Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery at Science & Industry Museum

Experience the sights, smells and sounds of the engine-driven ideas and industry that started in Manchester and went on to change the world.

Rediscover your favourite engines and dive into newly revealed stories as Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery re-opens on 17 October 2025, following a major repair and conservation programme.

Journey through a century of innovation and experience the industrial beauty of a Grade II listed building, once a hub for shipping global products, now home to one of the UK’s largest collections of historic engines that tell the story of how industry in Manchester shaped the world as we know it today.

Rediscover iconic machines that powered everything from cotton mills to chip shops, electricity generators to railways, including familiar favourites such as the Durn Mill steam engine and the Pender locomotive. Take a closer look at how locomotives connected communities around the world, and see a unique collection of historic 19th and early 20th century working engines, powered by 21st century, carbon-neutral infrastructure.

See steam engines in action and experience a working gallery full of living history that reveals how Manchester changed the world through industrial innovation. Get hands-on and put your problem-solving skills to the test with brand-new interactives for all ages, and see engineering and conservation in action as our skilled team continue to care for the engines on display and prepare more engines to run.

Discover stories of the engineers, makers and technicians whose skills and ideas have powered our lives from the Industrial Revolution to greener futures. Explore how engines helped people to make more, faster – boosting productivity, but at what cost to people and the environment? Find out how today’s scientists and engineers are developing greener ways to power our lives.

Bookings are open for school and group trips until March 2026.