‘Instantly iconic’: The people’s verdict of Sydney’s new Powerhouse

November 7, 2026 — 5:26pm

Bathed in light, Wade Penman emerged from the indoor wading pool on the third floor of the Parramatta Powerhouse with revelations to share.

“I feel transported, to somewhere I don’t even know if I will get to,” he said of the installation, part of the Powerhouse’s five launch exhibits.

“But I’ve watched this building being constructed for weeks, months and years, and it’s just incredible and surreal to be inside it. It’s all a reminder that we are a part of history, both today and in general. It’s a stunning building, instantly iconic.”

The ankle-deep pool, full of giggling children, is part of the Overflow exhibit, a First Nations-led exhibition on “living principles of Water Country”. The water-centred exhibit felt like an oasis of calm amid the chaotic joy and excitement that met the opening of the Powerhouse on Saturday.

Thousands of people piled through the doors, packing every room and exhibit, the museum’s grand spaces and high ceilings finally filled with excited chatter and laughter.

People from every age group and background turned up on the opening day, which featured a range of programs and performances.

Penman and friend Harriet Flitcroft said they wanted to be part of that first wave of attendees so they could experience the museum as soon as possible.

“I didn’t want to wait,” Penman said. “And it being so new means every floor and space feels distinct. Being able to walk in and not know what’s coming next is exciting.”

Despite delays and cost blowouts hanging over the $1 billion museum, the public’s embrace of the space was swift and enthusiastic.

Crowds surged into the exhibits as soon as they could, crowded around performers with their phones out, waited in line for food or drinks, sat in every chair and engaged with every display.

Marie-Louise Jolicoeur and her husband Tony Sunners could barely contain their grins as they walked out of The Mall, one of the exhibits focusing on the history and development of shopping centres.

“It was incredible,” Jolicoeur enthused. “It just really takes you back. There’s a lot of things that made us reminisce and think back to our own childhood. It was so impressive.”

Jolicoeur and Sunners said they had turned up to witness “western Sydney history” and were walking away “impressed”.

“The architecture is just stunning,” Sunners said. “I wasn’t expecting to be as impressed as this but they’ve done a stunning job. It is unbelievable and beautifully designed.”

The Powerhouse cemented Parramatta as the “heart of Sydney”, he added. “I couldn’t be more impressed.”

Like many of the visitors who made the trek on day one, Jolicoeur and Sunners were from western Sydney and were keen to witness the biggest addition to the region’s cultural scene in a generation.

“We haven’t done something like this since the Opera House, but there’s a new House in town,” said David Borger, Business Western Sydney’s executive director.

“This investment is a real gesture in saying we need some cultural equity. People in western Sydney are just as creative, just as interested in the arts as anyone else, and it’s about time they got better access to it.”

And the region responded to that investment in kind. Penrith resident Kathy Stock had been counting down the days to its opening and was never going to miss the first day.

“I’ve been working down the road a bit, so I walk past it every Monday, watching it being built,” Stock said. “So it was like, oh, finally!”

Before doors opened, Stuart and Helen McIntyre were first in line, eager to experience the museum, having recently moved to Parramatta.

“We’ve watched the Powerhouse grow, and all the work that’s been done all along the foreshore, and I think it’s an exciting time for Parramatta,” Stuart McIntyre said.

Standing nearby were Esther and Luis Ponce De Leon, who were keen to take a look before they brought any of their eight grandchildren to visit.

“We always went to the Ultimo Powerhouse,” Esther Ponce De Leon said. “And we live in Blacktown, so it’s a lot closer now, it’s now a 10-minute train ride. And we can’t wait to bring our family.”

Despite the upbeat mood during most of the day, the museum had to face a final twist. Escalators were shut down at about 4pm after a section of the ceiling collapsed onto a grating just over the ground floor escalators, sparking chaotic scenes.

Attendees were forced onto elevators, staff rushed to sweep up the debris, and the still-numerous crowd hesitated for the first time all day.

The Powerhouse said it was a “lightweight acoustic panel” that came loose, and in response offered free access to Task Eternal, one of the paid exhibits.

Mostafa Rachwani is a Parramatta reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald. He was previously the Community Affairs reporter at Guardian Australia.Connect via email.

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