Museum’s heart to be transformed with support from £3m grant

Bradford’s National Science and Media Museum’s Sound and Vision Project is entering its delivery phase, having successfully secured a £3.08m grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

This project will creating two new galleries to showcase the museum’s collections and an additional passenger lift, making the museum accessible to many more visitors.

To facilitate the capital works, the National Science and Media Museum will close from June 2023 to summer 2024.

But its Pictureville Cinema and Bar will remain open seven-days a week with an enhanced programme of films and events.

Existing displays on levels three and five of the museum are now closed with exhibits moving into collection stores.

Wonderlab, the Kodak Gallery, Games Lounge and temporary exhibition space will remain open until the summer, with a public programme culminating in Bradford Science Festival from 23 May – 4 June.

Development of the new galleries will transform the heart of the museum, updating core collections displays. This will involve:

• Complete remodelling of two floors of the building, opening up unused spaces and reimagining the display and interpretation of collections including photography, film, television, animation, video games and sound technologies.
• In addition to the new galleries, the project will see the ground floor of the museum reconfigured, creating a new public space and an enhanced visitor welcome.
• Installation of an additional passenger lift and renovation of the existing lift

Jo Quinton-Tulloch, director of the museum, said: “We are thrilled that The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded us this significant investment to realise our ambition to completely transform our visitor offer both in terms of content and accessibility.

“By working collaboratively with our local audiences, our new galleries will connect our community to our world class collections and truly reflect that Bradford is one of the UK’s most diverse and fastest growing cities.

“Visitors will be able to find stories that resonate with them, showing how all areas of our collections – from photography to gaming – are embedded in every aspect of our lives, and inspiring the next generation of creatives, inventors and scientists.”

Helen Featherstone, director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, added: “The Sound and Vision project at the National Science and Media Museum is sure to be one of the star attractions as Bradford picks up the baton of City of Culture.

“We’re thrilled that we are supporting Sound and Vision and we cannot wait to see the project progress with the help of communities across Bradford.”

Sound and Vision is a £6m capital investment. In addition to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project also has support from the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund 2022-24, Bradford Council, and the Science Museum Group.