Country Always

Caring for Country

A Corner of the Empire

The Garden Palace

The Holding Pen

The Agricultural Hall

Regional Networks

Across New South Wales

A Museum of Doing

Technological Museum

Expanding Stories

Evolution of the Castle Hill site from botanical research station to Museum Discovery Centre

Transforming the Tramsheds

Powerhouse Stage 1 and the Harwood Building

A Symbol in Time

Sydney Observatory

Ongoing Transformations

Powerhouse Ultimo

Applied Arts and Sciences

Defining the terms in the 21st century

Powerhouse Renewal

A transformative renewal program across four sites

We Rise

Blak Powerhouse

Powerhouse-1 Mission Launch to the ISS

An initiative of the Powerhouse: Future Space program

2024

Exoskeleton

Powerhouse Parramatta

Sydney Design Week

Across Sydney12—24 Sep

2025

Revitalising Ultimo

Powerhouse Ultimo is being revitalised to deliver expanded museum exhibition and learning spaces within a new dynamic creative industries precinct for Sydney.

The NSW Government’s $250 million investment in a heritage renewal of Powerhouse Ultimo will reorient the museum’s main entrance and create a new public square and entry via The Goods Line to enable better connection with surrounding precincts and public transport.

Visitors will benefit from improved exhibition and programming spaces which will allow the museum to accommodate international exhibitions and increase the community’s access to the renowned Powerhouse Collection of more than 500,000 objects.

The visitor experience will be improved through easier visitor circulation, expanded programming, and increase its use for the community.

Key Features

Key features of the Powerhouse Museum Ultimo design include:

Four flexible, dynamic exhibition spaces that allow the museum to create and present high quality, internationally leading museum exhibitions across the applied arts and applied sciences and featuring the Powerhouse Collection.
New public domain spaces including a 2000 sqm at the northern end of The Goods Line, the Post Office Courtyard on Harris Street and an internal courtyard accessible from Macarthur Street.
Establishing one central, intuitive and accessible visitor circulation system to access exhibition, program and education spaces to support a high-quality visitor experience.
Reorienting the museum’s entrance to the Goods Line, improving access from the light rail and Darling Square. A newly activated façade housing creative industries along Harris Street, which will improve the museum’s contribution to the Ultimo streetscape.
Separating front-of-house and back-of-house operations from exhibition and circulation spaces.
Dedicated spaces designed for Powerhouse learning programs, enabling the museum to create immersive educational experiences, workshops and programs catered to students and learners of all ages.
Conservation of the heritage-listed original Power Station buildings for their ongoing adaptive reuse by Powerhouse.

In March 2025 the NSW Government Minister for Planning and Public Spaces approved plans for the heritage revitalisation of Powerhouse Ultimo.

Construction is anticipated to begin in mid-2025.

Infrastructure NSW (INSW) is leading the delivery of the project on behalf of the NSW Government in partnership with the Powerhouse.

The determination of the State Significant Development Application (SSDA) marked an important milestone for the project which started in 2020, when the NSW Government announced the museum’s Ultimo site would be retained.

The SSDA was publicly exhibited throughout May 2024 then reexhibited in September after the State Heritage listing was expanded. DECC began initial site establishment works in November 2024.

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Information Fact Sheets

State Significant Development Application

The State Significant Development Application (SSDA) and supporting Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) can be viewed on the NSW Planning Portal.

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More information

Infrastructure NSW (INSW) is the responsible agency for the delivery of the project. Visit INSW’s website for detailed project information and construction updates on the Powerhouse Museum Ultimo Revitalisation.

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Design Team

Architectus, Durbach Block Jaggers Architects, Tyrrell Studio, Youssofzay + Hart, Akira Isogawa, Yerrabingin, Finding Infinity and Arup

Durbach Block Jaggers Architects are proven design innovators and authors of some of our country’s most remarkable buildings. Architectus brings the best experience and attitude together to design and deliver Australia’s most complex precincts and cultural projects. Tyrrell Studio guides an urban design and landscape architectural response informed by the precinct and by place. Emerging Sydney practice Youssofzay + Hart use their philosophy of creating equitable, accessible and enjoyable spaces for all. Renowned Australian fashion designer Akira Isogawa is our provocateur and collaborator. Yerrabingin is coach, advisor and collaborator, embedding our approach to Design With Country. Finding Infinity pushes the sustainability agenda to achieve world-leading results. Arup’s venues team provide specialist arts and culture design expertise and experience.

This design is an exemplar of adaptive heritage reuse which will deliver new and expanded spaces enabling Powerhouse Ultimo to present more exhibitions showcasing the museum’s significant collection, as well as more international exclusive exhibitions and programs that support the applied sciences, applied arts and creative industries.

A group of people stand and sit on a beige background. Some look at the camera while others look candidly at each other.

Design Team

History of Powerhouse Ultimo

Campaign Supporters

A group of people pose for a photo standing in a line, they smile at the camera and each other. They are in a workshop space.

Foundation University Partner, the University of Technology Sydney, has committed $10 million to Powerhouse Ultimo, a significant investment that will help boldly reimagine the Ultimo precinct. The institutions will work together to foster a dynamic creative industry ecology and expand the international profile of Australian design and fashion both nationally and internationally.

UTS will become a supporting partner of the Powerhouse Ultimo Creative Industries Academy, which will house an immersive education and professional hub connecting local and regional students with industry leaders and work experience opportunities.

First Nations will be a key collaborative focus area, establishing joint programs with the future UTS Indigenous Residential College and integrating the UTS Galuwa Experience (an existing program for Indigenous high school students) into broader First Nations programming at Powerhouse Ultimo.

Research will be another core focus, aiming to expand original research and industry development across the creative industries sector, made accessible via Powerhouse public programs. UTS research students will have opportunities to collaborate with Powerhouse Residents and use the resources of the Powerhouse Archives.