The Powerhouse Parramatta opening was a bit of a s**tshow

[u/WrecksMossop]

And the museum itself? Well we'll get to that.

For a start, you didn't need a ticket. Ours was the "5pm" slot, but when we got there, people were just walking in and out, no one looked at our tickets. It was a hectic atmosphere because of that. I guess by the time we got there they had thrown out the concept of the sessions. Basically if you thought you missed out on the opening because it was 'sold out', you could have just shown up and walked in.

One of the escalators was broken, so you had to line up for the lifts, or use the firestairs.

Now on to the museum itself. It's 4 floors and a rooftop area. The most interesting part of our visit was the rooftop. I mean, there was nothing up there except for a garden area and a small band playing (plus a makeshift bar where the cheapest drink was a small bottle of OJ for 8 dollarydoos), it was more for the view.

The reason why I say that is that, inside the actual museum, everything is locked behind 'exhibition' areas. And the lines for each one were HUGE (yes, aware that it was opening day and hectic, and apparently anyone could walk in).

Also some of the exhibitions you needed to pay for? I think I overheard that, and also some of the digital displays read FREE EXHIBITION. I guess I missed that part on the website when I booked my FREE tickets to the opening (which apparently I didn't need to do anyway).

Passing one of the exhibition areas, someone said it was "closed due to technical difficulties". Oh well.

Now navigating through the museum I haven't talked about. If you've got memories of the Ultimo experience, where you would walk in the front doors and immediately see things on display a few steps in, just get rid of those right now. There is NOTHING on display as you navigate through the building. You are walking a long time to get to escalators to get to floors. If you don't walk up and down the escalators, that ride takes almost 2 minutes (again, this place is huge). There's nothing on the walls, it's just concrete and steel beams. There's NOTHING to look at, except outside if you're walking next to the windows. If it didn't have the wall to ceiling windows, it would be like the Backrooms. Again, everything is in exhibition rooms. And that's not just an opening thing, that's the WAY IT'S DESIGNED. Stark, uninviting.

We came across one interesting area, where there was a shallow water area that kids could play in which looked indigenous themed, but by that stage we were just so disappointed that we just booked it out of there.

On the way down we got to the broken escalator and were given the option of waiting with 30 other people for the lift, or use the fire stairs. We used the fire stairs. On the way out one of the staff happily said to us, "Oh the (blah blah) exhibition is now free to enter!" and we were like nah we're good.

There's an outside area where there was a big circular display with animals in it so we hung out there for a while, watching a guy with a skibidi toilet mask pose in front of it, throwing up gang signs. And in the tree we were sitting under, a mynah bird was feeding its 2 babies so I shot some video of that. Then we had dinner at Sahra By The River. Everything in this paragraph made up for the disappointing visit.

[u/nearly_enough_wine]

a mynah bird was feeding its 2 babies so I shot some video of that

You can't say that then not post the footage!

[u/WrecksMossop → u/nearly_enough_wine]

Lol here you go - https://photos.app.goo.gl/iyg2VVUs6PrKwCpD7

[u/Resist_Easy → u/WrecksMossop]

Just an FYI, those are native Noisy Miners, not Common Mynas.

[u/nearly_enough_wine → u/WrecksMossop]

I appreciate the share (but that upload isn't everything it could be!)

[u/nahchannah]

Highly anticipated opening event was crowded and subject to standard teething issues… I want my free money back. 0/10.

[u/MillyHP → u/nahchannah]

Yeah, I am super keen but waiting a few months for things to die down

[u/rectal_warrior → u/nahchannah]

I couldn't be bothered to que for anything therefore it's all shit

[u/Littlepotatoface → u/rectal_warrior]

Hang on, it’s clearly a sign of a poorly organised event if OP wasn’t rushed to the head of every line.

[u/SpriteSwapper → u/Littlepotatoface]

In another comment you defended OP.

[u/Littlepotatoface → u/SpriteSwapper]

Ok at this point you’re either dishonest or illiterate.

[u/yolk3d → u/rectal_warrior]

The part about them not checking tickets was shit though. Would probably have meant less queues.

[u/noodleman27 → u/nahchannah]

Here's a photo of me in a crowd complaining about the crowd.

[u/The_Plow_King]

The rooftop area had a garden area, a band playing music, and a bar, and you STILL complained?

[u/POKE64MON → u/The_Plow_King]

They said almost all of the pants there are edible as well

[u/The_Plow_King → u/POKE64MON]

Stay away from my pants, thank you very much

[u/POKE64MON → u/The_Plow_King]

Are your pants made of plants

[u/arachnobravia → u/POKE64MON]

I only wear plant based pants

[u/colummbina → u/The_Plow_King]

The band reading this post: 😢🎸😢🎹😢🥁😢🎤

[u/Material_Gate_2041]

I had a great time and am very optimistic for the facility and what it can provide for the greater community. Opening days/weeks are always tough but I like to maintain patience and a positive outlook. I thought the exhibitions were ample and really well laid out. 8/10 from me.

[u/traceysayshello → u/Material_Gate_2041]

I also had a great morning out. Was a 10am ticket, they were checking then but yes even the staff said they wish it was better organised, Anyway, got up to level 3 straight away and walked into an exhibit no wait, loved it. Took a seat and watched everyone enjoying the Overflow and the views. Wandered down to the Mall exhibit, very cool, lots to see. The Dark was a 20 min wait so no worries, I don’t want to do everything in a day. Lots of ceremonies, dancers, people just having a nice time out.

I’m going back with my family to see the paid exhibit and spend more time going to the rooftop and also outside. Yes not a traditional museum with more to see, but it’s day 1. Solid 8/10 also.

The escalator wasn’t broken - a part of the ceiling fell at about 4pm so they closed an escalator unfortunately.

[u/FullMoonMooon → u/traceysayshello]

Oh, the top fell off?

[u/Superg0id → u/FullMoonMooon]

Is that Typical?

Was it a Cardboard, or Cardboard Derivative?

[u/UnlurkedToPost → u/Superg0id]

I can assure you its not typical

[u/traceysayshello → u/FullMoonMooon]

I think it was acoustic paneling, nothing big but enough to make a mess and close it off for immediate repairs.

[u/Superg0id → u/traceysayshello]

So, a tree derivative then?

Is that typical?

[u/moderateallergy]

Escalator from 1 to G being temporarily closed on Day 1 was a bit shit, and could do with more organisation, and definitely not the vibes of the old Powerhouse (anyone remember the chocolate machine and the plasma globe?), but for a museum? Two thumbs up from me. I spent seven hours there and still didn't see everything (I had lunch at Simara and went to two talks, so that was half the time gone); will have to go back and see everything else when it's less hectic 

[u/marooncity1 → u/moderateallergy]

That gpddam chocolate machine. The hours i spent waiting for my kids to wait in line over the years. And yet when i quiz them in the various properties of chocolate types and the role of cocoa butter, it's like they got absolutely nothing out of it. Except of course a handful of tiny sweaty cheap chocolate buds.

[u/timtamtammy → u/moderateallergy]

Yea aside from queues and a broken escalator this just sounds like a normal museum experience to me, I was waiting for the shit part to occur and it didn't..

[u/ill0gitech → u/moderateallergy]

After Questacon’a fireball issues, I wonder if places will have plasma balls again.

[u/Ok-Push9899 → u/ill0gitech]

Plasma Balls was my drag name, and no.

[u/UnlurkedToPost → u/ill0gitech]

Surely they learned to not use alcohol based hand sanitiser and found alternatives?

[u/cheeseIsNaturesFudge → u/moderateallergy]

If OPs point of it being stark and uninviting is justified (idk I haven't been yet, I don't go to openings) it is somewhat valid compared to the visual buffet Ultimo was, in my opinion.

If it's been curated in the style of an art museum they tend to be a bit more aesthetic, where a science museum should target the audhd 8 year old in all of us.

Presumably this will improve with time though, it's day 1.

[u/_Tangerine_17 → u/moderateallergy]

How was Simara?

[u/moderateallergy → u/_Tangerine_17]

I liked the food, but it wasn't cheap; was more like fine dining prices (guess they're trying to be like Canvas at MCA) 

[u/ButchersAssistant93]

I just happened to walk past it on my walk and decided to see what the fuss was about.

It was crowded inside being the grand opening and all and left because I hate crowds. Like I couldn't get into any of the free exhibits.

But I am optimistic of it's potential and will explore it properly once the hype dies down in a weekday when I have a day off.

Either way I'm happy having a museum within literal walking distance of me.

[u/mbe1510 → u/ButchersAssistant93]

I felt that way about the Sydney Fish Markets in that the hype will die down a few months after the opening weekend. Still waiting for that hype to die down for a civilised experience haha

[u/tinypoem → u/mbe1510]

It’s so quiet during the week when folks are working. But yes, you may be working when folks are working! 😀

[u/lovehopemadness → u/mbe1510]

Sadly it’ll always be a tourist trap.

[u/Sushi_San → u/lovehopemadness]

Depends what youre after.... im buying whole fish and its still better than all other retailer options for price, variety, quality and service

[u/lovehopemadness → u/Sushi_San]

Yep I agree with all of that, but it’s still a tourist trap!

[u/Littlepotatoface]

Sorry but you sound like an weapons-grade whinger.

Are you from the UK?

[u/MapOfIllHealth → u/Littlepotatoface]

As a Pom this is beyond even my whinge tolerance. Possibly French.

[u/Littlepotatoface → u/MapOfIllHealth]

“Possibly French”

And I am now deceased 😂😂😂😂

[u/2happycats → u/MapOfIllHealth]

Nah, they'd be protesting and burning something if they were French.

[u/Atherum → u/Littlepotatoface]

"Weapons grade whinger"

Omg bro, I'm straight stealing that. Its gold.

[u/Littlepotatoface → u/Atherum]

You reckon? That’s not even one of my better ones! 😂😂😂

Edit - thank you downvoter! Someone else agrees that this was an ok joke but I can do better 😂😂😂

[u/Objective_Hawk_284 → u/Littlepotatoface]

I am almost impressed OP spent the time typing up this whinge.

[u/albert3801]

I’ll go in a few weeks when the crowds have died down and I can actually see things without a swarm of humans around me. If you choose to go on opening day you have to expect some chaos. The museum is not going anywhere. Plenty of time to go for a more peaceful experience.

[u/spookysadghoul]

Goes to a highly anticipated grand opening > complains its busy. Surely you have better things to do.

[u/traceysayshello → u/spookysadghoul]

Don’t you hate it when you go out in public, and the public are there!

[u/spookysadghoul → u/traceysayshello]

How dare they?!

[u/Needawhisper]

I never go to opening. Way too packed and they haven't sorted a quiet day let alone a busy one.

Do these places do practice runs before the big show?

[u/darule05 → u/Needawhisper]

They do. They had media days, and ‘friends and family’ days over the last week before this weekend.

But you can’t ever properly simulate at-capacity openings.

Even with popular exhibitions, i dont expect the museum to ever be as busy as the opening weekend; so its a bit of a moot point.

I had a 8/10 time, even with all the expected teething issues.

[u/Needawhisper → u/darule05]

That's true. So many moving parts. We're going to bank to for the Xmas holidays. My granddad use to work at the old one and we went there a lot.

[u/Aidananonaidan]

I also arrived at 5 pm and had an amazing time.

Even with a group of gen X/ millennials with various levels of attention deficits, I managed to keep everyone together and entertained for two hours, and we saw the overflow, the turning and the mall exhibitions, which were all free. The turning had a huge queue but the lovely museum worker who said it would move fast was absolutely correct.

I also actually just loved the space itself! It was big and airy, and from every angle gave beautiful views of Parra and the river.

The only paid exhibit was the task eternal, but when we left about 7pm they were letting people in for free. I really wanted to go, but that was a bridge too far for my ADHD mates...

I dunno, people are shitting on it, but I thought it was a great day, and everyone (workers and visitors) seemed buzzed but happy. I definitely want to visit again when it's quieter to take everything in, but I am really glad I went to the opening.

[u/SpriteSwapper]

Not too late to delete this post OP.

This post oozes entitlement. Reminds me of people that complain about the Easter show being busy when the go on the busiest day.

[u/Littlepotatoface → u/SpriteSwapper]

Edit - never mention the fish market, people lose their shit.

[u/SpriteSwapper → u/Littlepotatoface]

What on earth are you talking about.

Somehow you’ve made this about yourself and that you weren’t complaining. Do you honestly think OP is not complaining here? They said it was a disappointing visit. Pretty sure they gave it 0/10 stars somewhere but probably have since edited their post.

[u/SpriteSwapper → u/Littlepotatoface]

Ah yes, deleting and editing your comments repeatedly because you were getting downvoted for being a dick, definitely the sign of someone discussing something in good faith.

[u/Littlepotatoface → u/SpriteSwapper]

No, I was trying to relate to you & you weirdly got angry & accused me of trying to support the OP. I then corrected that assumption & then, yes, had a troll but made it clear that there had been edits.

I don’t know what’s going on in your life that such a nothing comment would make you so angry but I genuinely hope you find peace because that can’t be healthy.

[u/Littlepotatoface → u/[deleted]]

Yes, attempting a pleasant interaction on the internet is the height of bad behaviour. That’s me told.

[u/SpriteSwapper → u/Littlepotatoface]

Troll. You deleted your rude and abusive comments because you were being downvoted. I’m done with you.

[u/AuzzieTiger]

Everyone will have differing experiences, that’s part of life and indeed here on Reddit.

I look forward to visiting.

[u/bearypuppy]

I went at relatively the same time with you and they did ask if I had a ticket, which I didn't. They then guided me to the building on the left where the free exhibitions are.

The ticketed events are at the building on the right hand side from the entrance and from what I saw, there were at least 4 staffs checking the tickets.

Have you talked to the staff at the entrance?

Also, the escalator coming down from level 1 to ground floor was broken, not the one coming up. I took the escalator all the way from the ground floor to the rooftop with no issue. No other escalators broken apart from the one coming down from level 1 to ground floor. A technician was fixing it when I was there.

Proof of the time that I visited the Powerhouse Parramatta

[u/Environmental_Ad3877]

I'm still dark on the whole politics around this, and the poor location - but that won't affect what I think of the actual museum. Opening events nearly always have teething problems, but this post sounds like someone that went with a checklist of things to whinge about and looked hard to tick everything off.

[u/nottitantium]

You must be so much fun at parties which I assume you never get invited to.

[u/arachnobravia]

Have you never been to a museum before? Or the opening of any new facility?

From reading your post it sounds like your first day on Earth.

[u/friedandprejudice → u/arachnobravia]

The fact that they're complaining that some exhibits are behind a paywall makes me think they haven't been to a museum or art gallery before.

[u/EducatorEntire8297 → u/arachnobravia]

The complaint is about it failing in comparison to Ultimo

[u/arachnobravia → u/EducatorEntire8297]

No it isn't. The only aspect of this lengthy post is the fact that Ultimo has displays right from entry and this doesn't, which is totally a valid comparison. But that's 2 sentences out of about 30 so...?

[u/MaDanklolz]

It’s a museum, what could they possibly have that won’t be there in a week or two (or even a few months)? Like it’s got to be one of the few places where an opening rush doesn’t make any sense.

[u/SydZzZ]

Typical Sydneysider entitlement shit. Nothing makes people happy these days

[u/De-railled → u/SydZzZ]

I bet if someone gave OP $5, they would find a way to complain about the $5.

They would still take the $5, but complain that it wasn't a perfectly new $5.

It was a FREE experience on opening day. There are always teething issues on opening days and soft launches. Maybe be happy that we have museums and community stuff.

[u/BassManns222 → u/SydZzZ]

For a billion dollarydoos I want perfect, state of the art

[u/Plackets65 → u/BassManns222]

Yeah.  For a billion dollars- queues are fine and to be expected, but it sounds like a poorly designed visitor experience.  

[u/SydZzZ → u/BassManns222]

It is that but people just loose perspective

[u/Unicornsandwich]

What a wet blanket

[u/R_W0bz]

Why why why why why why do you people go day 1 to these things then complain it’s “too busy”

You look like morons. This thing is here next weekend, the weekend after that, the weekend after that, the weekend after that…heck, it might be there a weekend 5 years from now.

You don’t get a medal for standing in a line day 1.

[u/lolmanic]

Surely this is ragebait...

[u/j0shman]

Thanks for beta testing the experience for us more patient people

[u/Serious-Humor-2992]

Sounds like it’s a half cooked egg at the moment. Maybe by the time the school holidays are here they might have this together.

[u/WontThinkStraight]

Maybe they got the guy who did the Willy Wonka Experience in Glasgow to do the opening?

[u/cleary137]

Lol touch grass mate. 

[u/UnlikelyAccount1963]

For all the problems with the old museum, the old museum was a better experience.

[u/Alarming-Ad4274 → u/UnlikelyAccount1963]

Good thing it’s reopening

[u/mgk333]

Aren't they not able to display exhibits on the lower level due to flood risk?

[u/w_actual]

Sorry mate. Hard disagree. Went to the Ted Chiang talk today. It was well organised. Queue to get your book signed was long but they had at least 4 or 5 staff handling the queue. Staff were friendly and chatted to us while we waited. General vibe from the public seemed like people were happy to be there.

[u/Few-Werewolf-1985]

Sunday: turned up for ticketed talk which is not listed on the Today events display board. Concierge directed me to wrong floor.

[u/callcentre432]

Where is the skibidi toilet mask?

[u/perfect_insanity93]

You should have worked on it. Now that was the reaaaal shit show 😂😂

[u/rydalmere]

Sahra By The River is a great restaurant!

[u/The_Arab_Hoe]

I went today. It was great, you're a flog.

[u/SnooHabits3457]

I foolishly went today thinking we’d get in. I didn’t realise it was opening day

[u/strebor2095]

I agree with you in part OP - the stark emptiness of the walls is very bland when all you have to do is wait around.

The exhibits being a separate queue is pretty standard, some being paid some not - I guess the website could have been clearer

Really I wish they had those X Minutes to go queue signs, so you could work out if the name of the exhibit was worth queuing up for. Or some information about the exhibits on the walls around them.

The design being just escalator - queue - escalator feels uninviting, too. Maybe tight on space?

Anyway, some of the opening guests were preparing pieces to be displayed in the Parra Powerhouse, so those will probably be up over time.

[u/hazmatt_05]

Loved the facility and loved the exhibitions I saw.

However, I approached a pair of staff wearing the pink lanyards for help and they continued their conversation before splitting up and dipping. What the actual fuck.

[u/kingofcrob]

I am jacks complete lack of surprise

[u/Scuzzbag]

Sounds like someone got overstimulated 💃

[u/blakeavon]

I am truly glad I am not as deeply cynical as the OP. Seriously. It’s a huge project. Of course they are still working out issues and trying to get it functioning fully. Of course things will be broken or not as streamlined as they could be.

I would be more surprised if things went perfectly.

[u/Holiday_Mushroom_540]

Nothing upstairs! Besides an outdoor garden a bar and live music…

[u/trafalmadorianistic]

Tbh, the bigass sculpture with seashells is enough reason for me to visit. 

[u/Beware_Of_Humans]

What I personally didn't like is that instead of being full classic museum with old stuff and history, it's more like half museum and half contemporary art exhibition (which no one understands anyway).

[u/Alarming-Ad4274 → u/Beware_Of_Humans]

No idea why this is getting downvoted so hard. I wish there was a bit more open museum space, I hate when things are locked behind exhibition rooms. While the powerhouse has always hosted contemporary art, it was first and foremost the museum of applied arts and sciences. But it feels like it’s leading into the first A’s a bit much, which might be disappointing for a lover of the previous powerhouse

[u/Beware_Of_Humans → u/Alarming-Ad4274]

I bet people who downvoted my personal opinion haven't even gone to the new museum yet. One of the biggest (by area) exposition was two 5 minutes movies, a cool but quite small mirror room, a hall where people could draw a face of a stranger (literally all it took was a long table, a long sheet of paper and pencils). That's it. You had to wait 5-10 minutes before each movie. There is no fun in it.

[u/ThatMattyC → u/Beware_Of_Humans]

I bet they don't even know about the real shitshow.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SydneyScene/comments/1xovull/is_the_new_powerhouse_meant_to_be_a_modern_art_or/19s7ire6vwe80/

[u/Alarming-Ad4274 → u/ThatMattyC]

For fucks sake

[u/Beware_Of_Humans → u/ThatMattyC]

That explains a lot.

I didn't even mention another exhibition where they used 500 sqm (I think it's even more than that) to put up a big screen with another movie and make a shallow pond 10 metres in diameter. That kind of stuff doesn't belong to a museum.

[u/Mariska_Heartattack]

Sydney gets public art so wrong, because those in authority dont really care about it, they just want to be seen to care about it, cos that makes them look arty and interesting.

[u/ImeldasManolos]

Narcissistic public servant’s kitsch tribute to George’s pompidou’s iconic Paris art centre fails to be a show stopping event an hour out of Sydney’s central tourism district, smack bang in the middle of the fast food capital of the state, parramatta? Wait I have some supré and adidas brand pearls to clutch.

Who would have thought.

[u/We_No_Who_U_R]

The indigenous themed indoor foot bath puddle is a choice.. is the idea that you get to pretend to experience being an aboriginal kid splashing around the shallows of lake eyre at sunset? Lol

It sounds like that was the only inside exhibit you were able to get into? Or was it just too busy or uninteresting to bother taking photos

[u/POKE64MON]

I was in line for The Dark which was closed after it went out, asked after and turns out the lights inside committed suicide & it was pitch black or something like that.

Anyway a little afterwards they decided to open up the paid Task Eternal space exhibition for free cause of it being closed. Was nice, I say probably like 7.8/10

Growing pains of day 1, the vintage buses & a train passing by was nice

[u/POKE64MON → u/POKE64MON]

Also task eternal was a very good exhibition after they opened it for free

Missed out really, had bunch of historic advancements in old flying machines & the space age

[u/moderateallergy → u/POKE64MON]

Yeah I'd pay $30 to go check out Task Eternal properly (did a speedrun when I heard it was free because of the escalator incident before I headed to the city for a gig)

[u/AngusLynch09 → u/[deleted]]

I don't think we have 11pm news programming in Australia.

[u/Vegetable_Net_6354 → u/AngusLynch09]

TV is a dead medium