Inside the Collection

Science

Black rubber mask shaped to cover the whole face. It has two glass eye pieces, positioned below is a circular perforated valve for breathing out and a brown rectangular canister attached by flexible pipe.

The Modern Mask

October 21, 2020

Nina Earl
Concept work on the recently opened exhibition, Design for Life, started in late 2019. At this point in time, Australia had not yet experienced some of the worst bushfires on record and the world was blissfully unaware of the pandemic that would emerge in early 2020.
Aerial photo with a weathervane, mounted on top of a large yellow time ball, with various sandstone buildings below. The Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Rocks area, Sydney Harbour and Luna Park can be seen in the background.

Meteorology at Sydney Observatory

February 26, 2020

Powerhouse
Meteorology, the study of the Earth’s atmosphere and weather conditions, plays a significant role in determining climate trends and patterns and their impact on the environment. It is a branch of science that has become even more relevant as we observe the devastating consequences of climate change all over the world.
A museum display of an open steam engine made up of a large fly wheel attached by gears to a piston and steam cylinder.

James Watt’s Bicentenary: the man and his machines

August 21, 2019

Sarah Reeves
25 August marks the 200th anniversary of the death of inventor James Watt. To mark the occasion, we have invited a guest post by Debbie Rudder, an expert on Watt, to explore his life and scientific contributions.
A mannequin wearing a space suit stands on a silver circular plinth. To the left is a title wall reading 'Apollo 11' with diagrams of spacecraft around it.

Curating the Apollo 11 exhibition

July 19, 2019

Sarah Reeves
Last month the Museum opened a new exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. As the curator, I’ve spent the past 12-18 months developing this exhibition, which explores the events of 1969, and celebrates what is possibly the greatest scientific achievement of all time.

The Climate Protests of 2019 – Were you there?

June 5, 2019

Keinton Butler
In March 2019, one of the largest global environmental protests took place, with at least 1.6 million people coming together in over 125 countries to protest inaction on climate change. The Global Climate Strike was inspired by 16-year-old Swedish student Greta Thunberg, who started an international movement after sitting outside Swedish parliament in August 2018 with a hand-painted banner that read ‘Skolstrejk för klimatet’ (‘School strike for the climate’).

Food Work Sex Belief: How Art and Science Meet

November 28, 2018

Katie Dyer
From popular culture to mainstream media to discourse on the post-, trans- and non- human, the human impact of current technological change is palpable. The exhibition Human non Human responds to this sense of anxiousness and exhilaration.

The Shape of Time

November 7, 2018

Matthew Connell
The Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences has just launched a new publication, Time and Memory, the second in the MAAS collection series which is supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund. In his introductory essay ‘The Shape of Time’, Principal Curator Matthew Connell places the Museum’s collection within the context of humanity’s understanding and experience of time, and our relationship with memory.

Donating to the MAAS collection

October 24, 2018

Tilly Boleyn
Ever wondered how to donate to a museum? Curator Tilly Boleyn reveals what to consider before you get in touch. Spring is a busy time. Flowers are blooming, lambs are frolicking and people are clearing out their sheds thinking, “I wonder if I should donate this to a museum?”.
Photograph of Nina Earl in Light Ball Orchestra in Future Park exhibition

Meet the Curator: Nina Earl

October 17, 2018

Nina Earl
Name: Nina Earl Role: Assistant Curator What is your area of expertise? All things science but currently I am reading and learning about 3D printing. The exciting part is that I get to visit research laboratories and see what is happening in the speculative research of this area.
A steam engine with a large flywheel on display in the Powerhouse Museum

Industrial Revolution in Australia – impact on manufacturing in the 1800s

August 29, 2018

Margaret Simpson
When we think of the Industrial Revolution in Britain with its steam engines powering machines, the mass production of goods, thousands of poor farming families leaving the countryside to work in 'satanic' mills and factories and the rise of the wealthy middle class, it's hard to see how this could be applied to Australia.
Advertising brochure for the 48/215 Holden (FX).

The 1950s Australian Dream – Holdens, Victas and Mixmasters

August 22, 2018

Margaret Simpson
After the hardship and deprivation of the 1930s and the anxiety and rationing of the 1940s, Australia experienced great optimism, growth and prosperity in the 1950s. During this decade three Australian-made products were manufactured which became icons in our cultural history, Holden cars, Victa lawnmowers and Sunbeam Mixmasters.