The Powerhouse Museum has formed a partnership with ING Bank to bring exhibitions and a rooftop pavilion to its striking new building in Sydney, as part of a plan that aims to persuade people to look up from their phones and engage with new ideas.

The $4 million partnership struck last week between the public museum and the Dutch-based bank is regarded as a coup for the Powerhouse, which will help broaden the reach of its education programs and the raft of programs it offers to cover sustainability, well-being and financial literacy.