Museum of Science and Industry

Part of a 35-tonne ramp designed by architect Ian Simpson has been made into a memento of MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester), which now hangs in his apartment at the top of the Hilton building. Simpson created the spectacular access ramp, which scaled three floors of the former goods warehouse at MOSI, as one of his first projects in 1988. He has since become famous for his designs for the Manchester Hilton, Urbis, Manchester Transport Interchange and No. 1 Deansgate.

After 21 years of service in the Main Building at MOSI the ramp was dismantled as part of the Museum’s £8.5million redevelopment. Around nine million people used the structure and it was considered such a well-used and loved feature of the Museum that small sections of the ramp have been made into limited edition collector’s items, which are now available as a unique MOSI souvenir. Simpson was presented with the first of the series to hang in his own apartment, which has a dramatic view of MOSI from 47 floors up. 

Simpson’s white ramp was one of his first projects as an architect and allowed visitors to experience the scale of the former goods warehouse while walking through it. It is one of Manchester’s most visited and popular buildings and is one of four MOSI warehouses which were once part of the former Liverpool Road station (the oldest surviving passenger railway station, opened in 1830).

Ian Simpson said: “It’s amazing to think that a piece of architecture that was enjoyed by millions of people over the years is now no more but it’s good to have a memento of the ramp.  I am sure that the alterations being carried out by MOSI will be spectacular and give the museum a new lease of life!”

Simpson’s ramp cut through the heart of the 130 year-old building, which was originally built as a warehouse in 1880 for the Great Western Railway Company in the former station site. The ramp has now been removed and internal stairwells and lifts will be housed in distinctive glass towers on the outside wall, to free up more space inside the building.

The redevelopment project, which is scheduled to finish by December, will see the historic warehouse transformed to make better use of the available space and offer improved orientation for visitors. The café, shop, and state of the art conference facilities catering for up to 350 guests are already open for business, while a new restaurant and expanded learning centre will open within the next month.

By December, a stunning new Revolution Manchester gallery will be created on the ground floor to display the city’s greatest innovations – both past and present. The popular hands-on Experiment gallery, which currently attracts thousands of children every year, will be expanded and moved from the second floor to the first floor, with its own dedicated space. 

Funding for the redevelopment project has been confirmed 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.

To register interest in the limited edition mementos created from the ramps please email memento@mosi.org.uk

For more media information and photos please call Sarah Roe on Tel: 0161 606 0176 m: 07847 372647.

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