Museum of Science and Industry

A new coffee shop, gift shop and conference facilities have now opened for business at MOSI as the first stage of the Museum’s redevelopment reaches completion.

The temporary information portakabin has been replaced by a smart new entrance hall and information desk, leading into a bright new gift shop and coffee shop. It’s a tantalising glimpse of what is yet to come, with two exciting new galleries, a restaurant, and education facilities set to open in the next three months. The £8.5 million redevelopment project, which is scheduled to finish by December, will see the historic former railway warehouse transformed to make better use of the available space and to showcase the very best of Manchester science and industry.

The gift shop includes an expanded range of unusual gifts, educational games, books, models and toys, and is open just in time for the first Christmas gift shoppers. The coffee shop features a range of Fairtrade freshly-made drinks and snacks. It has views into historic Castlefield and includes designs inspired by the building’s heavy steel girders.

The new Conference Centre is now open and can host functions for up to 400 people in the atmospheric former warehouse. The Centre has already successfully hosted its first wedding and corporate event, and bookings are flooding in. When the new galleries open the museum will be able to cater for functions of up to 1000.

Within the next month, a stylish new restaurant will open its doors to the public and a dedicated new learning suite, complete with laboratory equipment will provide some of the most advanced classroom facilities of any Museum in the UK.

Terry Hudghton, Head of Marketing and Business Development at MOSI said: “This is an exciting time for us as the first phase of the redevelopment work is now complete and people can come in and see what we’ve been doing. It’s really just a taste of what is to come later in the year, when the new learning centre, a new restaurant and two new galleries will open. The gift shop is packed full of unusual products for all the family and is open just in time for Christmas, so it’s a great place to come if you want to get away from the crowds on the high street, relax in our new coffee shop next door and maybe take in a gallery or two. The Conference Centre offers unique new facilities for corporate clients in Manchester and has already attracted several businesses, and we have just hosted our first wedding.”

Behind the hoardings designers are creating a spectacular new gallery which will showcase some of Manchester’s greatest innovations past and present – from cotton to computing. Revolution Manchester gallery promises to bring the museum experience bang up to date, with breathtaking digital interpretation and games alongside intriguing collection items displayed for the first time. A new, expanded version of the popular hands-on Experiment gallery, which attracts thousands of children every year, will move from the second to the first floor.

In the meantime, MOSI’s other galleries remain open to visitors. MOSI is based on the world’s oldest surviving passenger railway station (built in 1830 as part of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway). The redeveloped building is one of five museum buildings with galleries showcasing the scientific and industrial achievements of Manchester – from transport, to power, to the first computer.

Funding for the redevelopment project comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Garfield Weston, SITA, and a number of other trusts and foundations.

For more information please call Sarah Roe, Press and Publicity officer on Tel: 0161 606 0176

Notes to editors

ERDF in the Northwest

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is making a real difference to people and businesses in the Northwest. With €755 million to invest between 2007 and 2013, ERDF is enhancing the competitiveness of the region’s economy by supporting growth in enterprise and employment.

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