21 May, 1997

SYDNEY MINT MUSEUM LEAVES THE
MUSEUM OF APPLIED ARTS AND SCIENCES


Following the May 6 budget announcement by the NSW Premier and Minister for
the Arts,
the Hon Bob Carr MP, the Sydney Mint Museum in Macquarie Street will be
transferred
from the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences (MAAS) to the Historic Houses
Trust
(HHT).

The MAAS comprises Sydney's premier science and technology museum, the
Powerhouse
Museum and Sydney Observatory.

Terence Measham, the Director of the MAAS, states that the Sydney Mint
Museum and the
nearby Hyde Park Barracks (operated by HHT) form a natural historic
precinct.  He
believes that the unification of these properties under Historic Houses
Trust will strengthen
the profiles of both the Mint and the Barracks.

"The collection on view at the Mint will come back to the Powerhouse and be
drawn upon
for inclusion in future exhibitions at the Powerhouse and other venues.  The
Sydney Mint
Museum will be open until June 20 and visitors will be allowed in for free
until this date,"
says Mr Measham.

"There will be no loss of jobs as all staff stationed at the Mint will be
employed by the
Powerhouse to work on our very busy exhibition schedule including Evolution
and
revolution: Chinese dress 1700s to now, MAP Design, Cyberzone, and our new
blockbuster, STAR TREK: THE EXHIBIT.

"In addition, we are undertaking a major refurbishment of Sydney Observatory
for
completion in November.  The budget also included funding for the renewal of
some
permanent galleries at the Powerhouse and a very exciting project in which
we are digitally
imaging our entire collection.  The technology involved in this work places
us in the forefront
of museum collection access programs worldwide," says Mr Measham.

 - END -
For more information, please contact:
Jenny Pavilack, Powerhouse Museum       (02) 9217 0551
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