What we do
The Science and Industry Museum is devoted to inspiring our visitors through ideas that change the world, from the Industrial Revolution to today and beyond. It's a story that we're uniquely placed to tell—on the site of the oldest surviving passenger railway station, in the heart of the world’s first industrial city, today alive with innovative discoveries in science and technology. We care for a globally important heritage site comprising five listed buildings, two of them listed Grade 1. This site was the original terminus of the world’s first inter-city railway and our characteristic 1830 warehouse epitomises Manchester’s 19th-century reputation as the warehouse of the western world. We combine the distinctive appeal of our historic site with a vibrant contemporary science programme, making connections between the past and the present, between scientific theory and real-world applications. One of the flagship events in our cultural calendar, bringing science to life for people of all ages, is the Manchester Science Festival, which attracts the best scientists from Manchester and beyond to showcase current research and promote the region’s rich heritage of innovation.
The first railways
The Science and Industry Museum occupies a remarkable site. In 1830, Manchester became the international symbol of a new age. A revolutionary railroad triggered a transformation in trade, travel, technology and time. The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was the world's first steam powered, inter-urban railway designed to transport both passengers and goods. Its Manchester terminus was Liverpool Road Station, now home to the Science and Industry Museum. For almost 150 years, goods of every description poured in and out of Liverpool Road.
