ANNUAL REVIEW 2014–15 MATHS CASH COUP MANCHESTER’S NEW DAWN BRIDGING THE SKILLS GAP PAGE 9 PAGE 18 PAGES 36–41 CELEBRATING CHURCHILL ADVANCES IN SCHOLARSHIP MECCA FOR PHOTOGRAPHY PAGE 42 PAGES 52–55 PAGE 58 RETURN TO CONTENTS PAGE EXTRAORDINARY FIND ACQUIRED BY THE NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM Willington ‘waggonway’, c. 1780s Buried for nearly two centuries, this wooden standard-gauge track in the world, also points back ‘waggonway’ unearthed during redevelopments on to the earliest railways in Britain from 1603 onwards. Tyneside in 2013 is the most significant survivor yet Currently under specialist conservation to stabilise of the pre-steam railway. With some components the timber after centuries below ground, some of made of timber recovered from ships of the time, it the track is being considered for display as part tells a remarkable story of industry and innovation of the NRM Masterplan. from the 1780s but, as part of the oldest surviving Photograph by Bob Gwynne We are backing the Science Museum Group’s pop-up festivals as they take important messages to the streets of Manchester and Bradford GREG CLARK SCIENCE MINISTER, ANNOUNCING £300,000 FOR FESTIVALS RETURN TO CONTENTS PAGE The universe cannot A new world-class interactive wish for a more gallery will open at the National perceptive eye than the Media Museum in 2016 and our IMAX FIVE MUSEUMS WITH ONE Science Museum theatre is going digital; the threat of PROFESSOR ROBBERT DIJKGRAAF closure is past, the future could not UNIQUE SELLING POINT DIRECTOR AND LEON LEVY PROFESSOR AT THE INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDY IN PRINCETON be more exciting LORD GRADE SMG TRUSTEE AND CHAIR, We welcome Dame Mary Archer, the distinguished chemist, NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM ADVISORY BOARD to the chairmanship of the Science Museum Group. Here she relishes the challenge © 2015 The Board of Trustees of restored and displayed at the National the Science Museum OUR FIVE WORLD-BEATING MUSEUMS Railway Museum. I would also like Science Museum, London (SM) warmly to acknowledge my predecessor Edited by David Johnson Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester (MSI) with generous input from staff at SMG Dr Douglas Gurr and Dr Gill Samuels, and its many bloggers National Railway Museum, York (NRM) who took the helm as Chairman in the National Media Museum, Bradford (NMeM) months before my arrival. Designed by Steve Lancefield National Railway Museum, Shildon (NRM) Great opportunities lie within our grasp. Project manager, Sian Worsfold Picture researcher, Kira Zumkley The country’s economy depends on Copy editor, Lawrence Ahlemeyer THE YEAR’S HIGHLIGHTS the understanding and application of The Science Museum Group attracted a total of science, technology, engineering and Main photography from Group resources: 5,337,000 visits during the past year, among which mathematics. Yet Britain is desperately Museum of Science & Industry short of engineers, only 13% of young National Media Museum 595,000 people visited in booked education groups. National Railway Museum/Pictorial Collection people in the UK study maths beyond Science & Society Picture Library The Science Museum attracted 3,348,000 visits, the age of 16, and more than 80% of Science Museum Library & Archives and welcomed 452,000 visitors in education groups, postgraduate STEM students at UK Science Museum Photographic Studio of which a record-breaking 388,000 were children universities come from outside the EU. With thanks for additional photographs by: and young people. Tim Anderson, Charlotte Arliss, Kasim Asim, Among its 5.7 million visits last year, Ed Bartholomew, Rick Bronks/Satureyes, Louisa The Museum of Science & Industry created the the Group welcomed half a million Burden, Jaron Chubb, Dan Clarkson, Paul Duke, innovative Pi Platform for Investigation as a monthly 16- to 24-year-olds and nearly 1.8 million Benjamin Ealovega, David Exton, Natasha Joining the Science Museum Group as children. Thus we are uniquely positioned Ferrari, Tristan Fewings/Stringer, Chris Foster, laboratory where 14,000 visitors of all ages Chairman, some 15 years after I stepped to increase the country’s science capital Tim Garlick, Bob Gwynne, Jennie Hills, Kick participated in live scientific experiments. Creative, Jason Lawton, Jason Lock, LOJU, Kippa down as a Trustee, I’ve been struck and to create a workforce fit for our time. Matthews, Andrew McCaren/Rossparry, Simon The National Railway Museum (York and Shildon) anew by our iconic collections and the But we must develop our nationwide McFadden/Reaktion Books, Ed Miller/BBC/ stories they tell of inspiration, discovery STEM activity in the face of steadily Together Films, Richard Pearson, Santiago Arribas achieved a total of 894,000 visits during the year. and invention. The richness of our falling Grant in Aid from the Department Pena, Johan Persson, Platform 5 Architects, At NRM Shildon 6000 visitors celebrated its tenth- holdings, our cultural memory and the of Culture, Media and Sport, and with Sam Potts, Preloaded, Dan Prints, Rail Media, anniversary steam gala. David Robertson, Arnaud Robin, Graeme Rowatt, breadth of our offering to the public scant recognition in public funding Scriberia,Thomas Spain, Paul Thompson, Jonny make us a leader among the world’s terms that we are an integral part of At the National Media Museum the annual Bradford Walton, Zaha Hadid Architects, Kira Zumkley science museums. the nation’s science base. Animation Festival attracted more than 9000 And from our national collections: students, industry figures and family visitors. Bob Carlos Clarke, Daily Herald Archive, The Group stands today at an exciting New capital is needed to invest in Roger Fenton, Louis Aime Augustin Le Prince confluence of success, opportunity and galleries and exhibitions, to deliver the challenge. The achievements of Group’s strategic plans and shift the Printed by Go Agency, using sustainable paper SUPPORT THE WAY OUR MUSEUMS CHANGE Director Ian Blatchford and his team are focus of our attention towards the North. – Cocoon Silk 100, which is produced from 100% Your donation will help us make the most of our post-consumer recycled, FSC certified pulp. Less palpable everywhere – in Information The Government has backed our plans unrivalled collections, acquire new objects, create Age, the Science Museum’s stunning for Manchester, and we will develop energy and water are consumed and fewer CO2 emissions are produced during manufacturing, innovative exhibitions and galleries, and develop new gallery; in the Museum of Science further compelling projects to fire the compared with the production of virgin fibre paper. the world’s best learning programmes for all ages. & Industry’s showcasing of Manchester’s imagination of charitable foundations, FSC recycled certification, NAPM 100% recycled contributions to science and technology business and major philanthropists. certification, ISO 14001, Process Chlorine Free Visit sciencemuseum.org.uk/donate or for (PCF) and PAS 2020:2009 Level 3. corporate membership and patrons see page 69. over three centuries; in Drawn by Light, curated from the exquisite Royal So there’s plenty for the new Board of Photographic Society Collection at Trustees to do. Given the Group’s Cover picture In October 2014 Her Majesty The Queen was invited to send her first tweet as a contemporary way to open an ambitious new exhibition space at the Science Museum. Information Age: Six Networks That Changed Our World is the first gallery in the UK dedicated to the the National Media Museum; and in remarkable progress in recent years, history of information and communication technology. At its heart stand the mighty tuning coils from what was the world’s most powerful radio Churchill’s funeral train, beautifully I am confident that the best is yet to come. transmitter when it opened at Rugby in 1926. Photograph by Kira Zumkley © Science Museum 1 CONTENTS SMG ANNUAL REVIEW 2014–15 What the Cravings exhibition does The Science Museum Group is playing a is reveal how the food we eat shapes really important role in getting young our appetite throughout our life people excited about science and engineering PROFESSOR DAME SALLY DAVIES CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER FOR ENGLAND TERRY MORGAN CHAIRMAN OF CROSSRAIL, SPEAKING TO SMG STAFF HIGHLIGHTS ON OTHER PAGES 60 SMG’s global reach 6 SMG is the place to be 61 Shildon’s birthday party with steam 4 Director’s introduction 8 Huge cash boost for Manchester 62 Two-fold purpose behind collecting We’re making waves – why stop now? 9 A starry coup for maths 76 What we lent out 10 Information Age special 28 One startling gift sets the tone The Queen signals museum renaissance 30 Playing up to the digital native APPENDIX 18 A new lead in Manchester 32 Cherishing the art of science Our five museums in profile 20 Making friends in York 34 New life for old masters 66 SMG financial summary and visit numbers 22 Magic milestones for Bradford 35 Mancunians to the fore! 68 Our generous supporters and how to give 42 Churchill’s curious obsession 70 Who’s who behind our family of museums 24 Experience tomorrow’s world today 44 Counting on volunteer hours 71 Science Museum (SM), London 36 Special section on SMG Learning 46 Welcome to our new faces 72 Museum of Science & Industry (MSI), Manchester We’re bridging the skills gap 50 SMG hits the road 73 National Railway Museum (NRM), York and Shildon 52 Passionate commitment to research 51 Awards for women in animation 74 National Media Museum (NMeM), Bradford 58 A Mecca for photography 56 Entrepreneurial flair sets records 75 Science Museum at Wroughton and Blythe House 2 3 RETURN TO CONTENTS PAGE Ambitious programming and creative marketing have been key to our record visit numbers. This requires investment – so I’m afraid the ‘boom’ would vanish like the morning dew if there were major funding cuts in 2015 IAN BLATCHFORD WE’RE MAKING WAVES – WHY STOP NOW? Initiative and progress characterise Ian Blatchford’s tenure as Director and Chief Executive of the Science Museum Group but he argues that even more could be done if the Group’s vital role in the science base were acknowledged and rewarded As I embark on my fifth year as Director, to slow down.