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

Parramatta

1988

Stories

Ongoing Transformations

Powerhouse Ultimo

Powerhouse Museum, Stage 2 exterior from high angle, city skyline in background

Stories

Built for Repurpose

The original Ultimo Power House, built in 1899 to provide electricity for Sydney's trams, includes four steam engine generators in the engine hall. Steam is the world’s primary industrial driver for more than 200 years, spanning the 1700–1900s.

Black and white archival image of the Power House with machinery whirling and gantry system

On 11 October 1963, the Ultimo Power House closes. Large sections of its former Pump House are demolished in between 1967 and 1968 to allow for widening the William Henry Street Bridge.

Black and white photograph of large brick Boiler Hall with three chimenys

In 1976, most of the Power House plant and equipment are removed. And in 1977, the Boiler House chimney stacks are demolished to below-roofline heights. The Boiler House, with fourteen boilers installed at the peak of capacity, is designed to produce high-pressure for conversion to electricity, and to use seawater taken from Darling Harbour to cool its condensers.