The Science and Industry Museum will reopen Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery

The Grade II listed Power Hall was built in 1855 as the shipping shed for Liverpool Road Station, the world’s first purpose-built passenger railway station. After more than 160 years of exposure to Manchester’s weather, urgent works were needed to restore and improve the building, as well as secure its future.

We worked closely with architect and lead designer Carmody Groarke, Manchester building contractor HH Smith & Sons, and exhibition designers Studio MUTT, to repair and protect the building’s heritage, improve the experience for all and ensure that the globally significant collections and building continue to take pride of place.   

The Power Hall is part of one of the biggest heritage restoration projects in the UK and exemplifies engineering in action. Live demonstrations of the working engines will showcase the skills of the museum’s expert team of technicians, explainers, conservationists and intergenerational volunteers, alongside budding engineers on T-level placements, who are working to preserve Manchester’s heritage by ensuring past skills endure and future technical skills and careers develop. It is applying contemporary solutions to keep the locomotives and engines maintained for future generations. 

As a science museum, STEM is central to the Science and Industry Museum’s approach to this project, and it has harnessed the latest sustainable technologies to heat and light the Power Hall, as well as power its historical collection in a greener way.  

As part of a sector-leading programme of decarbonisation, that places zero carbon technologies at the heart of the visitor experience, the museum has used the natural resource of water from an underground aquifer to heat its buildings, a renewable resource which was first used to power the Industrial Revolution from this site in the early 19^th century and is now being used to power a green revolution. It has also installed an electric boiler to produce the steam needed to run its historic steam engines. The renovation aims to save 515 tonnes of carbon site-wide per year – equivalent to the average C0₂ emissions of over 30 UK homes annually. The full system is on display, alongside new interpretation and a touchscreen interactive that enables visitors to explore this cutting-edge technology.  

Additional fabric improvements contribute to the performance of the building and include: the installation of energy efficient windows, and roof lights to retain heat, the renovation of the roof, installation of insulation and a new building management system to control energy use.