Ahead of its 2026 opening, Powerhouse Parramatta, in collaboration with award-winning Australian industrial designer David Caon, the Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer, the Science Teachers Association of NSW and the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility in Bradfield City are collaborating to develop a high-tech vessel created using advanced manufacturing processes to store a selection of items.
The contents will be NSW innovations that have shaped the fields of science, engineering, manufacturing and computing. It will also celebrate the achievements of the scientists and engineers whose breakthroughs have transformed the way we live.
Powerhouse has a rich tradition of installing time capsules to mark the opening of its museums. In 1879, a glass time capsule was buried in the cornerstone of the Garden Palace in Sydney, that housed the foundation collections of the Technological and Sanitary Museum.
In 1981, a century time capsule was buried to commemorate the opening of the new Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo.
For the third time in the museum’s history, a time capsule will be installed at Powerhouse Parramatta as part of the opening ceremony in 2026.
Those whose objects have been selected will be invited to the Powerhouse Parramatta 2026 Time Capsule Ceremony—a landmark civic moment where the Time Capsule will be buried holding the science and stories of our time.
Valued participants will receive a Time Capsule token, a symbol of legacy and continuity to pass onto future generations, granting them access to the capsule’s opening in 2126, with the story of each object recorded in the official Time Capsule Book of Record.
Applications close at 5pm Wednesday 26 November 2025. For more information: http://bit.ly/4q54vtg
Minister for the Arts, John Graham said:
“As we stand on the cusp of enjoying the new Powerhouse Parramatta, it’s a great time to reflect on what future visitors and Sydneysiders will want to know about, which of our ideas and stories will be of great interest.
“Building on a history of time capsules started in 1879, the third time capsule, will capture this moment in our history. A great demonstration of our innovation and achievements in the applied arts and applied sciences.”
Minister for Planning, Paul Scully said:
“Future generations will look back on this object and its contents and better understand not only our technology, but our places.
“Developed in collaboration with the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility in Bradfield City, for the new Powerhouse Museum in Parramatta, this is a special snap-shot of a number of significant parts of our city.”
Minister for Land and Property, Steve Kamper said:
“Powerhouse Parramatta is the largest investment in cultural infrastructure in NSW since the Sydney Opera House and the first major cultural institution to be established in Western Sydney.
“This new time capsule captures the spirit of NSW. It’s exciting to take this moment to celebrate our best innovations and share our stories for future generations.
“In 100 years, when it’s opened, it will tell the story of a state that never stopped inventing, imagining and leading.”
Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology Anoulack Chanthivong said:
“Western Sydney is a powerhouse of economic growth, exciting collaborations and innovation in our state. It is fitting that the Powerhouse Parramatta is preparing to celebrate its opening in that same ethos.
“The development of the capsule itself will demonstrate the very essence of what makes New South Wales a global leader in innovation across the applied arts and sciences.”
Member for Parramatta, Donna Davis said:
“Looking at how much Parramatta has changed over the last century, it’s almost impossible to imagine what Parramatta will look like in one hundred years. I look forward to seeing what is put forward to be included in the capsule.”
Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah said:
‘It is brilliant to imagine the descendants of all these incredible NSW scientists and innovators opening David Caon’s capsule one hundred years into the future in 2126 on the banks of the Parramatta River. I will be sorry to miss it.’
Background
- Partnership between Powerhouse and the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF) in Bradfield City and Caon Design Office will work together to prototype and fabricate the capsule, using cutting-edge engineering and manufacturing techniques to ensure its contents are preserved for the next 100 years.
- Final selections will be made by DeadlyScience Founder/CEO Corey Tutt OAM, NSW Chief Scientist Hugh Durrant-Whyte, Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah and recent student winners of the NSW Young Scientist & Young Rural Scientist Awards run by the Science Teachers Association of NSW
- The story behind each object will be told in an accompanying Book of Record designed by University of Technology Sydney School of Design Associate Professor Zoë Sadokierski.
