The National Science and Media Museum’s once-in-a-generation Sound and Vision Project is entering its delivery phase, having successfully secured a £3.08m grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

Thanks to National Lottery players, this ambitious project will futureproof the museum for decades to come, creating two new galleries to showcase its world-class collections and an additional passenger lift, making the museum accessible to many more visitors. The development of the project is informed by a dynamic consultation programme, in collaboration with local communities and underrepresented groups, to ensure the museum’s transformation resonates with a wide range of audiences.

To facilitate the capital works, the National Science and Media Museum has announced a period of temporary closure from June 2023 to summer 2024, with Pictureville Cinema and Bar remaining open seven-days a week with an enhanced programme of films and events. 

The existing displays on levels three and five of the museum are now closed with treasured exhibits moving into collection stores. Wonderlab, the Kodak Gallery, Games Lounge and temporary exhibition space will remain open until the summer, with a dynamic public programme culminating in Bradford Science Festival from 23 May – 4 June.

A vibrant activity plan sits alongside the development of the new galleries. It supports greater access, new employment and volunteering opportunities and is focused on enabling more people – irrespective of class, race, age, ability, gender, or faith – to engage with the museum. Throughout the development phase, the museum has engaged and consulted with community leaders, access and equality groups and schools including Bradford Deaf Centre, Mind the Gap, Race Equality Network, among many others on gallery designs, content, and interpretation. Volunteers are playing an integral role in the development of the project with over 100 volunteers so far contributing 860 hours of time to consultations. Volunteering opportunities will continue throughout the delivery of the project, with participants anticipated to contribute 2000 hours to further consultation activities. 

The development of the new galleries will transform the heart of the museum, updating core collections displays to increase their relevance to local communities and deliver fully on the Science Museum Group’s mission to inspire futures and ambition to be open for all. This will involve:

• The complete remodelling of two floors of the building, opening up unused spaces and reimagining the display and interpretation of collections including photography, film, television, animation, video games and sound technologies.
• In addition to the new galleries, the project will see the ground floor of the museum reconfigured, creating a new public space and an enhanced visitor welcome.
• The installation of an additional passenger lift and the renovation of the existing lift will increase accessibility and enable all visitors to move around the building with ease.
• The project has sustainability at its heart, with set goals around energy and carbon reduction, resource efficiency, responsible procurement and sourcing of products and services used in the gallery, alongside wellbeing, and community skills and engagement strategies.
• The displays and interpretation will be informed by close consultation with local communities to ensure the museum’s relevance to visitors and engage underrepresented audiences. 
• The new galleries will ensure the museum’s position as a cultural cornerstone when Bradford becomes City of Culture in 2025 and will align with ambitions to harness young audiences and foster new creative opportunities across the district.
• Sound and Vision also complements the city’s ambitious ten-year culture strategy Culture is our Plan and supports the wider region’s commitment to building a digital economy. 

Jo Quinton-Tulloch, Director of the National Science and Media Museum, commented: “We are thrilled that The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded us this significant investment to realise our ambition to completely transform our visitor offer both in terms of content and accessibility. By working collaboratively with our local audiences, our new galleries will connect our community to our world class collections and truly reflect that Bradford is one of the UK’s most diverse and fastest growing cities. Visitors will be able to find stories that resonate with them, showing how all areas of our collections – from photography to gaming – are embedded in every aspect of our lives, and inspiring the next generation of creatives, inventors and scientists. During the period of museum closure, we look forward to welcoming cinema visitors and working with local residents to curate the new galleries.” 

Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, added: “Bradford is one of the most exciting cities in not only the North of England, but the whole of the UK. There is a real buzz across the city, and the Sound and Vision project at the National Science and Media Museum is sure to be one of the star attractions as Bradford picks up the baton of City of Culture.

“We’re thrilled that we are supporting Sound and Vision and we cannot wait to see the project progress with the help of communities across Bradford. We are sure that many National Lottery players will enjoy the new galleries when they are revealed, and they should be proud to know that they wouldn’t have been made possible without the money they have raised.” 

The Sound and Vision Project is a £6m capital investment, and in addition to funding received from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project also has support from the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund 2022-24, Bradford Metropolitan District Council, and the Science Museum Group, which the National Science and Media Museum is a part of. The museum is grateful for all support received to date that has enabled the project and continues to look for partners. 

During the temporary closure period, a range of outreach activities with community groups and schools– in person and online – will enable audiences to stay in touch and track progress. Community outreach and consultations will be taking place across Bradford District including workshops in community centres in BD3 and BD5, summer activities in Bradford Libraries and Bradford Museums & Galleries as well as continued outreach into local schools.