Museum of Science and Industry

Manchester has been home to some of the world's greatest scientists. Founded in 1781, the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society provided the local forum for scientific debate. A leading member was John Dalton, who came to Manchester in 1793. Best known for originating the atomic theory in 1803, he also had a keen interest in gases, weather and colour blindness, being colour blind himself.

Dalton taught James Joule, a Salford brewer's son. Joule became interested in the relationship between different forms of energy. He defined the relationship between heat and electricity in 1840 and determined the Mechanical Equivalent of Heat in 1843.

Owens College, which later became Manchester University, was founded in 1851. Its Physics and Chemistry Departments nurtured many eminent scientists. The University gained renown for its work on atomic physics, particularly by Ernest Rutherford. In 1917, he became the first person to split the atom. Manchester University continues to be a centre of scientific excellence.