Powerhouse Parramatta is on track to open in a year’s time.
Work on five of the seven exhibition spaces and the Lang Walker Family Academy is now complete, with the project moving into a stage exhibition fit out ahead of opening in late 2026.
Powerhouse Parramatta will celebrate innovation across the applied arts and sciences. It is expected to attract up to two million visitors annually and serve as a key driver of Western Sydney’s visitor and night-time economies.
A new cultural destination for Sydney and Australia, Powerhouse Parramatta will have seven exhibition spaces, public space and a purpose-built academy for high school students from regional NSW and Western Sydney. The academy will welcome more than 10,000 students each year.
The public space and museum precinct will create a 24-hour access to the riverfront, and complete the civic link between the river, Parramatta Square and upcoming Metro West.
Through a staged handover the Powerhouse has started to install the first two of its five opening exhibitions fit out in Exhibition Spaces 1 and 2, while construction continues across other areas of the site.
The internal areas are being progressively completed to enable fit out in parallel with completing the building facade and public domain.
Almost 3,500 workers have contributed to the delivery of the project to date, collectively working over 2.1 million hours on site.
Powerhouse Parramatta will open with five major international exhibitions that will feature the Powerhouse Collection and include commissions and international loans sharing important Australian stories of innovation and creativity.
“Powerhouse Parramatta is a game changer for the state and demonstrates the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to Western Sydney design excellence, innovation and sustainability,” said Minister for Lands and Property, Steve Kamper.
“Once complete, Powerhouse Parramatta will be the largest museum in NSW, with 18,000 square metres of exhibition and public space. A true cultural and architectural icon for Parramatta and Western Sydney.
“The Minns Labor Government is proud to be delivering a world-class institution that will boost the local economy, create jobs and attract millions of visitors to Western Sydney each year.”
Minister for the Arts John Graham said: “Powerhouse Parramatta, the largest investment in cultural infrastructure since the Sydney Opera House, will put Western Sydney at the forefront of Australia’s cultural, scientific and technological future.”
Troy Dodds is Parra News' Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia’s leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.