How Powerhouse Parramatta, Sydney’s new museum, rewrites the rules

“Washington has the Smithsonian, London has the British Museum, but Parramatta has the Powerhouse.” So declared New South Wales Premier Chris Minns at the museum’s opening on November 7, in a comment crafted more for applause than proportion. Parramatta is the heart of Sydney’s fast-growing west, about 25km (15.5 miles) from the city centre, and until now has had no major state cultural institution. The A$915 million (US$626 million) Powerhouse Parramatta is the Australian state’s biggest...