National Science and Media Museum

National Science and Media Museum
National Science and Media Museum with statue of J. B. Priestley
Map
Former name
National Media Museum
National Museum of Photography, Film and Television
Established16 June 1983
LocationBradford, West Yorkshire, England
Coordinates53°47′26″N 1°45′20″W / 53.790556°N 1.755556°W / 53.790556; -1.755556
CollectionsNational Photography Collection,
National Cinematography Collection,
National Television Collection,
National New Media Collection
Collection size3.5 million items
Visitors439,916 (2019)[1]
DirectorJo Quinton-Tulloch
CuratorCharlotte Connelly
Websitescienceandmediamuseum.org.uk
nationalmediamuseum.org.uk (archived)
nmpft.org.uk (archived)
Science Museum Group

The National Science and Media Museum (formerly The National Museum of Photography, Film & Television, 1983–2006[2][3] and then the National Media Museum, 2006–2017[4][5]), located in Bradford, West Yorkshire, is part of the national Science Museum Group in the UK. The museum has seven floors of galleries with permanent exhibitions focusing on photography, television, animation, videogaming, the Internet and the scientific principles behind light and colour. It also hosts temporary exhibitions and maintains a collection of 3.5 million pieces in its research facility.

The venue has three cinemas, including Europe's first opened IMAX screen, finished in April 1983.[6] It hosts festivals dedicated to widescreen film, video games and science. It has hosted popular film festivals, including the Bradford International Film Festival, until 2014.

In September 2011 the museum was voted the best indoor attraction in Yorkshire by the public, and it is one of the most visited museums in the north of England.[7][8] As of February 2016 the museum, in response to revenue shortfalls, has controversially adopted a policy of focusing on "the science and culture of light and sound"—to the exclusion of what are seen as "unsustainable" aspects of creativity and culture, such as past film festivals.[9]

In March 2016 a £7.5 million five year investment plan in the museum was revealed by the Science Museum Group.[10] In March 2017 its name was changed from National Media Museum to National Science and Media Museum.[11]

As of July 2023, the museum is closed until 2025 as part of a project to construct two new galleries.[12]

  1. ^ "ALVA – Association of Leading Visitor Attractions". alva.org.uk. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  2. ^ "The National Museum of Photography, Film & Television". nmpft.org.uk. 16 February 2005. Archived from the original on 16 February 2005. Retrieved 16 September 2018 – via archive.org.
  3. ^ "National Science and Media Museum". National Science and Media Museum. 16 September 2018. Archived from the original on 19 August 2008. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  4. ^ "National Media Museum". nationalmediamuseum.org.uk. 23 February 2012. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2018 – via archive.org.
  5. ^ "NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM · British Universities Film & Video Council". bufvc.ac.uk. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  6. ^ "IMAX Bradford – Science and Media Museum". 13 June 2013.
  7. ^ "Bradford museum is voted third best attraction". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  8. ^ "National Media Museum visitor numbers continue to fall". 4 July 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  9. ^ Quinton-Tulloch, Jo My Message to Bradford Archived 28 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine Museum Director, at blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk, 4 February 2016
  10. ^ "Museum to benefit from £7.5 million investment plans over 5 years – National Science and Media Museum". www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk. 3 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Bradford's National Media Museum changes its name". BBC News. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  12. ^ "Sound and Vision project". www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk. National Science and Media Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2023.