Museum of Science and Industry
Museum of Science and Industry
About Us
The Museum of Science and Industry is devoted to inspiring our visitors through ideas that change the world, from the Industrial Revolution to today and beyond.
It’s a story that we’re uniquely placed to tell—on the site of the oldest surviving passenger railway station, in the heart of the world’s first industrial city, today alive with innovative discoveries in science and technology.
Our collection and cultural programme
We care for a globally important heritage site comprising 5 listed buildings, two of them listed Grade 1. This site was the original terminus of the world’s first inter-city railway and our characteristic 1830 Warehouse epitomises Manchester’s 19th-century reputation as the "warehouse of the western world".
Key objects in the collection include:
●The models used by John Dalton to demonstrate his atomic theory, laying the foundations of modern chemistry
●Parts from the world’s first commercially available computer, the Ferranti Mark 1
●One of the world’s largest collections of working steam mill engines, which you can see in action in the Power Hall
●Daily demonstrations from spinning to weaving on original machines in our Textiles Gallery
We combine the distinctive appeal of our historic site with a vibrant contemporary science programme, making connections between the past and the present, between scientific theory and real-world applications.
One of the flagship events in our cultural calendar, bringing science to life for people of all ages, is the 11-day Manchester Science Festival, which takes place across the city. Each October, it attracts the best scientists from Manchester and beyond to showcase current research and promote the region’s rich heritage of innovation.
The Museum of Science and Industry is part of the Science Museum Group (SMG).
SMG is devoted to the history and contemporary practice of science, medicine, technology, industry and media, throughout which the common bond is human ingenuity. Its collections form an enduring record of scientific, technological and medical change since the 18th century.
As well as this museum, SMG incorporates:
●the Science Museum, its library and archive and the Wellcome Collection of the History of Medicine in London
●the National Railway Museum in York and Shildon
●the National Media Museum in Bradford
●major collections stores at Wroughton in Wiltshire and Blythe House in London
Read about the Science Museum Group’s public task on the SMG Public Sector Information page.