Bradford's National Science and Media Museum celebrates 40 years

David McKennaBBC News
News imageNational Science & Media Museum National Science and Media Museum buildingNational Science & Media Museum
The museum is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a short film sharing some favourite memories over the years.

The National Science and Media Museum is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a short film sharing some memorable events over the years.

The museum opened in Bradford on 16 June 1983.

Its aim was to tell the story of sound and image technologies and their impact on our lives.

Exhibits have included the camera equipment used to capture the famous Cottingley Fairies photographs and the world's first photograph.

Other popular exhibits over the years included a magic carpet, which allowed visitors to take an African safari, explore mountain peaks, or visit an English stately home.

The museum also boasted a huge archive of photographs depicting everyday life in the 20th Century, taken from the Daily Herald, and the space craft that carried astronaut Tim Peake to and from the International Space Station, which is featured in the film.

News imageNational Science and Media Museum/JodyHartley Tim Peake and capsuleNational Science and Media Museum/JodyHartley
The capsule that carried Tim Peake to and from the International Space Station was on display in the National Science and Media Museum's foyer

The museum is currently temporarily closed as it undergoes a £6m transformation, which will see new galleries created on the themes of photography, film, TV, animation and video games.

It is supported by funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Bradford Council.

The museum's director, Jo Quinton-Tulloch, said: "Our new film not only celebrates and reflects on the last four decades, but also looks ahead to the future and the exciting things to come.

"The opening of our new sound and vision galleries will be truly transformational, and we hope to continue to inspire our next generation of visitors from Bradford and beyond."

News imageNational Science and Media Museum Photograph if venue in 1980sNational Science and Media Museum
The museum opened in Bradford on 16 June 1983

The museum is also home to three cinema screens, including Europe's first IMAX.

To Fly! a documentary made about the history of flight was the first film ever screened in the museum's IMAX in 1983, and was the only film shown for 15 months.

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