The Science and Industry Museum in Manchester has received a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £225,000 to support the regeneration of its Power Hall gallery.
The Power Hall houses one of the UK’s largest collections of working steam engines, and has been temporarily closed since 2019 to allow for conservation works to the roof and an internal re-display.
The funding adds to a £3 million donation from The Law Family Charitable Foundation last June. The Power Hall’s restoration is part of a multi-million pound regeneration project taking place across the museum’s seven-acre site.
Science and Industry Museum receives multi-million donation for Power Hall renovation
The Heritage Fund grant will support the development of a volunteer programme dedicated to historic working machinery, and a decarbonisation scheme which will see the museum run its fossil fuel-powered engines with green technology. It will also aid the conservation and maintenance of the machines, keeping them operating in line with the museum’s net-zero goal.
The museum said it will fund community consultation events aimed at improving the learning experiences on offer inside the gallery, as well as research that will see the museum expand its storytelling, with a specific focus on the sustainable technologies that have been incorporated as part of Power Hall’s restoration.
Sally MacDonald, director of the Science and Industry Museum, said the funding “means we can work even more closely with our local audiences to help bridge the STEM skills gap in Greater Manchester by inspiring the engineers and innovators of the future.”
Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund added: “It is incredibly exciting to think that our funding will ensure that local communities and visitors can explore the North of England’s rich engineering heritage, and the pivotal role Manchester played in its development, and also inspire a new generation of amazing innovators.”
