What’s on at Science and Industry Museum this May and beyond

One of Manchester’s top attractions is inviting everyone to come and enjoy a rich range of new science displays, hands-on family fun, immersive exhibitions and decades of gaming this May and beyond.

The Science and Industry Museum is preparing to unveil a new display dedicated to the remarkable life of a world-renowned theoretical physicist later this month, ahead of hosting a half-term packed full of digital discovery.

It will also be offering the final chance to see a world-first exhibition, which closes in Manchester before the end of the month, continuing to welcome visitors to an ultimate exploration of gaming and revealing wonder through ideas that change the world.  

Whether it’s an engaging day out with the family, an afternoon spent immersed in science, a look forward to the future of tech or journey back though Manchester’s industrial past, the Science and Industry Museum has something for everyone to enjoy.

Stephen Hawking At Work: Opening on 25 May

From 25 May, visitors to the Science and Industry Museum will be able to view new display, Stephen Hawking at Work, which explores the remarkable life of the world-renowned theoretical physicist through significant objects from his office.

This extraordinary display will provide insights into Hawking’s remarkable life as a scientist, science communicator, and as a person who lived with motor neurone disease.  

Highlight objects on display include a rare copy of Hawking’s PhD thesis, a wager he made with his peers on whether what falls into a black hole is forever lost to our universe, and an invitation to a party for time travellers that Hawking hosted.

He sent the invitation after the party had taken place, using the lack of guests to prove that time travel to the past is impossible. These important items provide insights into a scientist who challenged perceptions of theoretical physics with a playful, imaginative and social approach to work.

The display will also include details of how Hawking’s work connects to Manchester,  as discoveries by scientists in the city cleared the path to develop two of the most important ideas about our universe, quantum theory and general relativity.

The Science Museum Group acquired the contents of Professor Hawking’s office in May 2021 and now audiences from across the country are being given the opportunity to see a selection of these fascinating objects up close.

Stephen Hawking at Work also explores Hawking’s experience of motor neurone disease. Initially given a two-year prognosis when diagnosed, Hawking lived with the disease for more than five decades. From the late 1960s he used a wheelchair and from 1986 Hawking used a voice synthesiser after an emergency tracheotomy meant he could no longer speak. Examples of both innovative technologies will be on display as part of Stephen Hawking At Work.

Turn It Up: The power of music: Doors closing on Sunday 21 MayThis month marks the last chance to enjoy world-first exhibition, Turn It Up: The power of music, at the Science and Industry Museum ahead of its doors closing on Sunday 21 May.

Join the 30,000 visitors who have already come to discover more about the science of music’s mysterious hold over us and how it drives us to create, perform, feel and share. Expend some energy and experiment with beats, melodies and harmonies in the Musical Playground, uncover how music can influence our mood, shopping habits, and even the taste of food, or explore first-hand accounts from people pushing the boundaries of musical innovation.

With a wealth of multi-sensory experiences, specially commissioned interactive installations and immersive activities, Turn It Up is packed full of opportunities for visitors of all ages and interests to explore their inner music maker and determine what music means to them.

Following its inaugural run in Manchester and rave national reviews, Turn It Up will open at the Science Museum in London on Thursday 19 October.

Special activities for May half term: Saturday 27 May – Sunday 4 June

From Saturday 27 May – Sunday 4 June, the museum will host a programme of half-term family fun themed around robotics, digital discovery and tech.

Visitors can meet and interact with real-life robots and practise programming to influence their movements and actions. Hands-on activities will also encourage creators of the future to imagine what a robot best friend might look like, the museum’s expert Explainers will be on hand to help visitors conquer digital coding, and flying drone displays will take place inside the museum.

As well as encouraging visitors to look forward and assess the role of robotics in our lives, this dive into digital will also help to explore some of the museum’s historic objects and stories. This includes the working replica of Baby, the world’s first computer to store and run programme from memory, and the Jacquard Loom, a 19^th century invention that is considered a predecessor of modern computing due to its use of binary code.

Power UP: Open weekends and school holidays

Open every weekend (and seven days a week during school holidays), this ultimate gaming experience welcomes players to revel in the very best video games from the past five decades and get hands-on with over 160 consoles.

Power UP caters for gamers of all ages and skill level. It offers the opportunity to experience cutting edge technology, including the latest developments in virtual reality, as well as the chance to rediscovering childhood favourites played on classic consoles.

Revolution Manchester: Open now

The museum’s Revolution Manchester gallery displays some of its most iconic objects. New displays have now been unveiled to expand on this, exploring the city’s status as an innovator of modern-day travel as well as its revolutionary role in the country’s creative industries. 

The extended displays shine a spotlight on the stories of pioneering Mancunians and ideas that have started life in the city and gone on to impact people and places across the world. 

This includes stories of transport and world-famous journeys from the city, as well as its experimental broadcasters and trailblazing musicians who have shaped the city’s revolutionary creative industries. 

The Science and Industry Museum is currently undergoing a multi-million-pound renovation project across its seven-acre site to open brand new spaces and make significant improvements to some of its best-loved galleries. Although this means some of its buildings are temporarily closed, there is still plenty for visitors to do, see and enjoy. In July, the museum will open its next major exhibition, Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You, which will take visitors on an unmissable journey thought the digestive system.

For more information about what’s on at the Science and Industry Museum, visit www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk.