Science and Industry Museum

Science and Industry Museum
Name	Science and Industry Museum
Caption	The museum's main building, the 1880s former Liverpool Road railway station
Established	15 September 1983
Location	Liverpool Road, Manchester, England
Type	Science museum
Visitors	830,000 (2019)
Director	Sally MacDonald
Owner	Science Museum Group
Publictransit	Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop
Website	https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk

Science and Industry Museum. Located on the historic site of the Liverpool Road railway station in Manchester, it is part of the Science Museum Group and is dedicated to exploring the development of science, technology, and industry, with a particular focus on Manchester's pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution. The museum's collections, housed across several iconic buildings, chart the region's contributions to innovations in textiles, computing, and engineering, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to its interactive exhibitions and preserved historical spaces.

History

The museum was officially opened on 15 September 1983 by Queen Elizabeth II, following a campaign to preserve the site of the world's first passenger railway station. Its establishment was championed by local industrialists and historians, including figures from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. The core site encompasses the original 1830 Liverpool and Manchester Railway terminus, with subsequent expansion incorporating the former Great Northern Warehouse and the 1912 Power Hall building. Key developments include the 2007 opening of the Revolution Manchester gallery and its 2019 integration into the national Science Museum Group, following the dissolution of the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester trust.

Exhibitions and galleries

Permanent galleries explore themes such as the textile industry, showcased in the **Textiles Gallery**, and the rise of Manchester Computing, featuring reconstructions of pioneering machines like the Manchester Baby. The **Revolution Manchester** gallery examines the city's scientific legacy, from John Dalton's atomic theory to the work of Ernest Rutherford. The **Experiment** gallery offers hands-on science, while temporary exhibitions have covered topics from the Space Race to the environmental impact of the Industrial Revolution. The **Power Hall** displays working steam engines and locomotives, and the **Air and Space Hall** houses aircraft including an Avro Vulcan bomber.

Building and architecture

The museum is a complex of historically significant structures centered on the 1830 Liverpool Road railway station, a Grade I listed building designed by George Stephenson. The adjacent 1880s **Great Western Warehouse** is a prime example of Victorian railway warehouse design. The 1912 **Power Hall**, originally a transit shed for the London and North Western Railway, is a vast Edwardian steel-framed building. The modern **New Warehouse** building, opened in 2021, provides contemporary exhibition space and visitor facilities, creating a dialogue between the Industrial Revolution and 21st-century design.

Notable artifacts and collections

The collection includes **City of Manchester**, a 1847 Bury, Curtis and Kennedy steam locomotive, and **Puffing Billy**, a replica of an 1813 Colliery engine. The **Manchester Computing** collection features the replica Manchester Baby, the world's first stored-program computer. Industrial artifacts include a Boulton and Watt sun and planet beam engine and machinery from the Mather and Platt works. The **Air and Space** collection includes an Avro 504K biplane and a English Electric Lightning fighter. The textile holdings feature Arkwright water frames and Jacquard looms, illustrating the region's manufacturing heritage.

Public engagement and education

The museum runs extensive learning programs for schools, aligned with the National Curriculum, covering topics from forces to Victorians. Public events include the annual Manchester Science Festival, family workshops during half-term holidays, and live science demonstrations. Community projects often collaborate with institutions like the University of Manchester and the Manchester Metropolitan University. The museum also offers behind-the-scenes tours of its collections store and restoration workshops, and hosts regular talks by experts from organizations such as the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Management and governance

The museum is operated by the Science Museum Group, a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Day-to-day management is led by Director Sally MacDonald. Strategic oversight is provided by the Board of Trustees of the Science Museum Group, which includes representatives from industry and academia. Major redevelopment projects, such as the **Manchester Science and Industry Museum Masterplan**, have received funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and corporate partners like Siemens and IBM.

Category:Museums in Manchester Category:Science museums in England Category:Industrial museums in England Category:Grade I listed buildings in Manchester