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Our collection documents 250 years of discoveries and innovations that began in Manchester and went on to influence the world. In this section of the blog, we want to shine a light upon the achievements and experiences of the people behind those stories.

What connects a lab coat, a loom and the ancestor of modern computers to sci-fi classic, The Matrix? We dive down the rabbit hole to highlight the world-changing collections at the Science and Industry Museum that were part of the creative inspiration for our new neighbour Factory International’s opening show, Free Your Mind.

To mark the 75th anniversary of the Small-Scale Experimental Machine, better known as ‘Baby’, we spoke to volunteers Eric Wright and Kira Lee about their time working with an iconic piece of computing history.

Manchester has earned its place in computing history, and it continues to be a pioneer in computer science today.

To mark LGBT+ History Month, Senior Curator Katie Belshaw showcases some recent additions to the Science Museum Group’s collection which reveal more about the life and legacy of one of Manchester’s most celebrated scientists and favourite LGBT+ heroes, Alan Turing.

Associate Curator Abigail Wilson takes a look at the items in the Top Secret: From ciphers to cyber security exhibition and in our collections that tell the story of Alan Turing’s incredible life and career.

In this blog, Senior Curator of Industrial Heritage Katie Belshaw examines Manchester’s unique relationship with rain, the industries that have been born out of its reputation for precipitation and the scientists whose study of drizzle helped drive their discoveries.

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