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.
In this blog post, Science and Industry Museum Collaborative Doctoral Partnership student Alexander Appleton shares his research into the 19th century Manchester textiles firm Langworthy Brothers and Co., the business records of which are held in the collections.
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.
As a new £1m annual Manchester Prize is announced for ground-breaking AI research, we celebrate Manchester’s computing heritage and ideas that change the world.
We are delighted to welcome PhD student, Kirat Sagoo, into our team at the Science and Industry Museum. In this blog post, Kirat introduces herself and her project. We’re looking forward to learning more about our collections as Kirat’s research progresses.
Manchester has earned its place in computing history, and it continues to be a pioneer in computer science today.
To mark 100 years since the first radio broadcasts by the BBC, and in honour of the opening of the BBC 100 display at the museum, Curator of Television and Broadcast Lewis Pollard reflects on the importance of the BBC in Manchester over the last century.
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.
In this guest post, MA student Hudson Ray tells us about their placement in the curatorial team, helping to find and enhance LGBTQ, women’s and disability stories in Manchester engineering.
Collections Care Assistant Amy Stevenson takes us behind the scenes of the Use Hearing Protection exhibition, revealing what’s involved in getting the objects ready.
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.