The Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) was founded in 1880 as the Technological, Industrial and Sanitary Museum following the highly successful Sydney International Exhibition of 1879.

The Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences operates three sites:

• the Powerhouse Museum (opened 1988),
• Sydney Observatory (transferred 1982), and
• the Museums Discovery Centre in Castle Hill (acquired 1947) now operated cooperatively with the Australian Museum and Sydney Living Museums.

The office of the Archivist is located at the Powerhouse Museum. The Museum Archives is part of Strategic Collections, which reports to the Director of Curatorial, Collections and Exhibitions.

Institutional archives dating from 1880 include correspondence files, minute books, stockbooks, papers of Directors and scientific staff, exhibition records, audiovisual productions, photographs, oral history tapes, museum publications, etc.

Collected archives include:

• the papers of aeronautics pioneer Lawrence Hargrave; aviators Lores Bonney and C Arthur Butler;
• contemporary Australian designers including Gordon Andrews, Douglas Annand, Richard Beck, Dahl & Geoffrey Collings, Max Forbes, Gerard Herbst, Linda Jackson, Richard Haughton James, Jenny Kee, Margaret Lord, Mercedes Australian Fashion Week, Marc Newson, Dorothy & Rhoda Wager, Fred Ward, Mary White, Ken Done and Derek Wrigley;
• records of manufacturers Berlei Ltd, Speedo, Buzacott & Co, Tooth & Co, Victa, F T Wimble & Co. and Wunderlich Ltd;
• innovators such as Charles Beauvais (automobile design), George Brooks (SILLIAC computer), Evelyn Owen (machine gun), Henry Setright (totalisators) and Roy Wells (totalisators);
• commercial photographers Henry Talbot, David Mist, Robert Rosen and Bruno Benini.

Public access to the Museum’s Archives is by appointment only. Researchers are required to complete an application form when accessing the archives. Contact the Archivist for further details.

Limited research assistance available.

Digital photography for private research and study is allowed in most situations. Where a copy request is for other purposes, the request will be referred to the Museum’s Rights and Permissions Officer. Photocopying is not permitted.

Open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm by appointment. Closed on public holidays.