Science and Industry Museum

Explore 250 years of innovations and ideas that started life in Manchester and went on to change the world at the Science and Industry Museum.

Journey through Manchester’s rich legacy of ideas and discoveries in the Revolution Manchester Gallery, from the ancestor of modern computing to one of the first Rolls-Royce motorcars.

Find out how the city's heritage is interwoven with the cotton industry in the Textiles Gallery. Follow the textiles story through innovations in design, printing and finishing, and find out how ‘Cottonopolis’ changed the world we all live in today.

Get hands on and see science brought to life in Experiment, an interactive gallery designed for the whole family to enjoy together.

Enjoy the beautiful Planting Stories gardens and uncover stories of the museum’s historic site in the cobbled yards. Plus, look out for live science shows, talks and demonstrations around the museum.

The museum café is open daily 08.00–17.00 Monday – Friday and 09.30–17.00 on Saturdays and Sundays, serving a delicious selection of hot and cold drinks, pastries, sandwiches, cakes and snacks.

Current Closures

A multi-million-pound restoration programme is underway at the museum’s globally significant industrial heritage site to carry out crucial restoration work, bring the story of the historic site to life, and to create a more sustainable museum for visitors to play and learn in.

This means that there is a lot of scaffolding and that some buildings will remain closed until works are complete, including the much-loved Power Hall and the historic 1830 Station, the oldest surviving passenger railway station.