Science & Industry Museum: Revolution in Progress - watch multimillion pound restoration unfold on drone video

The Science and Industry Museum has revealed the immense scale of their restoration project.

New footage has shown the ambitious restoration project to the globally significant heritage site in the heart of the city.

The restoration project covers the seven acres of the site and is being delivered meanwhile the museum remains open to the public.

Critical restoration work is underway and will also unveil new spaces and perspectives for visitors to enjoy, play and learn in.

At the Science and Industry Museum they explore how ideas can change the world, from the industrial revolution to today and the future.

The museum is located at the site of the world’s first intercity railway and is of significant heritage interest for its rich history.

Several buildings on the site have Grade I and grade II heritage gradings.

Located between Castlefield, which is the Roman heart of Manchester, and The Factory, which is a new cultural space in the city that will open next year, the museum is perfectly located in both history and the future of the city.

The critical restoration work will transform its Victorian buildings and create improved gallery experiences.

The restoration project includes the iconic Power Hall, where the term ‘Northern Powerhouse’ was coined.

Work will also happen on the 1830 Station and Warehouse which are some of the earliest railway buildings in the city.

Film footage by David Bewick at Boca films shows the work being delivered on the Power Hall roof, which is the size of a premiership football pitch.

Power Hall was built in 1855 as a shipping shed for Liverpool Road Station and now houses the UK’s largest collection of working steam engines.

The 1830 Warehouse has been repointed, where the joints of the brickwork have been repaired, as well as repairs and restoration to the internal timber joists.

The work to the roof of the 1830 station will make the building watertight, with future plans to improve the learning space inside.

Future plans include the development of the revolutionary railroad and locomotive experience that will tell the story of the railway to visitors.

Research is also underway into new galleries that will focus on Manchester as a “City of Ideas”, as well as the broader story around “Cottonopolis”.

As well as the restoration works, there are huge environmental improvements happening across the site.

There will also be new spaces opening-up for visitors, such as the award-winning Special Exhibitions Gallery, which hosts ground-breaking science exhibitions and experiences.

The Science and Industry museum is also working on creating new connections through to The Factory and the River Irwell to enhance its sense of place in Manchester, as the area expands in coming years.

Director of The Science and Industry Museum, Sally MacDonald, said: “This is a very exciting time. We have the honour of occupying some truly exceptional buildings, which are in urgent need of restoration.

“We are working with specialists and taking great care to transform them, addressing historic issues to conserve important details, but also looking to the future to ensure our buildings are sustainable and provide the best experiences for visitors.

“We’re carrying out a large programme of decarbonisation across the site, adopting new technologies to ensure that our buildings are standing strong and using less carbon. The technology we use will become part of our ongoing story as we welcome the scientists and innovators of the future through our doors to learn more about how ideas shape our world.

“What’s more, we are in a district of Manchester where we have some incredible neighbours. It’s our ambition that visitors can walk easily in between all these outstanding attractions, enhancing the sense of place and visitor experience.

“We’re sorry if the work causes disruption, but we are sure that the final results will be well worth it, as more visitors from our local communities and beyond can enjoy the museum and continue to be inspired by the wonder of science and industry.”

Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council added: “We welcome the significant investments being made to restore and improve the Science and Industry Museum.

“What can be achieved here will bring lifelong benefit to everyone who lives in and visits the city. It can transform the site into a place that not just explores ideas that change the world but a museum that can itself change people’s worlds through wonder and play, and inspirecuriosity, confidence, and skills.”