cultural significance” of shopping centres with Western Sydney at the centre. Blacktown was the site of a world-leading shopping centre design when a Westfield opened in 1959.Westfield went on to export the shopping centre designs from Australia across the world.Final spit and polish on the Parramatta Powerhouse.Steven SiewertThe two-storey exhibition will include more than 560 objects from the Powerhouse collection, plus more than 280 loans and personal stories from the local community. Highlights include items from the archive of Victor Gruen, the architect behind modern American shopping mall design, contributions from Australian brands like Mambo and Le Specs, and Steve Jobs’ signature Levis 501 jeans.“For years and years Parra Mall was the food court of choice for workers and locals alike and one of the few places to grab a quick lunch,” local MP Donna Davis said.“While Parra Mall has made way for the Metro I look forward to the Powerhouse Parramatta exhibition taking me back to the aromas and lunchtime shopping at the mall shopping at the mall in the 90s.”Construction giant Lendlease completed construction on the Powerhouse in May, with work now focused on preparing exhibition and public spaces.Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.From our partners