Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery at Science & Industry Museum
Tom Grieve, Cinema EditorVisit now
Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery
Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.
Reopening for the first time since 2019, the Museum of Science & Industry’s Power Hall has undergone extensive conservation and decarbonisation works as part of a multi-million pound regeneration project and is now ready to open its doors, refreshed and renewed this October.
A trip to this living gallery filled with 19th and early 20th century working engines has long been a right of passage for Mancunians and a key stop for visitors looking to understand the history of the city. As glass towers begin to dominate the city’s skyline, the Hall’s reopening provides a welcome, immersive opportunity to remember Manchester’s roots as an industrial powerhouse and to get some feeling as to what life would have been like for the people who lived and worked with the machines that powered the Industrial Revolution.
A trip to this living gallery filled with 19th and early 20th century working engines has long been a right of passage for Mancunians
Inside the Grade II listed building, once a hub for products shipped around the world, visitors will find one of the UK’s largest collections of historic engines, the majority of which were made in Greater Manchester — including machines that ran everything from cotton mills to chip shops, electricity generators and railways. The massive Durn Mill steam engine is unforgettable, while the Isle of Man Railway’s “Pender” Locomotive will appeal to rail enthusiasts, who can learn more about how trains connected communities around the world.
As mentioned, the Power Hall’s reopening promises to be an immersive experience. In addition to seeing the engines in action — now powered by 21st century, carbon-neutral infrastructure — there are also opportunities to get hands on and test your problem solving skills, with interactive exhibits suitable for all ages. Of course, people are at the heart of industry and the museum places their stories front and centre, with tales of historic engineers and technicians accompanied by those of the pioneers of today, who are working towards greener ways of powering our future.
