New acquisitions

Model of the China Central TV headquarters in Beijing

The Big Trousers has a new friend

June 3, 2013

Thanks to Arup Sydney we acquired a model of the China Central TV headquarters in Beijing. Designed by Rem Koolhaas and OMA, its a sophisticated and controversial attempt to reinvent the office tower.

Sirius on the Rocks

May 8, 2013

We have just acquired this watercolour elevation of the Sirius public housing apartments in the Rocks. Most architects’ elevations use a street level viewpoint – this bird’s eye view is different and striking.

Photograph of Sculpture by Shigekazu Nagae ‘Forms in Succession #5’

A piece by potter Shigekazu Nagae comes to life

March 27, 2013

This beautiful porcelain sculpture, Forms in Succession #5 created by Japanese potter Shigekazu Nagae, dances beautifully in this video.

Mechanical wooden/metal figures of The Beatles in shop display

Mystery Beatles object

October 17, 2012

The Museum has started to develop a new exhibition about the Beatles' 1964 tour of Australia. We recently acquired an unusual object from around that time. Does anybody know where it originated? It is a large rectangular wooden board in a metal framework, painted with the four Beatles holding their musical instruments.

Walking robot prototype, University of Southern Queensland

Robug IV The rise of the machines?

May 2, 2012

The Powerhouse Museum has an impressive and growing collection of robots. From a nineteenth century automaton to the Articulated Head currently featured in the Galleria section of the Museum, the study and collection of robots is something the Museum’s science curators take seriously, but also have an enormous amount of fun with; I mean, they’re robots!

A man and women in Gothic attire on King Street, Newtown with the Bank Hotel in the in the background. Text in image

New Aquisitions

January 18, 2011

Many people don't realise that our curators actively acquire objects for the Museum's collection. We are going to start featuring our recent acqusitions on the blog. I hope you enjoy them! This poster is one of several created for Anne Zahalka's exhibition Homeground!, which was displayed on four Newtown hotels during May 2010.

Glass vessel on a plinth that gives me appearance of fine lace

New Giles Bettison commission for the Powerhouse Museum

December 16, 2010

With the continuing generous support of ADFAS, Ku-ring-gai branch, the Powerhouse Museum has recently acquired what is undoubtedly the most striking glass vessel from Giles Bettison’s ‘Lace’ series.

Scale model cars

December 9, 2010

Ever dreamed of owning a Bugatti, perhaps one like this 1930 Royale Coupe Napoleon? Or a Roller, Porsche or Corvette? The Powerhouse recently acquired a collection of nicely detailed 1:24 scale model cars that includes examples of all these makes.

Robert Foster with his prototype teapot design for Alessi

Robert Foster in conversation: F!NK and Co and teapot design for Alessi

August 13, 2010

In this very special post, I am joined in conversation with silversmith and designer, Robert Foster of F!NK and Co. On 16th July, I invited Robert to the Museum to talk in more detail about our recent acquisition of the aluminium and stainless steel teapot he designed as a prototype for Alessi in 1995 (which you can see in the photograph above).

Shoes decorated by Esme Timbery for Romance Was Born

Romance in the Museum

June 2, 2010

Platform shoes covered in lace, glitter and shells! Surely that’s a crime against fashion? In this blog I’d like to introduce you to a rather spectacular pair of platform shoes recently acquired into the Museum's collection.

What were they thinking??? Vegemite iSnack 2.0

January 20, 2010

We couldn’t let 2009 disappear without acquiring a jar of iSnack 2.0, the shortest-lived Vegemite product in history! Kraft released this new cheese-based Vegemite spread in July 2009 with a label inviting people to name it.

Enoch Taylor shoe gauge

August 28, 2009

Now that we have solved the Earoscope, it’s time for a new mystery object! What you see above is part of a new acquisition from the Enoch Taylor & Co shoe archive. From 1851-1970s, Enoch Taylor & Co specialised in the importation and manufacture of men’s, women’s and children’s shoes, first in Melbourne and then Sydney.

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