Flights between Europe and North America are now such an everyday part of modern life that it's easy to forget that we've only been crossing the Atlantic by air since 1919. But how was the first flight achieved, and by whom?

James Joule is now rightly revered as one of the greatest scientists in the history of physics. However, in his younger years, Joule struggled to be taken seriously by the scientific establishment.

John Dalton was a Manchester-based scientist whose pioneering work greatly advanced our understanding in multiple fields of research, including atomic theory, colour blindness and meteorology.

Over the next few years, we will be carrying out some crucial conservation and restoration work to our Grade I and II listed buildings, to ensure a successful and sustainable future for the museum.