Michael is joined by John McDonald, Art critic & columnist with the Sydney Morning Herald, who writes that the plan for the ‘New Powerhouse' reveals utterly inadequate facilities for displaying works of artistic and historical value.

 

‘It will have only 25 per cent of the display area of the existing museum, and will not meet the necessary minimum thresholds to allow for loans from overseas institutions.’

 

‘There will be retail areas, 10 cafes and bars, but no collection storage, no conservation laboratory and only a single loading dock.  The idea of “flexible” exhibition spaces means display areas will have to double up as party venues, severely limiting the kind of items that may be shown.’

 

‘The new Powerhouse in Parramatta is set to be an embarrassing example of worst practice by international museum standards. Ironically the current Powerhouse would not loan valuable pieces from their collection to any institution so poorly equipped.’