SON ET LUMIERE YORK LEADS LEARNING’S STEM SOYUZ LANDS FLAT OUT DAME ZAHA’S IN BRADFORD RAIL THINKING POWERHOUSE IN LONDON FOR GRAPHENE MATHEMATICS RETURN TO CONTENTS PAGE SOYUZ This 360-degree crew’s-eye view of Peake’s Soyuz cabin was shot using a Samsung Gear VR camera by our group’s Digital Lab The Soyuz TMA-19M descent module that While in orbit, Peake had watched a video returned British astronaut Tim Peake safely of the launch party held in December from orbit is the first spacecraft flown by 2015 at the museum and had wished he man to enter the Science Museum Group had been celebrating too with the 3000 HERO PEAKE’S collection. As the UK’s first European schoolchildren who counted down towards Space Agency astronaut, Peake scored his liftoff. When reunited with the Soyuz, he a double scoop when he unveiled the reminisced about first seeing the capsule capsule at the Science Museum in January. crammed with cargo before its launch – On that day – marking the London launch ‘one of the few times I have been grateful SOYUZ LANDS of the 2017 UK–Russia Year of Science and to be only five foot eight’ – and then about Education – the news also broke that he looking on in awe when it sat atop almost would be returning to space. 300 tonnes of rocket fuel before launch. Standing before his Soyuz, which bears Among the dignitaries and media present IN LONDON the scorch marks of its 1600 °C re-entry were Mary Archer, who awarded Peake a from space, he declared how he ‘always Science Museum Fellowship; group trustee gets such enormous pleasure from visits David Willetts, who in 2013, while UK science to the Science Museum’. Draped from minister, paved the way for UK manned girders above him was its main parachute missions; Greg Clark, secretary of state; which helped cushion his descent to the Vladimir Lvovich Solntsev, president of RSC ‘I’m quite fond of this spacecraft... steppe of Kazakhstan. ‘I’m quite fond of Energia, which built the Soyuz spacecraft; VIEW THIS this spacecraft,’ he said. ‘We go back a bit.’ deputy minister of science and education of tinyurl.com/lhc4kto We go back a bit’ the Russian Federation, Veniamin Kaganov; tinyurl.com/y8umaxm3 Tim Peake, British astronaut and Helen Sharman, first Briton in space. Tim Peake’s Space Descent VR – page 18 RETURN TO CONTENTS PAGE CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT US OUR FIVE WORLD-BEATING MUSEUMS Science Museum, London THE SCIENCE MUSEUM GROUP National Railway Museum, York Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester National Science and Media Museum, Bradford HARMONY ‘I am incredibly proud of our science Locomotion, Shildon museums. It is so exciting that we are here in Rio working together to SUPPORT OUR MUSEUMS engage people in science’ Visit sciencemuseum.org.uk/donate or for AND THE corporate membership and patrons see page 59 Karen Bradley, secretary of state for Culture, Media and Sport THE YEAR ON VIDEO sciencemuseum.org.uk/annual-review-video IN LONDON POWER ‘The Science Museum is an innovative place. Samsung and the Science Museum is a brilliant OF FIVE combination’ Russell Taylor, CMO, Samsung UK and Ireland Dame Mary Archer, chairman of the Science Museum Group, IN YORK AND SHILDON captures the spirit of an energetic year ‘A million people have seen Flying The relaunch of the National Science and Scotsman in the past year. It has Media Museum, along with a new brand, SCIENCE MUSEUM GROUP a new website and a Wonderlab gallery, become an amazing brand emblem ANNUAL REVIEW 2016–17 was perhaps the standout moment in for the National Railway Museum, © 2017 The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum what was a remarkably busy year for the as much as the Virgin Azuma will Science Museum Group. The first two Edited by David Johnson months following relaunch saw an be a brand leader for Virgin Trains with generous input from staff across the group on the east coast’ and its many bloggers increase of nearly a third in visit numbers. Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group founder Designed by Steve Lancefield When I tried out the gallery’s interactive Project manager Ellen Hayward-Seers delights – its mirror maze, echo tube, IN MANCHESTER assisted by Jessie Lewis hypnotic zoetrope and more – it struck me that the rebirth of our Bradford Copy editor Lawrence Ahlemeyer museum marks a step change in activity ‘To be given an exhibition at Main photography from group resources: across the group. It signals much more the Museum of Science and Museum of Science and Industry to come in a year that saw a significant National Science and Media Museum Industry was a great honour. It National Railway Museum/Pictorial Collection STEM ambassador programme now run Science & Society Picture Library from the Museum of Science and Industry was also a great way to celebrate Science Museum Library and Archives in Manchester, progress at the National the innovative spirit that won Science Museum Photographic Studio Daily Herald Archive/National Science and Media Museum Railway Museum with our partners in the Manchester the accolade York Central development, Locomotion With thanks for additional photographs by: in Shildon smartening up its impressive of European City of Science’ Alchemy VR, Tim Anderson, Kasim Asim, Polly Braden, Dan Clarkson, John Clifton, Kieran Davis, Benjamin Ealovega, Drew Forsyth, Fresh Cut collection, the superb new Mathematics Professor Sir Andre Geim, Nobel Prize-winner Creative, Hugo Glendinning, Nick Guttrdige, Jody Hartley, Jennie Hills, gallery, the opening of the original now and in the future. We have pioneered creating our new unified Science Museum Kate Hunter, Keoma Zec Photography, Jody Kingzett, Jason Lock, Barry Wonderlab in London’s Science Museum the concept of ‘science capital’ – a Group Collection website. Macdonald, Lee Mawdsley, National Graphene Institute, Phil Oates, Dan IN BRADFORD Oxtoby, Hazel Palmer, Richard Pearson, Jonathan Perugia, Plastiques and our growing research strength. person’s scientific literacy, their familiarity Photography, Dan Prince, Queensland Museum, SMG Digital Lab, Paul with science in daily life and their I am grateful to the Board of Trustees ‘Our new name, the National Science Thompson, Virgin Trains East Coast Our priorities are now set within the appreciation of science’s worth – and are who give of their time and expertise Printed by Go Agency, using sustainable paper – Cocoon Silk 100, framework of the group’s new strategic using this to inspire the next generation of so willingly in both formal and informal and Media Museum, emphasises which is produced from 100% post-consumer recycled, FSC certified vision, Inspiring Futures 2017–30, which scientists, inventors and engineers. capacities. It remains essential for all pulp. Less energy and water are consumed and fewer CO emissions its responsibilities to its local 2 has been developed over the past 18 our museums to forge new philanthropic are produced during manufacturing, compared with the production community and the nation as a whole’ of virgin fibre paper. FSC recycled certification, NAPM 100% recycled months by a group ably led by group We are extending our international reach, and corporate funding relationships, certification, ISO 14001, Process Chlorine Free (PCF) and PAS trustee David Willetts and is published and the director’s report focuses on and I especially thank all our donors and Lord Grade, chairman of the museum’s advisory board 2020:2009 Level 3 alongside this Annual Review (see page this important aspect of our work. Each partners. Together we will fulfil the 61 for a brief outline). of the museums within the group has group’s mission to inspire futures. international stature, as well as a fierce Cover image: A thermal imaging camera is sensitive to infrared radiation and enables us to ‘see’ thermal energy and highlight differences between The group’s vision is to create a society sense of pride in its regional heritage, hot and cold places. This proves invaluable in surveillance and in search and rescue. Here, the thermal camera exhibited in Wonderlab detects a Above: At our Bradford museum’s relaunch this young visitor and the resulting ‘heat map’ is displayed on a large screen. The opening of a dazzling new Wonderlab marked the rebranding of the that celebrates science, technology and but we now work more as a group where spring: its chairman Michael Grade, Mary Archer National Science and Media Museum in Bradford. Photography by Lee Mawdsley engineering and their impact on our lives, it makes sense to do so, for example in and museum director Jo Quinton-Tulloch 1 RETURN TO CONTENTS PAGE SCIENCE MUSEUM GROUP ANNUAL REVIEW 2016–17 ‘The Science Museum Group enjoys a unique place in the UK learning ecosystem and is a global leader for inspiring schoolchildren and helping to nurture the next generation of engineers’ Professor Dame Ann Dowling, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering HIGHLIGHTS Inside front Peake’s Soyuz lands in London ON OTHER PAGES 20 Visitors giving more generously 4 Soft power with a purpose: 24 Starchitects vie for our spaces director Ian Blatchford on our global reach 25 Caring for the wounded millions 36 Manchester Science Festival is 10! 6 We are the place to be 37 Potent widescreen weekend 42 Cat brings in the toddlers 43 How to survive connectivity Two new world-beating Wonderlabs... 48 Spin-off events create a buzz 8 ...Bradford the new home of Wow! 50 Lates tick the adult boxes 12 ...Recruiting new audiences in London 52 Surfing abroad, making friends 54 What we acquired last year 55 What we lent out 14 Year of