National Science and Media Museum

About the museum

The museum opened on 16 June 1983 as the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, in a building in central Bradford that had been started as a theatre and left unfinished. Its main attraction was an IMAX cinema, billed at the time as the largest screen in Britain. The museum closed in 1997 for a redevelopment costing 16 million pounds and reopened in 1999.

It was renamed the National Media Museum in 2006 and received its present name, the National Science and Media Museum, in 2017. It belongs to the Science Museum Group, which also runs the Science Museum in London and the National Railway Museum in York. The collections include the Daily Herald archive of press photographs and about 35,000 objects donated by Kodak, which are the core of the Kodak Gallery on the history of photography.

The Pictureville Cinema is equipped to show original three-strip Cinerama films and is the only public cinema in the United Kingdom with this technology. After a closure in 2023 the museum reopened in January 2025 with refreshed free galleries, including Wonderlab, Power Up and Sound and Vision, alongside the Kodak Gallery. The cinemas, a cafe and a shop complete the visit.

Highlights

• Kodak Gallery on the history of photography, with a collection of about 35,000 objects
• Wonderlab, a hands-on science gallery with free entry
• Pictureville Cinema, equipped for original Cinerama films
• IMAX cinema with a 52-foot-tall screen
• Power Up gallery on video games
• Sound and Vision gallery

Permanent exhibitions

• Kodak Gallery – The history of photography from the first experiments to the digital era, with cameras, a Victorian drawing room and local studio portraits.
• Wonderlab – A hands-on gallery on Level 3 where visitors explore light and sound; entry is free.
• Power Up – An interactive gaming experience on Level 6.

Founded

1983

Operated by

Science Museum Group

Director

Jo Quinton-Tulloch

Visitors per year

approx. 439,916 (2019)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Museum admission and all permanent galleries, including Wonderlab, are free. Booking a free ticket online is recommended at busy times; walk-up entry is also possible. Cinema screenings are ticketed separately.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description

The galleries are wheelchair accessible with lifts from the Level 0 foyer to all floors (with audio announcements, braille and raised buttons), and the front entrance has automatic doors. Manual wheelchairs can be borrowed and pre-booked. A Changing Places toilet is on Level 0 and needs a RADAR key; other accessible toilets are on Level 0 and in the Pictureville Bar. Three Blue Badge spaces at the front have a four-hour limit. Hearing loops are at the Welcome Desk, the Pictureville Bar and in all three cinemas, and selected screenings are captioned or audio described. A quiet room is in the main foyer, ear defenders and weighted lap pads can be requested, and sensory bags and backpacks are available at the front desk; a sensory map can be downloaded. Assistance dogs are welcome. The IMAX has four wheelchair spaces.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities

Wonderlab on Level 3 and Makespace on Level 4 offer hands-on activities, and Power Up on Level 6 is an interactive gaming experience. Museum Explorer backpacks and sensory bags can be borrowed at the front desk, and family events run during the year. A Changing Places toilet and a baby changing area are on Level 0. Breastfeeding is welcome in the cafe.

Getting there & parking

By car leave the M62 at junction 26, take the M606 and follow the brown tourist signs. There is a pick-up and drop-off point outside the main entrance.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop
• Coat check: not available
• Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi throughout the museum (network "Free Museum WiFi"). The Media Cafe on Level 0 has highchairs; the Pictureville Bar serves cinema customers and offers free Wi-Fi. The museum shop is on Level 0. There are seven cycle lockers at the rear of the building, with the key available from the foyer control room.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

A venue hire page is published.

Plan your visit