Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences

Step into the Powerhouse Museum, the flagship campus of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. Here, in the heart of Ultimo, we stand within a monumental industrial relic—a former electric tram power station that has been…

We begin our tour with what many consider the museum’s 'Holy Grail'—the 1785 Boulton and Watt steam engine. This is one of the oldest rotative steam engines in existence and represents the very dawn of the modern industrial world. …

Moving from the power of stationary engines to the power of transportation, we encounter Locomotive No. 1. …

In a smaller, more quiet corner of the museum, we find a marvel of precision engineering: the Strasbourg Clock. This is a 19th-century working model of the famous astronomical clock in Strasbourg Cathedral. …

From the mechanical heavens of the Strasbourg Clock, we move to the actual heavens in the Space gallery. Dominating this area is a full-scale replica of the Hubble Space Telescope. …

While much of the museum focuses on machinery, the 'Applied Arts' part of its name is equally important. In these galleries, we explore how aesthetics and functionality merge in the objects we use every day. …

As we conclude our internal tour, take a moment to look at the building itself. The Boiler House is perhaps the most impressive architectural feature of the museum. …

As you exit the Powerhouse Museum and step back into the vibrant streets of Sydney, I hope you carry with you a renewed appreciation for the 'applied' nature of our world. We have moved from the thumping rhythm of the Boulton and…