Our partnership with The National Science and Media Museum
About the partner
The National Science and Media Museum is situated at the heart of Bradford, and exhibits galleries which focus radio, television, photography and film. Throughout the year, the museum also host fun educational activities, such as the Bradford Science Museum, Sound Season and the Yorkshire Games Festival.
The National Science and Media Museum houses some of the most innovative galleries and exhibitions including:
- Wonderlab – a stunning gallery which explores light and sound through mind bending exhibits.
- Games Lounge – a fun, interactive lounge which showcases the development of digital games including Pac-Man and Super Mario Kart.
- Animation Gallery – a fascinating insight into the original models of over 100 animation characters.
A shared passion for Bradford being a city that celebrates science and technology drives the mutually beneficial partnership between the University of Bradford and the National Science and Media Museum.
Find out more at The National Science and Media Museum website.
How we work together
The University of Bradford and the National Science and Media Museum have a long history of working together on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) education and activities.
In 2011 and 2015, we collaborated when the City of Bradford successfully hosted the British Science Festival.
In 2021, the museum made the difficult decision to postpone the event due to the restrictions of Covid-19, and instead host the majority of the event online in October that year. The University responded quickly to support the museum to deliver a festival that was interesting to our schools and communities. We worked together to develop ideas and activities that showcased Bradford as a city of science and provide fun learning activities for our communities.
During the pandemic, we also helped the Café Scientifique project adapt for a digital delivery. This event is usually hosted in the museum with academics contributing their expertise and knowledge. Hosting the event online has seen us grow the audience and test different platforms to continue the science learning in these times.
As part of our collaboration with the museum, we created a shared values and vision statement. This enabled us to work together on a range of activities, including:
- The Lates Programme
- Half Term activities
- British Science Week Activities
- Bradford Science Festival
- Early Career Researcher Placements through the DyViTo project
- Volunteering opportunities for students at the museum
On the topic of our partnership, Vicky Clifton, Head of Learning at the National Science and Media Museum, says “when we work together and lean into one another’s strengths we can achieve great things”. The partnership is beneficial for the Museum, University, and the Bradford community.
Professor Alastair Goldman, Professor in the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University states “I am really delighted that we have such an excellent working relationship with the National Science and Media Museum. With common goals and different resources, we can synergise together and hopefully get young people of Bradford - and their parents - really excited about science and the possibilities it delivers”.
Our mission is to inspire futures, especially those of young people in Bradford in relation to science, technology, engineering, and maths – a passion both we and the University of Bradford share. It is clear from our partnerships that when we collaborate and work to each other’s strengths we can achieve great things.
Jo Quinton-Tulloch, Director, National Science and Media Museum
What next?
We are excited about the next stages of this partnership. We have strong shared values and a vision for the City that builds the potential of our young people. Our focus for the next year is to work collaboratively to support the sustainable development and delivery of the annual Bradford Science Festival. We'll also be looking to explore new and inspiring projects that support our vision and objectives for the future, and to strengthen Bradford’s reputation as ‘A city of research’.
