Like most museums, only a small percentage of the Powerhouse Museum’s collection is on exhibition at any one time. The Powerhouse Discovery Centre houses 40% of the collection (by volume), but until now this treasure trove has not been accessible to the general public.
The Powerhouse Discovery Centre’s mission is to provide world standard museum storage facilities for the collection as well as a range of tailored behind-the-scenes access programs for the public.
Visiting the Powerhouse Discovery Centre is quite a different experience to visiting the Powerhouse Museum. The collection can be accessed in a number of ways.
The Display Store is the centre of the Castle Hill site experience. As visitors enter the store, a series of displays in the foyer explains how the store works and what you will be able to see and experience. It also tells the fascinating history of the Powerhouse at the Castle Hill site. A large object store on the ground level features transport-related objects including cars, steam engines, planes, trams and buses. The upper level houses a self-guided display of selected objects showcasing the strength and depth of the Powerhouse collection. These are exhibited in themed drawer and shelf display units alongside a selection of freestanding large objects. Also located in the Display Store building is the Powerhouse Collection Resource Centre, which provides visitors with a link to the Museum's online collection database as well as other reference materials.
Some of the objects featured in the Display Store include the Olympic torch carried by Cathy Freeman in the Sydney Olympic Games, a doll exhibited at the Sydney International Exhibition in 1897, the Harry’s Café de Wheels caravan from the 1940s, a selection of rare Royal Doulton ceramics in their own Doulton showcase, and the Standfield and Co mouse and rat trap making machine. Objects that illustrate the local history of the greater Castle Hill and northwest Sydney area are also on display.
A diverse range of public access programs and activities are planned for the Powerhouse Discovery Centre. These include monthly public open days and quarterly community field days; themed supervised tours into other stores on site; educational programs, workshops and site tours, school groups and special interest group tours; school holiday programs; community engagement programs; regional partnership events; and specialist/industry and professional development programs.
For Further information visit The Pwehouse Museum Discovery Centre website.
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