Museum will 'shine spotlight' on city's creativity

Director Jo Quinton-Tulloch said the museum's curators had to "constantly evolve"

The National Science and Media Museum will "shine the spotlight" on creativity in Bradford when it reopens in 2025, its director has said.

The museum closed last summer to allow work to take place to create two new galleries, remodel the entrance area and install a lift, to coincide with Bradford's year as UK City of Culture.

It will reopen in January but delays with construction work mean the two new galleries will not be ready until the summer.

Museum director Jo Quinton-Tulloch said: "Everything we have done, we have done for the people of Bradford."

An artist's impression of how the museum's new foyer will look when it reopens

Ms Quinton-Tulloch said: "The two new galleries will be ready in June but before that we have a fantastic programme of temporary exhibitions.

"One of the highlights for me is a special commission that we are doing in partnership with Marshmallow Laser Feast, who are an artist collective who create incredible immersive digital experiences."

This installation, which will open in April, will explore who we are and what makes us human.

The new Sound and Vision galleries will include an interactive sound mixing desk

The experience was inspired by Born in Bradford, a major research programme that has been tracking the lives of more than 40,000 people across the district since 2007, the museum said.

Ms Quinton-Tulloch said the new Sound and Vision galleries had been curated with Bradford's communities in mind, particularly young people.

"We have to constantly evolve," she said.

"We know that in 2025 the whole world will be looking at Bradford and we hope we will be ready to welcome thousands of people coming to celebrate and share some of that great creativity that exists here."

Changes have been made to the foyer and a lift has been installed

Yvonne Carmichael, project manager for Sound and Vision, said the past year had involved a "lot of noise and a lot of dust", taking over every floor of the building.

"We have been working on site alongside the builders so it has been a fun 12 months," she said.

"It's going to be great to be open for City of Culture and welcome people to Bradford.

"People will be able to learn how to be a radio presenter with Bradford Community Broadcasting, and there will be an area where you get to be a sound engineer and mix the levels for a live gig."

There will also be an immersive installation about the Cottingley Fairies - a series of photographs staged by two girls from Bradford between 1917 and 1920.

Aside from the new exhibits, visitors will be able to see the museum's permanent collection of cameras and microphones, and return to the Imax and Pictureville cinemas.

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