National Science and Media Museum — Attraction in Bradford

I visited this years ago with my late wife when it was the Museum of Film, Television and Photography. Since then, it's been privatised and acquired by the Science Museum group, been threatened with closure, undergone a controversial refit and a few name changes. I've been told it's much more child-friendly than when it was just rows of old TV and film cameras in glass cases (though the latter are still there, now in a basement area that when we went was themed around the seaside and holiday snaps, and there is still an area dedicated to the history of TV, including an original Baird mechanical set and models from The Wombles, Dr. Who, Thunderbirds, Rainbow and Wallace and Gromit).

The main part of the museum is now the science-oriented 'Wonderlab' on the third floor. This has everything from infra-red cameras and a hall of mirrors to voice changers and experiments with sound and light. The most impressive part is a huge 3D projection sphere which can display the surfaces of various planets and which is periodically accompanied by an interactive talk about the Solar System. Great fun and educational too; my 7yo loved it!

On the top floor is a small gallery that deals with the history of video games. As a child of the 1980s I was in my element here - reacquainting myself with titles from the 'arcade golden age' such as Pong, Defender (still as tricky as it ever was!) Asteroids, Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Rainbow Islands and more. Many of the games are in the authentic 1980s upright or 'cocktail' cabinets and the place is decorated like a retro arcade which all adds to the experience.

There's also a small selection of home computer and console games, including Manic Miner (Spectrum), Sonic (Mega Drive), Mario Kart (SNES) and Goldeneye (N64). The consoles and some of the machines are set to free play, the rest are 10p or 20p per play. Great fun and a real trip down memory lane for anyone aged 40+, the kids will have fun too as what these old games lack in fancy graphics, they more than make up for in playability and entertainment value.

My only criticisms would be that on the day we visited some parts of the museum (including the arcade) were much too hot (though the special gallery containing exhibits related to sports broadcasting was deliciously cool) and that as others have mentioned, the lift (singular) is terrible. Also, compared to the space given over to film photography, there was little reference to digital cameras (one small case) or for that matter the smartphone revolution, online photography sharing (Flickr, Instagram, Facebook etc) which have now been around for a decade or so. Maybe in a few more years, when the technology has matured...

We came over on the train from Leeds (the museum is only 5mins walk, albeit across the notoriously busy ring road, from Bradford Interchange station) and combined our visit with a paddle in the Mirror Pool at the City Park (something best done at the end of the afternoon when the pool is full). Would...

Thought I'd reviewed this four of five years ago but, in any case, its changed. For the worse, though to be fair its grand re-opening turns out to mean half of it is still closed pending ongoing the refurb.

If you've been before then, yes, you'll find the refurb has made the place brighter and more spacious, especially the move away from previously ridiculously narrow stairs and impossibly slow and mind-of-their-own lifts.

But, though not a fair impression given its not fully opened, it seems this Science Museum group outpost has suffered the same sad fate as probably all the others, certainly Manchester science museum ... rip everything of interest out, fill it with either corporate event space to hire or cheap fads.

Something they've grandly called the Connection Engine is an example of the latter. Some meaningless computer screens presenting a jumble of seemingly irrelevant or disjointed facts and pictures, that nobody I observed spent more than about 0.25 seconds on. Seems a classic case of some non-needed nobodys calling themselves the Arts & Humanities Research Council p*&&i%g taxpayer or lottery money up the wall before no doubt going for a hearty self-congratulatory lunch of organic avocado or whatever those types do, completely oblivious to their gross failing in duty to educate and inform.

Also, there seems an inexplicable and irrelevant fascination with computer games throughout the place including in the so-called Cubby Broccoli cinema, who must be turning in his grave.

The Wonderlab section, as before, has two or three exhibits that are noteworthy and deserve praise (the water drop flash photograph, the thermal body camera, the colour-rendering / colour blindness booth, and the mirror maze) but then again that section is let down by horrid lethargy-inducing, disorientating, LED strip lights that someone on their DEI committee really should have called out as inappropriate/unsafe. Hopefully remove or at the very least shield those from direct eye exposure as part of the final refurb works? And I still don't think anyone has the slightest clue what the hands-on wood saws made of wood exhibit is trying to prove.

No sign of the former Wallace and Gromit set, the Smash advert aliens, Playschool soft toys and suchlike. The 1980s origins of this forever-evolving-never-quite-knows-what-its-purpose-is museum, back then at the start as simply the 'museum of photography' remains in the lowerground floor but, as particularly interested in that subject and history as I happen to be personally, I thought it was overstocked with old cameras of a certain vintage and generally lacked meaning or explanation. Like going round the charity shop that time forgot.

It sort of makes for an hour or so half-term filling novelty half day out, but you'll find yourself feeling 50/50 as to whether it merits even a voluntary...

Considering the museum was on the brink of closure in 2013, along with many others across the North, I think the Media Museum is doing very well and I hope it continues going from strength to strength.

I booked my admission to the whole museum and You:Matter interactive installation before visiting (the latter was only about £4 for two of us). The staff were friendly and welcoming when we arrived, which set a good tone for the rest of the visit.

The Kodak Gallery was great. I didn't remember it from my last visit so it's like everything was new to me. There was a lot to see and a good variety too.

We decided to visit the Hockney exhibition. We didn't realise beforehand that we needed to pay for entry, so maybe it would be useful to explain that at the entrance to the museum. However, I was happy to pay £1 each, not because I particularly enjoyed the exhibition (it was just ok and my partner was whinging the whole time because he doesn't like Hockney's art), but because the museum is a charity and I want to be part of the reason they stay open.

We really enjoyed the You:Matter installation - very interactive and beautiful. This was the highlight of the trip, and the staff stewarding the exhibition were also very friendly.

The Wonderlab was great, we had a lot of fun. The straw experiment was particularly good, and I came away feeling like I learnt something.

We also enjoyed the collections room (forgotten its official name), where we learnt about folk singing and explored the map (which may hopefully be expanded on in the future to include more Bradford suburbs, e.g. Keighley and Ilkley?)

We went to the café, which was expensive but otherwise no issues. I didn't buy anything from the gift shop only because we had other places to go and I didn't want to have to carry anything. However, I did feel that many of the items in the shop appealed to me.

We enjoyed seeing Feathers McGraw too, very much.

Also, people should check out their website. There are online exhibitions and collections. This is why the museum is so important. I understand the frustration that many of the galleries still weren't open after a lengthy and expensive refurbishment, but the alternative was closure, and they provide vital resources FOR FREE! I'm off to make another...