The Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill is the Powerhouse Museum’s newly opened, publicly-accessible, museum storage and collection care facility.
Information
- Location:
- Castle Hill, Australia, 2154
- Phone:
- +61 2 9762 1300
- Tues - Fri:
- 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
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Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill Love lace? The Powerhouse Museum International Lace Award, with a total prize pool of $40,000, has launched.
www.dhub.org
The Powerhouse Museum International Lace Award is presented by the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia. The Powerhouse Museum is part of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Australia's leading cultural institution dedicated to celebrating human ingenuity.
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill
The 80s are back exhibition website has launched! Go and vote for your favourite arcade games of the early 80s. http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/the80sar
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill
Join us on Saturday 14th November when the Powerhouse Discovery Centre presents an Open Day celebrating the ‘gentle arts’, focused on embroidery, quilting and needlework in the Powerhouse Museum’s collection. Highlights of the Open Day include; a lecture by Powerhouse Museum Conservator, Suzanne Chee, on textile preser...vation and how to display needlework; displays and demonstrations of fine embroidery and patchwork quilting and a hands-on workshop where visitors can take part in embroidering a convict bonnet as part of the ‘Roses from the Heart’ convict bonnet project, developed by Tasmanian artist, Christina Henri. Visitors can also spend time in the Centre’s Collection Lab to view a selection of quilt panels from the Australian AIDS Memorial Quilt Project and meet some of the Discovery Centre volunteers involved in the conservation of the quilts. The Discovery Centre Open Day in December (Saturday 12th December) will complement the November theme of The Gentle Arts with more displays and demonstrations celebrating creativity and design through porcelain and ceramics.
For further information or to make a booking please contact us on 02 9762 1300.
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill You've been dying to know and now here it is - the opening date for the year's most anticipated exhibition 'The 80s are back' is 12 December 2009. Join the fanclub and be the first to receive updates on the exhibition and special events offers. Subscribe now at www.powerhousemuseum.com/80sareback
www.powerhousemuseum.com
The Powerhouse Museum is bringing back the 80s with a spectacular exhibition that will reveal the good and the bad about the decade vividly remembered for its over-the-top excess.
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill
Something odd is stirring at the Powerhouse Discovery Centre these school holidays! Enjoy programs themed around The Odditoreum, a display of weird and wonderful curiosities from the deep vaults of the Museum’s collection, brought to life through fantastical stories by multi award-winning children’s author and illustra...tor, Shaun Tan. Holiday program highlights include our holiday show, Guess What…? You’re Mad and I’m Not!, presented by Lana Banana & Co., storytelling sessions featuring Shaun Tan’s award-winning book, The Lost Thing, a make-and-do activity, a family evening star-gazing event to mark the International Year of Astronomy and a range of educational and fun-filled workshops and other activities for children and families to enjoy.
SPRING SCHOOL HOLIDAY OPENING HOURS
10.00am—4.00pm,
Tuesday 6th—Friday 9th October and Tuesday 13th—Friday 16th October, 2009
GENERAL ADMISSION PRICES
$8 adult, $5 child / concession / senior and pensioner, $25 family (2 adults + 2 children),
Free admission for Powerhouse Members and children under 4.
Additional charges apply for some school holiday programs.
BOOKINGS
To book your place in our school holiday programs, phone 02 9762 1300.
Vehicle and pedestrian access via 172 Showground Road, Castle Hill. Parking available on site.
Please note that there are no food facilities on site.
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS
EXHIBITION
The Odditoreum
Tuesday 6th—Friday 9th October | Tuesday 13th—Friday 16th October, 10.00am—4.00pm
Come in and discover The Odditoreum, a display of weird and wonderful curiosities from the deep vaults of the Museum’s collection. Including horse’s teeth, a giant liquorice allsorts shoe, a griffin, a broom-making machine, and a magical bezoar, The Odditoreum is an extraordinary mix of objects selected for their individual peculiarity. The objects have been given a new life by multi award-winning children’s author and illustrator, Shaun Tan, whose works include The Lost Thing, The Red Tree, The Arrival and Tales From Outer Suburbia. Inspired by the ‘oddness’ of each object, Shaun has replaced real object descriptions with fantastical stories, resulting in a very potent and funny mix. During the school holidays, young visitors can let their imaginations soar when writing their own bizarre object descriptions and stories about some of the oddities, which will then be displayed for other visitors to enjoy. The Odditoreum booklet will also be available for purchase, RRP $10.00. Suitable for 5+ year olds. Free with Display Store admission.
STORYTELLING
The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan (Duration: 30 minutes)
Tuesday 6th October, 10.30am and 12.00pm | Thursday 8th October, 10.30am and 12.00pm
Tuesday 13th October, 10.30am and 12.00pm | Thursday 15th October, 10.30am and 12.00pm
Join our story-teller for a fun presentation of Shaun Tan’s much-loved book, The Lost Thing. Hear how a young boy discovers a bizarre-looking creature which seems to be lost and how he then tries to find out where it belongs. What follows is a wonderful adventure brought to life by Tan’s beautiful images, with fun interaction for kids and parents alike! Following the story, children can accept the challenge to hunt through the Display Store to see if they can find The Lost Thing. Suitable for 3–10 year olds. Free with Display Store admission. Individual bookings not required. Bookings essential for vacation care groups of 10 or more.
MAKE-AND-DO ACTIVITY
Badge Yourself!
Tuesday 6th October 12.30pm-—3.00pm | Thursday 8th October 12.30pm—3.00pm
Tuesday 13th October 12.30pm— 3.00pm | Thursday 15th October 12.30pm—3.00pm
Using drawing and a variety of paper and stickers, young visitors can create their very own button badges on our marvellous badge-making machine to take home. Easy and FUN! Limit two badges per visitor. Suitable for 3-12 year olds. Free with Display Store admission. Individual bookings not required. Bookings essential for vacation care groups of 10 or more.
Cabinet of Curiosities
Wednesday 7th October, 12.00pm—3:30pm | Friday 9th October, 12.00pm—3:30pm
Wednesday 14th October, 12.00pm—3:30pm | Friday 16th October, 12.00pm—3:30pm
Following the show by world-renowned Oddologist, Professor Ingeborg Nordfjord, young visitors have the chance to assemble their very own collection, taking inspiration from the Museum’s odd and unusual objects to make a Cabinet of Curiosities. Using craft materials, drawing and collage, kids can create a weird and wonderful miniature world to take home. Suitable for 5–8 year olds. Free with Display Store admission. Individual bookings not required. Bookings essential for vacation care groups of 10 or more.
HOLIDAY SHOW
Guess What…? You’re Mad and I’m Not! (Duration: 45 minutes)
Wednesday 7th October, 11.00am | Friday 9th October, 11.00am
Wednesday 14th October, 11.00am | Friday 16th October, 11.00am
Join eccentric Oddologist, Professor Ingeborg Nordfjord, Curator of the Wundercammembert Facility for Odd Things in Kunstkappstromdorfland, for a madcap and fun-filled tour of The Odditoreum. Professor Nordfjord is an expert in the exploration of ‘exquisitries’, the observation of all oddities and the foundation of philosophies, the collection of curiosities and the purveyor of peculiarities! Please note that questions may, or may not, be answered! Presented by Lana Banana & Co. Suitable for 5 years+. Free with Display Store admission. Individual bookings not required. Bookings essential for vacation care groups and groups of 10 or more.
ASTRONOMY EVENING
Planets & Pizza
Wednesday 7th October, 6.00pm—8.30pm
Join us for an outdoor family event under the stars to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy! Presented in partnership with Sydney Observatory, participants can make a planisphere, a star chart used to identify stars and constellations, enjoy some pizza, and then join Sydney Observatory astronomers with their telescopes for night sky viewings and stories. The time of year is perfect to view the planet Jupiter and also the globular cluster of half a million stars called NGC104 in Tucana. Bookings are essential as numbers are strictly limited to 80. Includes pizza, soft drink, tea and coffee and admission to the Display Store on the night. Suitable for children aged 5+. $25 adult, $20 concession/child, $70 family (2 adults/2 children or 1 adult/3 children). Powerhouse Members $20 adult, $16 concession/child, $65 family. Children under 3 years free. Adult supervision of children aged 16 years and under is essential at this event. If it is not possible to view the night sky due to weather conditions on the night, an audiovisual astronomy presentation and fun astronomy workshop will be offered.
WORKSHOPS
Extraordinary & Ordinary: ‘Zine’ Making Workshop
Thursday 8th October, 10.00am—12:30pm | Thursday 15th October, 10.00am—12:30pm
Become your own magazine publisher in our zine workshop! Zines are both extraordinary and ordinary! The term ‘zine’ or ‘fanzine’ is used to refer to publications that are self-produced, one-off, handmade publications as alternatives to mainstream magazines. Generally low budget and often photocopied and stapled, zines are becoming a popular medium of creative expression. Led by western Sydney-based visual artist, Regina Walter, workshop participants will view a range of current zines and learn a range of techniques and design approaches to create their own zine to share with friends and fans! Learn how to make a zine with just one sheet of paper, explore different methods of printing from using stamps to lemon juice, and practice some basics in cartoon illustration with step-by-step drawing techniques to develop cartoon characters. Suitable for 8 to 13 year olds. $20/$16 Powerhouse Members. Bookings essential as numbers are limited to 20 per workshop.
Scratch! Animation Workshop
Tuesday 6th October, 10.00am—4.00pm | Tuesday 13th October, 10.00am—4.00pm
Presented in partnership with Computer Explorers, this hands-on workshop teaches participants the basic skills of ‘scratch’ animation—creating and editing different forms of media together. Working in small groups, participants will develop their computer skills by creating interactive stories, games and animation sequences using ‘scratch’. Create characters that can dance, sing and interact with each other and then add sound effects and music clips to create a dynamic video animation. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants can post their animations online so that friends and family can play and enjoy them! Scratch is an innovative computer programming language created just for kids by internationally respected Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Suitable for 8–12 year olds. $60/$55 Powerhouse members. Please bring your own lunch. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 16. Terms and conditions apply. Credit card numbers are required at the time of booking to secure places due to popularity of workshops.
Lego® Robotics Workshop
Wednesday 7th October, 10.00am—3.00pm | Wednesday 14th October, 10.00am—3.00pm
Presented in partnership with Computer Explorers, this full-day, hands-on workshop teaches participants the basic
skills of robotics. During the workshop and working in teams of three, participants will build robots with Lego® and then program them to move, dance and conquer obstacle courses using touch and light sensors. Later in the day, teams participate in a challenge to determine the best-designed robot on the day. Please note that this workshop does not include a robot to take home at the end of the workshop. Suitable for 8–12 year olds. $70/$65 Powerhouse members. Please bring your own lunch. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 12. Terms and conditions apply. Credit card numbers are required at the time of booking to secure places due to popularity of workshops.
Lego® Build Construction Workshop
Thursday October 8th, 10.00am—3.00pm | Thursday 15th October, 10.00am—3.00pm
Become a Lego® master builder! Presented in partnership with Computer Explorers, this full-day, hands-on fun workshop will stimulate creativity while developing teamwork and problem solving skills. Introducing concepts of 3-D visualization, participants will work in small teams to build houses, castles and towers of strength using Lego®. Please note that this workshop does not include Lego® to take home at the end of the workshop. Suitable for 6–8 year olds. $60/$55 Powerhouse members. Please bring your own lunch. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 12. Terms and conditions apply. Credit card numbers are requested at the time of booking to secure places due to popularity of workshops.
Lego® Robotics Advanced Workshop
Friday 9th October, 10.00am—3.00pm
Presented in partnership with Computer Explorers, this is a full-day, hands-on explorative workshop. You already have the basic robotics skills, now you can learn advanced programming skills to design the ultimate dream Mindstorm® robot, its limitations only bound by your imagination! Using state-of-the-art NXT Lego® Robotics components, participants build on their skills in robotics and programming the Lego® NXT—the intelligent, computer controlled brain of the Mindstorm® robot. It is a pre-requisite that advanced workshop participants have completed the basic Lego Robotics workshop. Please note that this workshop does not include a robot to take home at the end of the workshop.
Suitable for 8–12 year olds. $70/$65 Powerhouse members. Please bring your own lunch. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 12. Terms and conditions apply. Credit card numbers are required at the time of booking to secure places due to popularity of workshops.
Game On! Computer Game Design Workshop
Friday 16th October, 10.00am—4.00pm
Ever had a great idea for a computer game? Back by popular demand and presented in partnership with Computer Explorers, this workshop will equip participants with the skills to create their own personalised computer game. Working in pairs, the workshop begins with a tour of the Discovery Centre to find inspiration and then design and create your own computer game. At the end of the workshop, participants take home their game to play—with 30-day free trial software—to continue to add to and play their game! Suitable for 8–12 year olds. $60/$55 Powerhouse members. Please bring your own lunch. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 16. Terms and conditions apply. Credit card numbers are required at the time of booking to secure places due to popularity of workshops.
Create Your Own Storybook!
Create your own personalised storybook of your visit to the Powerhouse Discovery Centre. Write your story, add your own drawings or stickers of your favourite objects and then take home your storybook as a souvenir to share with friends and family. Suitable for visitors 4–10 years. Free with general admission. Bookings not required.
Discovery Trails!
A self-completion activity trail that takes young visitors on a journey of discovery, focused on critters and creatures, or wheels or wings in the Display Store. Collect your Trail in the Display Store foyer. Suitable for visitors 4–10 years. Free with general admission. Bookings not required.
For further information visit us at: castlehill.powerhousemuseum.com
or to make a booking telephone: 02 9762 1300
Time:10:00AM Tuesday, October 6th
Location:Powerhouse Discovery Centre
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill
To celebrate History Week 2009 and The Hills Shire’s annual Orange Blossom Festival, the Powerhouse Discovery
Centre’s September Open Day will focus on curious stories of crimes, corruption and scandal related to objects in the
Powerhouse Museum’s collection. Highlights of the Open Day include talks on Hills bushranger, ...‘Bold’ Jack Donahoe,
the mysterious fire that destroyed the Garden Palace at the 1879 Sydney International Exhibition and the story of the
enigmatic and mysterious French Baron Verincourt de Clambe of Castle Hill. Younger visitors will have the opportunity
to participate in our CSI: Castle Hill crime scene investigation activity.
OPEN DAY PROGRAM ~ 10.00am—4.00pm
ILLUSTRATED LECTURE
The Mysterious Baron of Castle Hill 11.00am (Duration: 30 minutes)
Presented by Karlene Dimbrowsky, author and member of the Hills District Historical Society
Did you know that an aristocratic French Baron is said to have been the inspiration for the naming of Castle Hill and that he was
a local Hills resident who experimented with the growing of cotton and coffee plantations on his property? Or that his remains
are yet to be found, buried somewhere between Old Castle Hill Road, Old Northern Road and First Farm Drive? Presented by
local historian, Karlene Dimbrowsky, this illustrated lecture will attempt to shed more light on this largely unknown but
enigmatic character from our early history. Karlene Dimbrowsky has lived in the Hills for over 35 years and is a member of the
Hills District Historical Society and the owner of a heritage-listed house in Castle Hill. Karlene is the author of two local history
books: one on the history of her Victorian home, ‘Garthowen’, and the other on the enigmatic Baron from our colonial
past. Karlene is currently researching a new book on the history of George and Charlotte Sargent, of Sargent’s Pies fame, who
were the previous owners of her historic home. FREE with Open Day admission.
FUN FOR KIDS & FAMILIES
CSI: Castle Hill—Whodunnit at Harry’s Café de Wheels? 10.00am—3.00pm
Can you help Harry discover who stole his pies? Presented in partnership with Computer Explorers, this activity provides young
visitors with an insight into the science of forensics and crime scene investigation techniques using digital microscopes. Crime
Scene Investigation activity stations will assist young detectives to assess fibres, hair, teeth imprints, finger prints and various
powder substances to provide clues to solve the crime. No blood, no gore…but fun galore! Good luck, detectives! Suitable for
ages 6+ and family groups. FREE with Open Day admission.
OBJECT SHORT TALKS
‘Bold’ Jack Donahoe: The Hills and Nepean Bushranger 10.30am
Presented by Pam Wilson, Secretary, Hills District Historical Society
Join Pam Wilson for an insightful account of legendary bushranger, ‘Bold’ Jack Donahoe. Jack Donahoe was a young Irish
convict who became a bush legend between 1827 and 1830. An Australian Robin Hood, Jack mainly robbed from the rich
settlers and left the poor alone. He possessed a sense of theatre, knowing that his exploits would be reported to the press and
became the talk of towns, pubs and campfires. His death was the inspiration for the ballad, ‘The Wild Colonial Boy’, a song so
popular and subversive that it was banned by the Government. Pam Wilson is a former secondary school Social Science and
History teacher who now devotes her time to researching and writing the history of the Hills District. In Pam’s positions as
Secretary of the Hills District Historical Society, Castle Hill Heritage Park Committee Member and Sydney Hills Tourism
Volunteer, she promotes local heritage and leads guided tours of heritage sites. FREE with Open Day admission.
Harry & Cindric: Curious Characters 1.00pm
Join Discovery Centre volunteer guide, Beth Grennard, for an insightful talk focused on two curious characters and Sydney
identities—Harry ‘Tiger’ Edwards, from Harry’s Café de Wheels, and the eccentric and intriguing ‘barrow man’, Joso Cindric
(c1904—1994), who was one of Sydney's most visible street people living on the streets of Sydney’s central business district
with his mysterious hand-fashioned trolley. FREE with Open Day admission.
SATURDAY 12th SEPTEMBER
OPEN DAY SCANDALS, CRIME &
CORRUPTION: CURIOUS STORIES
FROM THE COLLECTION
Images from left to right: Shop window display “Joso Cindric and his trolley” by Richard Goodwin 1994; “Convicts working on Baron de Clambe’s property” by Collingridge Rivett (date unknown);
CSI Castle Hill kids activity; Sailor buying a pie from Harry’s Café de Wheels (1940s).
DISPLAYS
Corruption in the Collection 10.00am—4.00pm
To highlight our ‘Scandals, Crime & Corruption’ theme, a special Open Day collection display will feature an early poker
machine used in Sydney when ‘playing the pokies’ was still outlawed; a kip and coins used in games of two-up, another popular
and illegal Australian pastime; a double-headed penny, probably made for two-up, and other counterfeit coins. FREE with Open
Day admission.
Hills District Historical Society 10.00am—4.00pm
In recognition of History Week 2009, the Hills District Historical Society will present a display highlighting the history of the
local area. The Society was established to collect, research, preserve, exhibit and interpret archives and artefacts relevant to
the Hills district for the benefit and education of the community. Members of the society will be present on the day and a range
of Society publications on local history will be available for sale. FREE with Open Day admission.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOUR
Hidden Histories 10.00am (Duration: 60 minutes)
Go behind-the-scenes for a tour that reveals the historical stories of ‘hidden’ objects from the Museum’s Sydney 2000 Olympic
Games, Furniture, Piano and Transport collections. From a Depression-era ‘make-do’ chair and a piano owned by Robert Louis
Stevenson, to the perils of steam-powered transport in a Stanley Steamer during the 1920s and the more recent story of the
‘Tin Symphony’ bicycle from the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, this tour provides the opportunity for visitors to experience the
intriguing and eclectic range of objects that are part of the Museum’s vast collection. Behind-The-Scenes Tour Price: $16/$10
concession (includes Open Day admission). Limited to visitors aged 12 and over. Conditions apply. As spaces on
Behind-the-Scenes Tours are strictly limited to a maximum of 20 participants per tour, pre-booking is essential.
MUSEUM STORAGE GLIMPSE
Museum Storage Glimpses are free with Open Day admission. As sessions are strictly limited to 20 people,
pre-booking is strongly recommended (ph: 02 9762 1300). Limited to visitors aged 12 and over. Conditions apply.
Led by Discovery Centre volunteer guides, go behind-the-scenes for a sneak peak into collection storage areas not
normally accessible to the public:
Cars in the Powerhouse Collection 1.30pm (Duration: 30 minutes)
Go behind-the-scenes to explore the hidden treasures in the Powerhouse Museum's car collection, including early horse-drawn
vehicles, a Stanley Steamer, a 1915 Detroit Electric, a Nota Fang Australian built sports car, an EAW Special racing car, an
Australian Six, a vice-regal Rolls Royce and a Dick Smith Bash rally car. FREE with Open Day admission.
OUTDOOR CAR DISPLAY
The Australian Electric Vehicle Association (Sydney branch) 10.00am—2.00pm
The Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) is a non-profit organisation founded in 1973, comprised of individuals and
organisations with an interest in Electric Vehicles (EVs), electric vehicle technology, and activities related to the manufacture,
conversion and operation of electric vehicles. This display is presented by the Sydney branch of AEVA and will include a range of
electric vehicles, from scooters, bikes and buggies, to road-registered electric cars. FREE with Open Day admission.
STORYBOOK ACTIVITY & DISCOVERY TRAILS
Young visitors can create their own personalised storybook of their visit to the Powerhouse Discovery Centre with stories,
drawings and stickers as a souvenir to share with friends and family. Enjoy our self-completion activity trails that take young
visitors on a journey of discovery, focused on critters and creatures, or wheels or wings in the Display Store. Suitable for
visitors 4–10 years. Bookings not required. FREE with Open Day admission.
HIGHLIGHTS TOURS
The Display Store: 12.30pm or 2.00pm (Duration: 30 minutes). FREE with Open Day admission.
FOOD: ROTARY CLUB OF KELLYVILLE
The Rotary Club of Kellyville will host a fundraising barbeque food stall (10.00am—2.00pm).
OPEN DAY HOURS: 10.00am—4.00pm.
OPEN DAY ADMISSION: $8 adult/$5 concession/child /seniors and pensioners, $25 family (2 adults + 2 children).
Free entry to PHM Members and children under 4.
PARKING AND ACCESS: On-site parking available. Vehicle and pedestrian entry via 172 Showground Road, Castle Hill.
For further information please contact us on 02 9762 1300 or to make a booking.
Time:10:00AM Saturday, September 12th
Location:Powerhouse Discovery Centre
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill
Join us on Saturday 13th June when the Powerhouse Discovery Centre celebrates early transport—from horse drawn vehicles to steam and electric-powered transport. Highlights of the day include an illustrated lecture by Sam Everingham, author of Wild Ride: The Rise & Fall of Cobb & Co, a unique behind-the-scenes tour of h...orse-drawn vehicles in the Powerhouse Collection and the public blessing of the recently-donated gypsy caravan by elders of a local gypsy tribe.
OPEN DAY PROGRAM ~ 10.00am—4.00pm
ILLUSTRATED LECTURE
Cobb & Co—The Shocking Truth Behind the Legend 11.00am (Duration: 60 minutes)
Presented by author Sam Everingham
Join Sam Everingham, author of Wild Ride: The Rise and Fall of Cobb & Co, as he uncovers for the first time the shocking truth behind Australia’s legendary Cobb & Co coaching empire and the once powerful families who ran the firm. For this illustrated lecture, Sam re-interprets existing material, as well as uncovering engaging new material about this legendary Australian icon that places it in an entirely new light. Sam Everingham, a sixth generation Sydneysider now living in Melbourne, is often described as a home-grown history detective who has developed a second career bringing to life aspects of Australia’s forgotten history. His first book, Wild Ride: The Rise and Fall of Cobb & Co, the result of some 10 years of research, was published by Penguin Books in 2007. Sam’s second book, Gordon Barton: Australia’s Maverick Entrepreneur, was published by Allen & Unwin in February 2009. Following the lecture, visitors will have the opportunity to meet the author and purchase signed copies of his books ($30.00). FREE with Display Store Open Day admission.
GYPSY BLESSING
Reading Gypsy Caravan 12.00pm (Duration: 45 minutes)
To mark the arrival at the Discovery Centre of the 1914 Reading gypsy caravan, generously donated to the Powerhouse Collection by legendary Australian actor, Jack Thompson, members of the local Romany community will lead a traditional gypsy blessing. The blessing of the inside and outside of the Vardo (caravan) will be performed by elders of a local gypsy tribe: Michael Brien, local gypsy artist and poet, and Jutane gypsy, Romano Yehudi Solo, author of Gypsy Pie, to set free the spirits of the family who built, lived and travelled in the caravan. Following the official blessing, join talented young vocalist Nashya Erosa, accompanied by guitarist Emma Nagi, both students of AIPAH (The Australian International Performing Arts High School), who will perform traditional songs to farewell the spirits and welcome the caravan to the Discovery Centre. Following the blessing, visitors will have the opportunity to meet Romano Yuhedi Solo and purchase signed copies of his book, Gypsy Pie ($10.00). FREE with Display Store Open Day admission.
HORSE-DRAWN COACH RIDES 10.00am—3.00pm
Enjoy the rare opportunity to travel as early pioneers and settlers did, with a horse-drawn coach ride around the Discovery Centre site hosted by Graham Ware Livery Stables, Rouse Hill. The coach ride will include commentary on the history of the Powerhouse Museum at the Castle Hill site. Coach rides will operate on a first come, first served basis. FREE with Open Day admission.
KIDS’ ACTIVITY
Gypsy Bells: 10.00am—2.00pm
Twirl and whirl like a dancing gypsy with your own gypsy bells, made by young visitors in honour of the Discovery Centre’s newest acquisition, the Reading gypsy caravan! Suitable for visitors 4–10 years. Bookings not required. FREE with Open Day admission (*while supplies last.).
OBJECTS IN FOCUS
Early Transport 10.30am (Duration: 30 minutes)
Join Margaret Simpson, Powerhouse Museum Assistant Curator of Transport, for a floor talk focused on selected early transport objects on exhibition in the Display Store. Objects include a recently-donated early shearer’s bicycle, complete with a swag and billy; the colourful horse-drawn wheat wagon, ‘Daylight', from Parkes NSW; the curious Newcastle tram hearse (1896–1948); the historic Stanhope gig and Steam Tram Motor No.1A that transported visitors to and from the 1879 Sydney International Exhibition. FREE with Open Day admission.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOUR
$16 adult/$10 concession (includes Open Day admission). Limited to visitors aged 12 and over. Conditions apply. As spaces on the Behind-the-Scenes Tours are strictly limited, we strongly recommend pre-booking.
Horse Drawn Vehicles 1.00pm (Duration: 60 minutes)
Join Andrew Grant, Powerhouse Museum Senior Curator of Transport, for a very special tour of the Museum’s horse–drawn vehicle collection. Be transported back to the days when getting from place to place depended on horse-drawn carriages, coaches, wagons and carts. Hear fascinating stories behind the Powerhouse Museum’s unique collection of horse-drawn vehicles, which includes a magnificent park drag coach similar to those once used to transport groups of passengers to picnics, race meetings and other excursions, a gentleman’s stylish Town Chariot, a rustic tip dray employed to carry oranges at the Shore family orange orchard in Glenorie, and a familiar favourite, the Cobb & Co coach.
Maximum 20 participants.
MUSEUM STORAGE GLIMPSES
Museum Storage Glimpses are free with Open Day admission. As sessions are strictly limited to 20 people,
pre-booking is strongly recommended (ph: 02 9762 1300). Limited to visitors aged 12 and over. Conditions apply.
Led by Discovery Centre volunteer guides, go behind-the-scenes for a sneak peak into collection storage areas not normally accessible to the public:
Cars in the Powerhouse Collection 11.30am (Duration: 30 minutes)
Go behind-the-scenes to explore the hidden treasures in the Powerhouse Museum's car collection, including early horse-drawn vehicles, a Stanley Steamer, a 1915 Detroit Electric, a Nota Fang Australian built sports car, an EAW Special racing car, an Australian Six, a vice-regal Rolls Royce and a Dick Smith Bash rally car. FREE with Open Day admission.
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Furniture and Music Collections: 1.00pm (Duration: 30 minutes)
Explore and marvel at selected Sydney 2000 Olympic Games ceremony costumes created by iconic Australian fashion designers, including Jenny Kee and Lisa Ho, and a selection of objects from both the Museum’s furniture and music collections. FREE with Open Day admission.
STORYBOOK ACTIVITY & DISCOVERY TRAILS
Young visitors can create their own personalised storybook of their visit to the Powerhouse Discovery Centre with stories, drawings and stickers as a souvenir to share with friends and family. Enjoy our self-completion activity trails that take young visitors on a journey of discovery, focused on critters and creatures, or wheels or wings in the Display Store. Suitable for visitors 4–10 years. Bookings not required. FREE with Open Day admission.
HIGHLIGHTS TOURS
The Display Store: 11.00am or 1.30pm (Duration: 30 minutes). FREE with Open Day admission.
FOOD
Aussie Gozzy: 10.00am—2.00pm
Enjoy a range of Turkish gozleme (including vegetarian, meat, and Sujuk (Turkish salami)), kumru (authentic Turkish grilled sandwiches) and baklava courtesy of Aussie Gozzy. A mobile coffee cart will also be available serving hot and cold drinks and light snacks.
OPEN DAY HOURS: 10.00am—4.00pm.
OPEN DAY ADMISSION: $8 adult / $5 concession/ child / seniors and pensioners,
$25 family (2 adults + 2 children). Free entry to PHM Members and children under 4.
PARKING AND ACCESS: On-site parking available. Vehicle and pedestrian entry via 172 Showground Road, Castle Hill.
For further information or to make a booking please contact us on 02 9762 1300. castlehill.powerhousemuseum.com.
Time:10:00AM Saturday, June 13th
Location:Powerhouse Discovery Centre
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill
FULL STEAM AHEAD!
Join us on Saturday 9th May when the Powerhouse Discovery Centre celebrates steam technology— from contemporary applications with the prototype ‘Swash’ steam dishwasher to historic stationary steam engines. The day includes the rare opportunity to go behind-the-scenes for a tour of the Museum’s world-c...lass collection of engineering models.
OPEN DAY PROGRAM
ILLUSTRATED LECTURE
Swash Dishwasher: 2009 Powerhouse Wizard Alexandra Gilmour 11.30am (Duration: 60 minutes)
Alexandra Gilmour is an Industrial Designer and graduate of the University of Technology, Sydney, completing a Masters in Design (Research) and exploring the idea of nanofiltration. Join Alexandra for an illustrated lecture based on her research into the use of steam in contemporary dishwashing applications. Alexandra’s research project has evolved from a conceptual steam dishwasher, ‘Swash’, developed for her undergraduate degree. At present, the project is in prototype/testing stage, experimenting with the use of steam and its cleaning performance on dishware. Alexandra has an Innovation Patent assigned to steam dishwasher development and is further developing ‘Swash’ for commercial application. In October 2008, the Powerhouse Museum announced Alexandra Gilmour as the 2008 Powerhouse Wizard, the youngest recipient to receive the Award since its inception in 2004. Sponsored by Aussie, the Powerhouse Wizard award recognises emerging leaders in Australian innovation and achievement.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOURS
Behind-The-Scenes Tour Price: $16/$10 concession (includes Open Day admission). Limited to visitors aged 12 and over. Conditions apply. As spaces on the Behind-the-Scenes Tours are strictly limited, we strongly recommend pre-booking.
Cars in the Powerhouse Collection: 10.30am (Duration: 60 minutes)
Go behind-the-scenes to explore the hidden treasures in the Powerhouse Museum's car collection, including early horse-drawn vehicles, a Stanley Steamer, a 1915 Detroit Electric, a Nota Fang Australian built sports car, an EAW Special racing car, an Australian Six, a vice-regal Rolls Royce and a Dick Smith Bash rally car. Maximum 20 participants per tour.
Rare Steam Engine Models: 12.30pm or 2.00pm (Duration: 60 minutes)
The Powerhouse has an extensive, world-class collection of engineering models stored at the Castle Hill site. The collection includes a wide range of steam engines designed for stationary, portable, traction, locomotive and marine use. Highlights of the tour include a model demonstrating equipment for crushing gold-bearing quartz to release the gold, nicely detailed models of a traction engine, an early railway locomotive called ‘Canterbury Lamb’, and a model steam turbine made by the inventor Lawrence Hargrave, who carried out many experiments into ways of powering flying machines and also used this model to test different propeller blades. Maximum 15 participants per tour.
DISPLAYS
Live Steaming—Stationary Steam Engine 10.00am—2.00pm
Visitors have the rare opportunity to see a stationary engine in steam as part of an outdoor water pumping display. A six horsepower portable steam engine built in 1903 by Richard Hornsby & Sons of Grantham, Lincolnshire, will drive a 4 inch Southern Cross centrifugal pump made by the Toowoomba Foundry. This display is courtesy of the Campbelltown Steam and Machinery Museum. FREE with Display Store Open Day admission.
Model Steam Engines 10.00am—4.00pm
This display includes an interesting range of factory and marine steam engine models, miniature steam engines and miniature World War 1 aero engines. Of particular interest to young children are a tank locomotive, two toy road rollers and a toy launch, all designed to operate on steam, and a selection of clockwork toys. FREE with Display Store Open Day admission.
OBJECT SHORT TALK
Manning Wardle Steam Locomotive 12.00pm
What role did small, industrial steam locomotives play in building infrastructure in New South Wales in the early years of the 20th Century? Why is this small Manning Wardle locomotive well worth preserving? Learn more about this locomotive and find out the answers to these questions when Discovery Centre volunteer, Kevin Dodds, presents a concise, illustrated talk on the four important roles that this 0-4-0 locomotive played in the 40 years of its working life, before its retirement, and subsequent restoration in 1986. FREE with Open Day admission.
MUSEUM STORAGE GLIMPSES
Museum Storage Glimpses are free with Open Day admission. As sessions are strictly limited to 20 people,
pre-booking is recommended (ph: 02 9762 1300). Limited to visitors aged 12 and over. Conditions apply.
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Furniture and Music Collections: 11.00am or 12.30pm (Duration: 30 minutes)
Led by Discovery Centre volunteer guides, go behind-the-scenes for a sneak peak into a collection storage area not normally accessible to the public. Marvel at selected Sydney 2000 Olympic Games ceremony costumes created by iconic Australian fashion designers, including Jenny Kee and Lisa Ho, and view a selection of objects from both the Museum’s furniture and music collections. FREE with Open Day admission.
STORYBOOK ACTIVITY & DISCOVERY TRAILS
Young visitors can create their own personalised storybook of their visit to the Powerhouse Discovery Centre with stories, drawings and stickers as a souvenir to share with friends and family. Enjoy our self-completion activity trails that take young visitors on a journey of discovery, focused on critters and creatures, or wheels or wings in the Display Store. Suitable for visitors 4–10 years. Bookings not required. FREE with Open Day admission.
PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION
Journeys to a New Life: Italian Migration in NSW: 10.00am—4.00pm
Presented in partnership with the Powerhouse Museum, Co.As.It and the Migration Heritage Centre, this exhibition presents a selection of 24 historical photographs documenting Italian migration and Italian life in NSW from the late nineteenth century to the present. FREE with Open Day admission.
HIGHLIGHTS TOURS
The Display Store: 10.30am, 12.00pm or 1.30pm (Duration: 30 minutes). FREE with Open Day admission.
ROTARY CLUB OF PARRAMATTA CITY
Rotary Club of Parramatta City will host a fundraising barbeque food stall (10.00am—2.00pm).
OPEN DAY HOURS: 10.00am—4.00pm.
OPEN DAY ADMISSION: $8 adult / $5 concession/ child / seniors and pensioners,
$25 family (2 adults + 2 children). Free entry to PHM Members and children under 4.
PARKING AND ACCESS: On-site parking available. Vehicle and pedestrian entry via 172 Showground Road, Castle Hill.
For further information or to make a booking please contact us on 02 9762 1300.
Time:10:00AM Saturday, May 9th
Location:Powerhouse Discovery Centre
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill
Join us on Saturday 18th April when the Powerhouse Discovery Centre celebrates toys and games—the futuristic, the contemporary and the nostalgic. The program includes an outdoor display of Goggomobils, a hands-on toy-making workshop for kids, toy displays and special talks and tours that provide visitors with a variety... of programs showcasing toys and games in the Powerhouse Collection.
OPEN DAY PROGRAM
ILLUSTRATED LECTURE
Toy Stories
11.30am (Duration: 60 minutes)
Reminisce about your childhood with a talk on the Powerhouse Museum's toy collection, presented by Powerhouse Curator, Margaret Simpson. Which toy was your favourite—a construction toy; Dinky and Matchbox cars; Airfix kits; toy domestic appliances; Hornby toy trains; an Annie Oakley outfit; Britain's lead farm animals or a Shirley Temple doll? Find out how Meccano was devised, how Matchbox got its name, how Barbie was born and why toy farms flourished. FREE with Open Day admission.
DISPLAYS
G-O—G-G-O: Goggomobils
10.00am—2.00pm
Presented in partnership with the Goggomobil People, Castle Hill, this display will feature three rare vehicles; a 1960 Goggomobil Carryall Van, one of only 12-15 in the world, entirely designed and built at Buckle Motors’ Punchbowl factory; a 1959 Goggomobil Dart, one of only 700 Darts designed and built only in Australia by Buckle Motors and a 1959 Messerschmitt 3-Wheeler, originally designed as a vehicle for disabled German war veterans. Messerschmitts are much sought after by collectors, as only 206 Messerschmitt 3-Wheelers came to Australia from a total of 160,000 manufactured in Germany. FREE with Display Store Open Day admission.
Meet the Toymaker: John Cervenka
10.00am—2.00pm
John Cervenka is a toymaker based in the lower Blue Mountains who has been designing and making collectible tin-plate toys for over 25 years. Having worked in the theatre profession and as a stage designer, John has long had a fascination with old toys. Using 19th century techniques and methods of the pre-factory machine age, John makes handmade tin toys of yesteryear using basic hand tools that are hand-painted with quality enamels. Visitors will have the opportunity to see a display of unique hand-made toys, including automated toys, novelties, tin boats and transport items. During the Open Day, visitors can join John to make their own cardboard toy kangaroo or bear to take home. FREE with Display Store Open Day admission.
Barbie: Icon of Style
10.00am—4.00pm
Barbie turned 50 years old on March 9th, 2009! In keeping with the toys and games theme, the Discovery Centre presents a special Barbie display, featuring a vintage Barbie doll with a selection of outfits, accessories and original packaging. FREE with Display Store Open Day admission.
OBJECT SHORT TALK
Happy Birthday, Barbie! 1.00pm
To mark the 50th Birthday of Barbie, join Powerhouse Curator, Margaret Simpson, for a short talk on one of the world’s most iconic and celebrated dolls. FREE with Open Day admission.
DEMONSTRATIONS
Puzzles & Games
10.00am—1.00pm
CubeSoc—the Rubik’s Cube & Other Puzzles Appreciation Society from the University of Sydney—presents an engaging demonstration featuring some of the many puzzles that have taken the world by storm, including the ever-popular Rubik’s Cube, with over 350 million cubes sold worldwide. Club members will provide hints on solving the Rubik’s Cube (from 3x3x3s up to 7x7x7s) and will display and demonstrate yo-yos, Lego model-building and other puzzles. FREE with Display Store Open Day admission.
Lego Robots: Toys of the Future
10.00am—1.00pm
Toys from the future are here today! Visitors have the opportunity to view a number of Lego robots in various stages of completion and then try their hand at building and operating a robot through simple programming instructions, to complete simple tasks using light and touch sensors. The Lego robot activity is presented in partnership with Computer Explorers. FREE with Display Store Open Day admission.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOUR
Behind-The-Scenes Tour Price: $16/$10 concession (includes Open Day admission). Limited to visitors aged 12 and over. Conditions apply. As spaces on the Behind-the-Scenes Tours are strictly limited, we strongly recommend pre-booking.
Cars in the Powerhouse Collection
10.30am (Duration: 60 minutes)
Go behind-the-scenes to explore the hidden treasures in the Powerhouse Museum's car collection, including early horse-drawn vehicles, a 1915 Detroit Electric, a Nota Fang Australian built sports car, an EAW Special racing car, an Australian Six, a vice-regal Rolls Royce and a Dick Smith Bash rally car.
MUSEUM STORAGE GLIMPSES
Museum Storage Glimpses are free with Open Day admission. As sessions are strictly limited to 20 people, pre-booking is recommended (ph: 02 9762 1300). Limited to visitors aged 12 and over. Conditions apply.
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Furniture and Music Collections
11.00am or 12.30pm (Duration: 30 minutes)
Led by Discovery Centre volunteer guides, go behind-the-scenes for a sneak peak into a collection storage area not normally accessible to the public. Marvel at selected Sydney 2000 Olympic Games ceremony costumes created by iconic Australian fashion designers, including Jenny Kee and Lisa Ho, and view a selection of objects from both the Museum’s furniture and music collections. FREE with Open Day admission.
STORYBOOK ACTIVITY & DISCOVERY TRAILS
Young visitors can create their own personalised storybook of their visit to the Powerhouse Discovery Centre with stories, drawings and stickers as a souvenir to share with friends and family. Enjoy our self-completion activity trails that take young visitors on a journey of discovery, focused on critters and creatures, or wheels or wings in the Display Store. Suitable for visitors 4–10 years. Bookings not required. FREE with Open Day admission.
PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION
Journeys to a New Life: Italian Migration in NSW: 10.00am—4.00pm
Presented in partnership with the Powerhouse Museum, Co.As.It and the Migration Heritage Centre, this exhibition presents a selection of 24 historical photographs documenting Italian migration and Italian life in NSW from the late nineteenth century to the present. FREE with Open Day admission.
HIGHLIGHTS TOURS
The Display Store
10.30am, 12.00pm or 1.30pm (Duration: 30 minutes). FREE with Open Day admission.
FOOD
Soroptimists International of the Hills District Inc.: 10.00am—2.00pm
Soroptimist International Inc. is a worldwide organisation for women, working through service projects to advance human rights and the status of women. ‘Soroptimist’ originated from two Latin words: ‘soro’, meaning sister and ‘optima’, meaning best—‘helping women to be their best’. Soroptimist clubs are non-political, non-religious, voluntary organisations. Soroptimist International is the world’s largest womens’ community service organisation with over 90,000 members in 125 countries. The Hills District chapter will be hosting a fundraising BBQ and food stall.
Open Day Hours
10.00am—4.00pm
Open Day Admission
$8 adult / $5 concession/ child / seniors and pensioners, $25 family (2 adults + 2 children). Free entry to PHM Members and children under 4.
Parking and Access
On-site parking available. Vehicle and pedestrian entry via 172 Showground Road, Castle Hill.
For further information or to make a booking please contact us on 02 9762 1300
Time:10:00AM Saturday, April 18th
Location:Powerhouse Discovery Centre
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill
The Powerhouse Discovery Centre presents a day focused on how to care for and store your collectibles and family treasures. A team of Powerhouse Museum conservators will present a series of sessions covering a range of topics including how to start your own family scrapbook or archive; and how to store and care for tex...tiles such as wedding dresses and christening gowns. Attendees are invited to bring along one object from their own collection for the conservators advice bank to examine offering professional advice on appropriate care and storage.
The day will also feature highlights tours of the Powerhouse Discovery Centre’s centrepiece, the Display Store, and a glimpse behind-the-scenes into storage areas not normally accessible to the public.
This event is a preserving local history initiative presented in partnership with Baulkham Hills Shire Council as part of Heritage Week 2009. Morning and afternoon tea will be available. Please provide your own lunch.
10.00am—2.00pm.
Free admission.
Bookings essential as numbers are limited.
For further information or to make a booking please contact us on 02 9762 1300.
On-site parking available. Vehicle and pedestrian entry via 172 Showground Road, Castle Hill.
Time:10:00AM Wednesday, April 8th
Location:Powerhouse Discovery Centre
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill
Travel back in time with gypsies and explore the dangerous days at the end of Oliver Cromwell’s reign of Old England at the Powerhouse Discovery Centre these Autumn school holiday with a packed program of storytelling, workshops, gypsy adventures and other fun activities for children and families. The holiday program h...as been inspired by the Powerhouse Museum’s new acquisition—a Reading horse-drawn gypsy caravan, built in England in 1914 in the days when gypsy families toured the countryside in highly decorative homes on wheels. Highlights of the holiday program include storytelling sessions with award-winning Australian children’s author Kate Forsyth and the fabulously flamboyant Madame Zelda’s gypsy show.
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS
Madame Zelda’s Great Adventures
Tuesday 14th April, 11.00am
Wednesday 15th April, 11.00am
Wednesday 22nd April, 11.00am
Friday 24th April, 11.00am
(Duration: 45 minutes)
‘Abracadabra, hullabaloo! Madame Zelda welcomes you! Look into her crystal ball and be amazed as she sees all…!’ The amazing and eccentric Madame Zelda presents her one-woman travelling show using song, dance, stories, instruments and even potatoes to recreate her gypsy world. She is larger-than-life, ridiculously energetic to the point of self combustion and ever so endearing! The show includes audience participation, improvisation, pantomime and slapstick—interactive children’s theatre at its most entertaining!
Suitable for 5+ year olds. Free with Display Store admission. Individual bookings not required. Bookings essential for groups of 10 or more.
Storytelling with Kate Forsyth—award-winning children’s author of The Gypsy Crown
Thursday 16th April, 10.30am
Thursday 23rd April, 10.30am
(Duration: 45 minutes)
Travel back in time and hear amazing stories from the popular novel The Gypsy Crown from The Chain of Charms series by international best-selling Australian author Kate Forsyth. The Gypsy Crown follows the adventures of two Romany children and their menagerie of cheeky animals through the dark and dangerous days at the end of Oliver Cromwell’s reign in England. Thirteen year-old cousins, Emilia and Luka Finch, are pursued by a cruel thief-taker and encounter highwaymen, witches, smugglers and Royalist spies in a quest to find six lost gypsy charms that will help them save their family from an uncertain future. Kate Forsyth has written numerous books for adults and children, with The Gypsy Crown winning five Aurealis awards for Excellence in Children’s Fiction. The Children’s Bookshop, Beecroft, will provide visitors with the opportunity to purchase and have signed, copies of Kate Forsyth’s books following the storytelling. The Gypsy Crown is published by Pan Macmillan Australia.
Suitable for 8+ year olds.Free with Display Store admission. Individual bookings not required. Bookings essential for groups of 10 or more.
Treasure Hunt for the Gypsy Charms
Thursday 16th April, 11.30am—1.00pm
Thursday 23rd April, 11.30am—1.00pm
Inspired by Emilia and Luka’s quest to find the six charms in The Gypsy Crown, young visitors are invited to explore the Discovery Centre to search for parts of the six lost gypsy charms. Collect all six charms—the Gypsy Crown, the silver horse, the herb of grace, the cat’s eye shell, the lightning bolt and the butterfly in amber— and create your own special charm bracelet using the treasures you have found in the museum.
Suitable for 8+ years. Free with Display Store admission. Individual bookings not required. Bookings essential for groups of 10 or more.
Tick, Tock!: Time Capsule-Making Workshop
Friday 17th April, 11.00am
Tuesday 21st April, 11.00am
(Duration: 60 minutes)
A time capsule is like a message in a bottle, sent forward in time as a message to our future selves and then opened to look back at the past! This workshop begins with a mini-tour of the Display Store’s amazing collection of weird and wonderful machinery from the past, looking closely at their design and functioning mechanisms. Using these old machines for inspiration, participants will decorate their time capsule and then fill it with personal items, notes, doodles and drawings, to open and rediscover in ten years time for a look at how life has changed. Please bring along a few small favourite objects, momentos or photographs to be placed in your capsule which you can then add to when you take it home.
Suitable for 6–10 year olds. $10/$8 Powerhouse members. Bookings essential as numbers for each workshop are limited to 25.
Game On! Computer Game Design Workshop
Tuesday 14th April, 10.00am—4.00pm
Tuesday 21st April, 10.00am—4.00pm
Ever had a great idea for a computer game? Presented in partnership with Computer Explorers, this workshop will equip participants with the skills to create their own personalised computer game. Working in pairs, the workshop begins with a tour of the Discovery Centre to find inspiration and then design and create your own computer game. At the end of the workshop, participants take home their game to play—with 30-day free trial software—to continue to add to and play their game!
Suitable for 8–12 year olds. $60/$55 Powerhouse members. Please bring your own lunch. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 16.
Lights, Camera, Action! Digital Movie-Making Workshop
Wednesday 15th April, 10.00am—4.00pm
Presented in partnership with Computer Explorers, this hands-on workshop teaches participants the basic skills of stop animation. The day begins with a highlights tour of objects in the Display Store to provide inspiration for your animated short movie. During the workshop and working in teams of four, you will learn how to create a background, use props, build clay characters to star in your movie, choose a soundtrack and learn the techniques of stop animation to create and film your own digital short movie which can include a reference to ‘time travel’ in keeping with our holiday theme. At the end of the workshop, participants will receive a copy of their animated short movie to take home.
Suitable for 6–14 year olds. $60/$55 Powerhouse members. Please bring your own lunch. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 20.
Lego Robotics Workshop
Thursday 16th April, 10.00am—4.00pm
Friday 17th April, 10.00am—4.00pm
Friday 24th April, 10.00am—4.00pm
This full-day hands-on workshop teaches participants the basic skills of robotics. During the workshop and working in teams of three, participants will build robots with Lego and then program them to move, dance and conquer obstacle courses using touch and light sensors. Later in the day, teams participate in a challenge to determine the best-designed robot on the day. Please note that this workshop does not include a robot to take home at the end of the workshop.
Suitable for 8–12 year olds. $70/$65 Powerhouse members. Please bring your own lunch. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 12.
GPS Treasure Hunt Workshop
Wednesday 22nd April, 9.30am—12.30pm
Wednesday 22nd April, 1.00pm—4.00pm
Want to go on a high-tech treasure hunt? This half-day workshop will teach participants the fundamentals of GPS technology and its practical uses in this action-based program. Working in teams, participants use hand-held Global Positioning Systems to search for ‘treasure caches’ and leave replacement ‘valuables’ for another adventurous group to find! As this workshop includes indoor and outdoor activities, participants will be required to wear comfortable walking shoes, sun hats and sun block.
Suitable for 8-12 year olds. $35/$30 Powerhouse members. Please bring your own morning/afternoon tea. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 16.
CSI: Castle Hill! Crime Scene Investigation Forensics Workshop
Thursday 23rd April, 10.00am—4.00pm
Presented in partnership with Computer Explorers, journey back in time to the days of Sherlock Holmes for this one-day workshop exploring crime scene investigation techniques using digital microscopes to assess fibres, hair, teeth imprints, finger prints and various powder substances to solve a crime. Participants work in teams of four to compete against each other using logic, the five senses and forensic science techniques to investigate a crime scene at the Discovery Centre. Participants will learn to lift finger prints, analyse tread patterns, categorise mysterious substances, and much more. No blood, no gore…but fun galore. Good luck detectives!
Suitable for 8–12 year olds. $60/$55 Powerhouse members. Please bring your own lunch. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 20.
Create Your Own Storybook!
Create your own personalised storybook of your visit to the Powerhouse Discovery Centre. Write your story, add your own drawings or stickers of your favourite objects and then take home your storybook as a souvenir to share with friends and family.
Suitable for visitors 4–10 years. Free with general admission. Bookings not required.
Discovery Trails!
A self-completion activity trail that takes young visitors on a journey of discovery, focused on critters and creatures, or wheels or wings in the Display Store. Collect your Trail in the Display Store foyer.
Suitable for visitors 4–10 years. Free with general admission. Bookings not required.
Autumn School Holiday Opening Hours
10.00am—4.00pm
Tuesday 14th—Friday 17th
and
Tuesday 21st—Friday 24th April 2009
General Admission Prices
$8 adult / $5 (concession/ child / seniors and pensioner),
$25 family (2 adults + 2 children), Free admission for Powerhouse Members and children under 4. Additional charges apply for some school holiday programs.
Bookings and Further Information
For further information or to make a booking please contact us on 02 9762 1300.
Parking available on site. Vehicle and pedestrian access via 172 Showground Road, Castle Hill
Time:10:00AM Tuesday, April 14th
Location:Powerhouse Discovery Centre
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill
Join us on Saturday 14th February when the Powerhouse Discovery Centre presents an Open Day celebrating the use of materials to create objects of beauty—fibre and leather, timber and metal, stone and bone—in the Powerhouse Museum’s collection. Highlights of the Open Day program include; displays and demonstrations of b...asket weaving and fine leatherwork; a car display by the Model A Ford Club; an illustrated lecture on the increasing interest in materials that support environmental sustainability; a behind-the-scenes tour of the Museum’s car collection and to mark Valentine’s Day, a display of ‘love themed’ objects from the collection and a ‘love token’ making workshop for kids.
Please see website for further details: http://castlehill.powerhousemuseum.com/e
Time:10:00AM Saturday, February 14th
Location:Powerhouse Discovery Centre
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill
Join us on Saturday 13th December when the Powerhouse Discovery Centre presents an Open Day celebrating machines—from the mysterious to the innovative—in the Powerhouse Museum’s collection. Highlights of the Open Day program include; an illustrated lecture on the Enigma code-breaking machine and the history and mysteri...es of code-breaking; behind-the-scenes tours of machine and car collections; the ‘Weird and Wacky Machines’ touch trolley for kids; glimpses into the Museum Stores and much more.
Please see website for further details: http://castlehill.powerhousemuseum.com/e
Time:10:00AM Saturday, December 13th
Location:Powerhouse Discovery Centre
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill
SPRING SCHOOL HOLIDAY OPENING HOURS
10.00am—4.00pm
Tuesday 30th September—Friday 3rd October 2008
Tuesday 7th October—Friday 10th October 2008
GENERAL ADMISSION PRICES
$8 adult / $5 (concession/ child / seniors and pensioner),
$25 family (2 adults + 2 children), Free admission for Powerhouse Members and children under 4. Add...itional charges apply for some school holiday programs.
BOOKINGS
To book your place in our school holiday programs, tel: 02 9762 1300.
Parking available on site. Vehicle and pedestrian access via 172 Showground Road, Castle Hill.
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS
Jollybops Science Show
Flight, Sound & Fire: Science with an Aboriginal Perspective
Tuesday 30th September, Wednesday 1st October, Tuesday 7th October
11.00am or 1.00pm
Presented by the Jollybops, the Flight, Sound & Fire Show looks at the scientific principles behind some of the great inventions and environmental understandings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Join the Jolly Professor and his side-kick, Rusty the Robot, to discover the science behind the first man-made flying machine—the Boomerang; the science of sound using the Didgeridoo; investigate the inventions of the great Aboriginal Scientist—and face of the $50 note—David Unaipon; and discover how Indigenous peoples today are helping cut greenhouse gases with their Caring for Country Fire Management Practices. Please note that this is not an Aboriginal cultural show: it is a science show. Flight, Sound & Fire is presented by the Jollybops Science Shows. Jollybops were awarded a prestigious ‘Frater Award’ in 2006 by the NSW Department of Education and Training. Jollybops would like to acknowledge the advice received from Aboriginal educators and Aboriginal technology craftspersons in developing this show. Duration: 1 hour. Suitable for 5+ years. Free with Display Store admission. Individual bookings not required. Group bookings of 10 or more are essential.
How Do Aeroplanes Fly? Model aircraft workshop
Tuesday 30th September, 12.00pm—2.30pm
Tuesday 7th October, 12.00pm—2.30pm
Friday 3rd October, 11.00am—1.30pm
Starting with a mini-tour of ultra light aircraft and aviation objects on exhibition in the Display Store, this 2 ½ hour workshop investigates the science and principles behind flight. Following the mini-tour, the workshop participants will learn about the basic forces that determine aircraft flight, how aircraft remain stable and controlled in the air, and how they change direction and height. Following the presentation, workshop participants will build their own small, rubber-powered model aircraft which will be test-flown. At the conclusion of the workshop you will learn how your model aircraft can be improved and modified at home. Suitable for 9–12 year olds. $12/$10 Powerhouse members. Includes admission to the Display Store. Bookings essential as numbers are limited to 25 per workshop.
Shake, Rattle & Roll! Musical instrument-making workshop
Thursday 2nd October, 12.00pm—1.00pm
Friday 3rd October, 1.00pm—2.00pm
Wednesday 8th October, 10.30am—11.30am
Thursday 9th October, 10.30am—11.30am
Friday 10th October, 10.30am—11.30am
Join Sydney artist, Anna Kristensen, for a hands-on workshop to create and decorate your own musical instrument made entirely from recycled materials. The workshop, presented in partnership with Reverse Garbage, begins with a short presentation on how the toys are made and the importance of using recycled materials. Following the presentation, Anna will lead a workshop where each participant will make a rattle, drum, or a shaker and then decorate their instrument to take home. In 2007, Anna was a finalist in both the Qantas Spirit of Youth Award and the Helen Lemprière Travelling Art Scholarship. Suitable for 6–10 year olds. $10/$8 Powerhouse members. Includes admission to the Display Store. Bookings essential as numbers are limited to 25 per workshop.
Lights, Camera, Action! Digital movie-making workshop
Thursday 2nd October, 10.00am—4.00pm
Presented in partnership with Computer Explorers, this one-day, hands-on workshop teaches participants the basic skills of stop animation. The day begins with a highlights tour of the Display Store to provide inspiration for your animated short movie. During the workshop and working in teams of four, you will learn how to create a background, use props, build clay characters to star in your movie, choose a soundtrack, and learn the techniques of stop animation to create and film your own digital short movie. At the end of the workshop, participants will receive a copy of their animated short movie to take home. Suitable for 6–14 year olds. $60/$55 Powerhouse members. Please bring your own lunch. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 20.
CSI: Castle Hill! Crime scene investigation forensics workshop
Wednesday 8th October, 10.00am—4.00pm
Thursday 9th October, 10.00am—4.00pm
Presented in partnership with Computer Explorers, this one-day workshop explores crime scene investigation techniques using digital microscopes to assess fibres, hair, teeth imprints, finger prints and various powder substances to solve a crime. Workshop participants work in teams of 4 to compete against each other using logic, the five senses and forensic science techniques to investigate a crime scene at the Discovery Centre. Participants will learn to lift finger prints, analyse tread patterns, categorise mysterious substances, and much more. No blood, no gore…but fun galore. Good luck detectives! Suitable for 8–12 year olds. $60/$55 Powerhouse members. Please bring your own lunch. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 20 per workshop.
Game On! Computer game design workshop
Friday 10th October, 10.00am—4.00pm
Ever had a great idea for a computer game? Presented in partnership with Computer Explorers this one-day workshop will equip participants with the skills to create their own personalised computer game. The day starts with a tour of the Discovery Centre to find inspiration for your game, then design and create your own computer game. At the end of the day take home your game to play with friends and family or continue adding to your game! Suitable for 8–12 year olds. $60/$55 Powerhouse members. Please bring your own lunch. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 20.
PLAYGROUP: Powertots
Friday 3rd October, 10.30am—11.30am
POWERTOTS Playgroup is a new initiative from the Powerhouse Discovery Centre, providing an opportunity for kids under 5 years and their parents or carers, to enjoy a visit to the Centre’s Display Store and a range of craft activities, storytelling and mini-tours themed around objects on display. Bookings are essential as numbers are limited. $5.00 per person (child/ accompanying parent or carer). Free admission for Powerhouse Members and children under 4.
Introducing…the NEW Critters Discovery Trail!
A self-completion activity trail that takes young visitors on a journey of discovery, focused on critters and creatures in the Display Store. Collect your Trail from the Admissions Desk in the Display Store foyer. Wheels and Wings Trails are still available. Suitable for visitors 4—10 years. Free with general admission. Bookings not required.
Time:10:00AM Tuesday, September 30th
Location:Powerhouse Discovery Centre
RECENT ACTIVITY
Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill changed their Public Transit.
