The Powerhouse Museum is the custodian of one of the world’s greatest collections and embodies creativity, innovation and design ingenuity in all its expressions across the arts and sciences. Our ability to provide quality educational programs, to mount world class exhibitions and to expand our collection relies on the support of an engaged and enthusiastic community of support.

Your gift to the Powerhouse will inspire the curious minds and thought leaders of tomorrow by helping our innovative education programs and world-renowned exhibitions reach even more audiences.

Want to donate a different amount than the ones listed? Contact the Campaign team on powerhousecampaign@maas.museum and they’ll assist you.

Donating to the collection

Donating an item is a wonderful way you can help us to continue to build the Museum’s collection of applied arts and sciences and enrich the stories we share now and into the future.

Donation offers

To assess donation offers, the Museum requires information and photographs. The types of information that help us make a decision include:

• • History of the object — Can you tell us about the life of this object and any personal stories of the people connected to it?
  • Provenance of the object — Do you know who made this object, when they made it and the history of its ownership since it was made?
  • Condition of the object — Is it complete? Has it been altered? Is there any damage? What are its dimensions?
  • Photographs of the object — These images should be clear and show as much detail as possible (ie show labels, brand names, packaging, model numbers and any areas of damage).

Donations are assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Museum’s curators according to the Museum’s Collection Development Policy. The curator responsible for the area of your donation will contact you directly about your offer and guide you through the process, which can take some time to complete. With your help, the curator will build a case to recommend the object to the Museum’s Collection Committee. The decision to acquire or not is often a difficult one, and there is no guarantee that Powerhouse will be able to accept items that are offered for donation.

Items offered for donation cannot be left at the Museum. Please do not post precious objects, documents or photographs. Powerhouse holds no responsibility for items sent in the post.

Contact us

Email: cur-enquiries@maas.museum
Phone: (02) 9217 0192
Post: Curatorial Department
Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences
500 Harris Street, Ultimo NSW 2007

Bequests & Major Gifts

You may wish to leave significant items or funds to Powerhouse directly in your Will. In some cases, the federal government also offers taxation benefits to your Estate or to you during your lifetime. Our staff will be happy to work with you and your advisers to ensure that your gift meets your goals and the Museum’s needs.

If you are interested in making a gift or bequest and would like to discuss your specific needs, please contact our Development Team at development@maas.museum.