Turn It Up: The Power of Music at the Science and Industry Museum

A world premiere exhibition is currently being housed at the Science and Industry Museum. Suitable for children and adults alike, Turn It Up: The Power of Music is an interactive experience exploring the science of music’s mysterious hold over us, and how it drives us to create, perform, feel and share.

The exhibition invites us to dig deep into the transformative power of music. Its power to colour our emotions, spark memories, even shape our decisions. Explore how technological advancements push the limits of music and make playing music more accessible for everyone. Discover how music is being used as medicine around the world, from improving the wellbeing of people with dementia to increasing premature babies’ chances of survival.

The thought-provoking exhibition is designed to be thoroughly hands-on. Take part in a musical Turing test and see if you can tell the difference between songs written by humans and machines. Meet Haile the musical robot, who can improvise drum patterns in response to human musicians. Play your part in a newly commissioned ‘musical playground’, where you can get together with family and friends and jam with beats, melodies and harmonies.

Alongside these interactive activities, you can catch sight of some fascinating displays. See the groundbreaking MiMU Gloves, created by Imogen Heap and used by artists like Ariana Grande to use gestures to control electronic music-making software live on stage. Discover some weird and wonderful instruments like the Pyrophone, an organ powered by flames. View a mass display of playback devices from gramophones all the way to modern day items, and the lost technologies in between.

Expect a fun-loving yet informative experience that encourages us all to feel, to remember and to reflect on what music means to us and the lives of others. Alongside the exhibition, there’ll be a range of special events. Think after-hours fun, holiday activities, a series of BSL interpreted tours, relaxed sessions and ‘Experitots’ sessions for families with younger children. Keep an eye on the Science and Industry Museum’s website for the latest word on that.

As for the main exhibition, it will run at the Museum until 21 May 2023 (so get your skates on if you want to catch it here!), after which it will tour nationally and internationally. We’re thrilled to be able to experience it first in the great music city of Manchester.