Museum of Science and Industry

Working machinery, hands-on exhibits, artworks and human stories bring to life the story of Manchester's textile industry. Explore the properties of different fibres and fabrics, and try out processes such as braiding and weaving. A merchant's office gives a sense of what it was like to sell the cotton goods that made Manchester famous worldwide. You can examine samples of fabrics made in Manchester for export to West Africa.

Watch yarn being spun and turned into cloth while our presenters explain  what's happening and what mill work was like. Several of the working machines were made by Platt Bros. of Oldham, once the world's leading manufacturer of textile machinery. Follow the production process through the finishing stages of design, dyeing, printing and making-up to the afterlife of textile recycling. Artworks feature throughout the gallery, adding colour, insight and surprise.