Museum visual story | Science and Industry Museum

This visual story provides images and text to help you prepare for your visit to the Science and Industry Museum.

You can also explore our museum collection online or explore our main entrance via Google Maps.

Before you arrive

OPENING TIMES AND TICKET BOOKING

The museum is open Monday – Sunday, 10.00–17.00.

You need to book a free ticket before coming.

You don't have to wear a face covering to visit the museum, but you can if you want to.

QUIET TIMES

The museum tends to be less busy on weekday afternoons and Sunday mornings.

During school holidays or bank holidays it is busy throughout the week.

We have a quiet room that can be accessed through the Textiles Gallery.

A dimly lit room with an armchair and a sofa in it

The sign on the door will tell you if the room is in use. Please wait for the space to be available before entering.

You can borrow ear defenders from the New Warehouse information desk if you would like to.

Getting here

The main entrance of the Science and Industry Museum is on Lower Byrom Street, not far from Manchester City Centre.

KEY TRANSPORT ROUTES

Tram

The nearest Metrolink stop is Deansgate–Castlefield.

Free city centre bus

The museum can be reached on both Route 1 (closest stop: Opera House) and Route 2 (closest peak time stop: Opera House; closest off peak stop: Deansgate, near junction with Quay Street).

Car

There are three accessible disabled parking spaces in front of the museum on Lower Byrom Street which Blue Badge Holders can use.

You can find more directions and options for getting to the museum on the travel information page.

When you arrive

MUSEUM ENTRANCE

This is the museum entrance:

Exterior view of the entrance to the Science and Industry Museum

At busy times like school holidays or special events there may be queues outside the entrance.

Please speak to a member of staff if this is an issue and we'll help you get to the front.

ON ARRIVAL

When you enter the museum, staff members will welcome you at the information desk and scan your ticket.

If there are other visitors waiting, you might need to queue. Please speak to a member of staff if this is an issue and we'll help you get to the front.

Museum staff wear black and green T-shirts with green lettering.

A woman and a man wearing black and green uniforms

You can ask them any questions you might have about your visit and also book tickets for any additional exhibitions or experiences in the museum if you would like to.

You can pick up a map at the information desk or download one in advance.

At the information desk you can also borrow:

Ear defenders (some of our galleries can be noisy and contain working machinery or live shows)
Trails and activities for you to do if you would like to

Three museum leaflets and a pair of ear defenders

Around the museum

People

There will also be museum staff and volunteers in galleries across the museum. You can ask them questions about the museum or your visit if you would like to.

Museum staff and volunteers wear black and green t-shirts with green lettering.

A woman wearing a black and green museum uniform giving a presentation

This is an Explainer. You might see them doing live demonstrations, shows and activities in certain galleries across the museum. You might hear announcements throughout the day when a live demonstration or show is going to begin.

A museum explainer in uniform conducting an experiment

Facilities

There are hand sanitisers located throughout the museum.

Lockers are available on Level -1 (lower ground floor) of the New Warehouse.

There is a charge of £1 for small lockers or £2 for large lockers, so please try to bring change with you if you are intending to use them during your visit.

We have lifts and stairs that you can use to get to all levels of the museum (please note, there is no lift access to the locker room, speak to a member of staff if you need help to access storage space).

There is information at the lifts and stairs about what you can find on each floor.

A sign explaining the different levels at the museum

Some areas of the museum are closed while construction work takes place. You won't be able to go into these areas.

You may see scaffolding, large machinery and construction workers.

Exterior view of the upper yard at SIM, with hoarding and scaffolding around one of the buildings

A construction worker in yellow overalls digging

Key galleries and exhibits

The museum is made up of five main buildings, all surrounding a large, cobbled yard which is split over two levels. Seats are located throughout the museum.

Some of the buildings are closed while construction work is happening.

Here are some of the galleries that you can visit. You can read more detail about what you can expect to see and do on a visit on our what's on pages.

Level 0, Revolution Manchester

In this gallery you can see some of Manchester's industrial innovations, scientific discoveries and ideas that changed the world.

Interior view of the Revolution Manchester gallery

You will see a Rolls-Royce motor car and a replica of an original computer.

An old Rolls Royce car on display in a museum

Replica of an early computer on display in a museum

You might also see a live show in this gallery. This show will include loud bangs and bright lights. There might be a large crowd watching the show. You can ask staff at the information desk about what time this will happen.

A museum explainer using a leaf blower to keep a beach ball in the air

Level 0, Textiles Gallery

Our Textiles Gallery tells the story of the people, places and products of Manchester's textiles industry.

You will see large machinery and small objects.

Old textiles machinery on display in the museum

You might see a museum Explainer turn on some of the machines and do a machinery demonstration. This will be very loud and there might be a lot of people watching.

You can ask staff at the information desk about what time this will happen.

Level 1, Experiment

This is an interactive gallery with lots of hands-on activities and things to do. You can touch and try the experiments if you want to.

Two people playing with an interactive display in the Experiment gallery

Some areas of this gallery are dark. Some of the activities make noises, some have moving parts and some might have bright lights.

A man and two young boys playing with wooden blocks

Two boys making shadow puppets with their hands

During busy times there might be lots of people in this gallery and it might be noisy.

Level 1, Power UP

Power UP is open on Saturdays and Sundays during term time and daily during school holidays.

In this gallery there are lots of different games consoles and video games. You will need to buy a ticket from the ticket desk to go into this gallery and play the games.

Show your ticket to the museum staff at the ticket desk and they will let you into the gallery.

A set of open double doors leading to the Power UP activity

This gallery is dark and there are lots of different noises. There are lots of screens with moving images and red lights around the gallery.

Rows of computer consoles and TVs inside Power UP

Outside, Planting Stories

Outside there are large containers with lots of flowers, trees and shrubs in.

There are benches here if you would like to sit outside.

Some of the floor outside is cobbled and uneven.

Plants growing in planting boxes at the museum

Level -1, Special Exhibitions Gallery

The exhibitions in this gallery are temporary and changing. You can ask a member of museum staff what you can expect to see in this gallery during your visit.

Turn it Up: The Power of music

From 21 October 2022 to 21 May 2023, you will be able to buy a ticket to visit our special exhibition, Turn It Up, if you would like to.

Several circular shelves containing various music playing devices from throughout history

This exhibition is about music and there are lots of different sounds playing throughout the gallery. There are also lots of different lights and colours throughout the exhibition, and different areas that you can go into or explore if you would like to. You can see the different sights and sounds that you can expect in the Turn It Up sensory map.

A circular room lit with a deep blue light

Several upright pipes with glowing spheres on the end of them

In this exhibition there are lots of things that you can see, like unusual instruments, as well as things to do, like listen to music, dance and push buttons.

A colourful interactive display in a museum exhibition

Find out more in the Turn It Up sensory map.

Current closures

Other areas of the museum are currently closed for construction work.

These are the Power Hall, 1830 Station and Station Master's building. The Air and Space Hall is also closed.

Café and picnic areas

You can buy food and drink at the Warehouse Café on Level 0 of the New Warehouse.

We also have both indoor and outdoor picnic areas if you want to bring your own food.

Outside, Upper Yard

You can eat a picnic in our Planting Stories garden or on the red benches nearby.

A number of red picnic benches with yellow parasols outside the museum

Level 1

There is a picnic space with furniture and highchairs through the Bistro Restaurant.

Three long picnic tables inside the museum, each with a number of chairs around them

Shop

There is a shop on Level 0 of the New Warehouse.

Toilets

Accessible toilets and baby changing facilities are located on Levels 0 and 1 of the New Warehouse.

A Changing Places facility is located in the Bistro on Level 1 of the New Warehouse.

Other toilets are located across the museum. Look out for these symbols on the signs or on the map.

Alarms and announcements

In the event of an evacuation, you will hear a siren and staff will show you to the nearest exit.

During your visit you will hear announcements to let you know when shows and demonstrations are about to begin. Closing announcements will be made at 16.55 each day.

Science and Industry Museum visual story