The Science Museum Group

Inspiring audiences with heritage

At the Science and Industry Museum, stories of invention are everywhere. It’s a place that sparks curiosity, connecting past breakthroughs with the possibilities of tomorrow. At its heart sits the Revolution Manchester gallery, housed within the world’s oldest surviving passenger railway station, right in the centre of the city where the industrial revolution first gathered pace.

Following a competitive pitch win, Field were appointed to reimagine this remarkable space. Set within a Grade II listed building, the challenge was as inspiring as it was complex: to honour Manchester’s extraordinary legacy of innovation while shaping a gallery that feels relevant, inclusive and alive to the present.

Revolution Manchester is both a permanent exhibition and a conference space, one that brings together the city’s pioneering engineering history with the ideas that continue to define its future. As creative lead, Field embraced the opportunity to celebrate the building’s original character, allowing its architectural fabric to play an active role in the storytelling. The design weaves together object, narrative and environment, creating a seamless dialogue between the space and the stories it holds.

The result is a gallery that feels open, coherent and confidently contemporary. Every detail has been carefully considered; crafted with sensitivity to the building, yet driven by a bold, forward-looking vision. Accessibility and inclusion are not add-ons, but integral to the experience, ensuring the space welcomes and resonates with everyone who enters.

Most importantly, the gallery creates a powerful connection between people and progress. It brings Manchester’s history of world-changing ideas into conversation with the innovators of today, celebrating not just what has been achieved, but what’s still to come.