PLANS FOR A HERITAGE REVITALISATION OF ULTIMO POWERHOUSE MUSEUM MOVES FORWARD
02 Apr 2025
The $300-million project to transform the 146-year-old cultural institution through expanded exhibition spaces and improved connectivity with the Sydney CBD has been approved by the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces.
The redevelopment will create a public square spanning 2000sq m at the northern end of The Goods Line, reorientate the museum entrance, and conserve the site’s original heritage features while retaining the distinctive roof form of the Wran building.
NSW Arts Minister John Graham said the Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo was a cultural icon of Sydney, renowned for its extraordinary collection and the history of the site’s six buildings.
“With planning approval in place, the museum secures its future as a leading museum of applied arts and sciences with world-class exhibition spaces,” he said.
The project will exhibit Design Excellence across the built form and public domain, making it a contemporary facility with a variety of exhibition spaces that have been designed to meet international museum standards. The revitalisation project will retain the distinctive roof form of the Wran building.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully explains, "the redesigned museum will improve visitor experience with new exhibition areas, more public space and better accessibility to surrounding streets. With a new entrance and an active Harris Street façade, the museum will continue to make its presence known in the Ultimo precinct.”
The revitalisation is expected to inject approximately $225 million into the local economy, create around 755 direct jobs during construction and support over 200 direct and indirect jobs when the museum re-opens.
The State Significant Development Application was exhibited in May 2024 and then again in September 2024 following the expansion of the State Heritage listing, which provides long-term protections for the site’s continuation as a museum of applied arts and sciences.
