The National Science and Media Museum located in Bradford, England, closed its doors in June 2023 for a major "once in a generation" redevelopment that will see a $7.5 million / £6 million redesign.
The museum was initially expected to be completed this summer, but it will now be pushed back to 2025 to align with the Bradford district’s UK City of Culture celebrations. However, as fortuitous as this sounds, the delays were down to the unexpected excavation work on an additional passenger lift shaft.
The museum's transformation will see huge changes in a multi-million capital project called 'Sound and Vision', supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Two new permanent galleries, a new passenger lift, and major improvements to the main entrance will revitalize the museum and make it a go-to space for exhibitions.
The museum will open in 2025 in two phases, the first being the opening of the building at the start of Bradford's City of Culture UK year, and the second will be the Sound and Vision galleries scheduled for the summer.
Jo Quinton-Tulloch, Director of the National Science and Media Museum states, "Our new Sound and Vision galleries will completely transform the museum’s visitor offer by showcasing our incredible collections and ensuring visitors can find stories that resonate with them.
"Having an additional passenger lift is a crucial part of our transformation that will enable us to welcome many more visitors in 2025 and beyond. Despite extensive survey work before the excavation commenced, our contractors encountered an unexpected make-up of ground at the base of the lift, which took much longer to excavate than anticipated.
"Whilst the impact of this delay in the short term is frustrating, our Sound and Vision project will future-proof the museum for decades to come".
The redevelopment is exciting, and one that will benefit future generations for years to come. The new gallery designs reveal how they will be dynamic and interactive, capable of sharing their extensive collection of art from photography to video games. "Visitors will be able to see the first ever photographic image; have a go at being a sound engineer; step inside the studio of a local radio station and enter a live art installation," says the museum.
I for one am excited for more inclusion and support for the arts and Bradford proudly does that, and I am sure the new museum and galleries will be a huge success.
Science and the arts go hand in hand, and in terms of photography, it can result in creating stunning images. See our guides to the best telescopes for astrophotography, the best microscopes, and the best thermal imaging camera.
