Manchester is well-known for being a hub of heritage and history, especially when it comes to the Industrial Revolution. Now, one of the most iconic industrial symbols in Manchester, the Science and Industry Museum, is marking a monumental milestone by welcoming visitors back inside one of the UK’s most significant industrial heritage buildings, the Power Hall.
Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery is a free working gallery that reopened on Friday 17 October, where visitors can immerse themselves in the sights, smells, and sounds of the engine-driven ideas and industry that started in Manchester and went on to change the world. It is the latest building to reopen as part of a multi-million-pound regeneration project currently taking place across the Science and Industry Museum to conserve its historic buildings and reveal new spaces for all visitors to enjoy, play and learn in.
What is the history of the Power Hall?
Originally built in 1855 as a shipping shed for the world’s first inter-city steam powered passenger railway, the Power Hall is a globally important, Grade II listed building. It was the building that the museum first opened back in September 1983, when it became home to one of the UK’s largest collections of historic working engines.
After more than 160 years of exposure to Manchester’s weather, urgent works were needed to restore and improve the building, as well as secure its future. The regeneration aimed to repair and protect the building’s heritage, improve the experience for all and ensure that the globally significant collections and building continue to take pride of place.
When did it close?
The Power Hall temporarily closed in 2019 to allow for urgent repair works, a pioneering de-carbonisation project to reduce the building’s carbon emissions and a reimagining of its displays, interpretation and visitor experience.
What will be included in the Power Hall?
The Power Hall reopening will bring with it a trainload of working machinery, hands-on interactives and brand-new stories to discover. Expect the return of iconic engines, including some that will be running for the first time in more than a decade, alongside a host of new interactives, perspectives and people stories that reveal the innovation of Manchester’s industrial heritage.
All the senses will be engaged while exploring this living gallery that showcases a unique collection of historic 19th and early 20th century working engines, powered by 21st century, carbon-neutral infrastructure.
Stepping back inside Power Hall, visitors will rediscover iconic engines that powered everything from cotton mills to chip shops, electricity generators to railways. These include Pender, a steam locomotive used to transport holiday makers around the Isle of Man in the 1870s, which offers a unique view into its inner workings through its cut away side. The Durn Mill steam engine will also be up and running.
Returning visitors will also be pleased to see a replica of the Planet steam locomotive, built by skilled volunteers inside Power Hall in 1992. The original Planet pulled passengers between Liverpool and Manchester from 1830 to 1840 and was the next iteration of steam locomotive after Stephenson’s famous prototype, Rocket.
There will also be a wealth of new stories on display that focus on the people who have powered our lives both past and present. Whether it’s one of the first women to have a full career as an electrical engineer, or a woman forced to pick cotton on American plantations that was supplied to Manchester’s mills, or a present-day designer of wind turbines, the Power Hall will showcase the people whose skills and determination have shaped our relationship with energy, from the Industrial Revolution to greener futures.
Interactive experiences & live demonstrations at the Power Hall
Brand new interactives will get visitors’ cogs turning as they build, pump, hammer and even crawl their way through a number of hands-on activities aimed at putting problem solving skills to the test. Creators of the future can experiment with motion, mechanics and building materials to discover what it takes to power industrial machines.
The Power Hall is part of one of the biggest heritage restoration projects in the UK and exemplifies engineering in action. Live demonstrations of the working engines will showcase the skills of the museum’s expert team of technicians, explainers, conservationists and intergenerational volunteers, alongside budding engineers on T-level placements, who are working to preserve Manchester’s heritage by ensuring past skills endure and future technical skills and careers develop.
Sally MacDonald, Director of the Science and Industry Museum said: “This is a hugely significant moment for our museum, the Science Museum Group and for Manchester. Power Hall symbolises the city’s innovation, creativity and resilience, and we are overjoyed that visitors will soon be back to enjoy all the amazing objects and stories on display.
“Ideas that began in this city have impacted people and places across the world and shaped life as we know it, and Power Hall showcases this in a very physical way. Our colleagues who first set up this gallery in 1983 knew that science and engineering have always been crucial to Manchester’s success and future growth. Many people have told me that the Power Hall was inspirational for them as children, and I hope now it can inspire a new generation of inventors and technicians.”
Andrew Law’s AL Philanthropies aims to encourage more young people to pursue careers in STEM by highlighting the diverse people responsible for inventing, building and powering new technology.
Andrew Law said: “I have been delighted to support the regeneration of Power Hall. As well as being steeped in history – science and industry in the Greater Manchester region is again of central importance to both further education and help drive economic growth. With this iconic building back open, we hope that many will be inspired to pursue STEM learning and careers.”
Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery is now open. Visits to Power Hall are free and included as part of a free museum ticket.
