Science and Industry Museum

The Science and Industry Museum occupies the site of the former Liverpool Road Station and its surrounding warehouses on Liverpool Road in Castlefield, Manchester, England. The core of the museum is the 1830 passenger station of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the world's first inter-city passenger railway, with the 1830 Warehouse and several later buildings forming the wider campus. The museum opened in 1983 as the Greater Manchester Museum of Science and Industry and is now part of the Science Museum Group. Its collections explore how Manchester's engineering, textile manufacturing and scientific discoveries shaped the modern world, with galleries covering textiles and power, the story of the Manchester Baby, the first stored-program electronic computer, which ran its first program in 1948, and the development of electricity, communications and water supply. The Textiles gallery features working machinery, including spinning mules and power looms, often demonstrated by staff so that visitors can hear and see the processes that powered the cotton industry. Locomotives and engines, including steam engines, are displayed in the Power Hall, and a gallery recounts the history of the railway with original station spaces. The curatorial approach combines chronological narrative with thematic and immersive displays, and temporary exhibitions explore contemporary science and technology. The Grade I listed station building and warehouses have been conserved, and a major redevelopment, including the new Special Exhibition Gallery, has been under way to improve access and visitor facilities. General admission is free, with charges for some special exhibitions and events, and pre-booking is advised at busy times. The museum sits close to the Castlefield Roman fort, the Bridgewater Canal basin and the Beetham Tower, so the surrounding area is rich in industrial and Roman heritage and suits a half day of exploring.