About us | National Science and Media Museum, Bradford

At the National Science and Media Museum, in the heart of Bradford, we explore the science and culture of image and sound technologies and their impact on our lives.

We aim to inspire the scientists and engineers of the future to see more, hear more, think more and do more.

Our galleries and exhibition spaces investigate and celebrate photography, film, television, animation, videogames and sound technologies. Our team of Explainers create learning activities that fuel the imagination and get under the skin of our collections and exhibitions. And our three cinema screens—including an IMAX theatre—allow us to showcase the magic of moving images from around the world in Bradford, the first UNESCO City of Film.

Our history in pictures

A black and white photograph of the exterior of the museum in 1983 — 1983: The museum opens as the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, with a remit to explore the art and science of the image

A black and white photograph of an audience looking at an IMAX cinema screen — 1983: The first IMAX in Britain opens at the museum. It becomes the country's biggest cinema screen

A black and white photography of David Hockney lying on the floor looking at images — 1985: Bradford-born artist David Hockney collaborates with the museum, creating a photographic montage based on the museum building

A woman lies on a bed on a sound stage with a man dressed as Dracula leaning over her — 1986: To mark the 50th anniversary of the first public television service, two new TV-themed galleries are opened, including an interactive studio set

A black and white photograph of three men holding old cameras — 1989: On the 150th anniversary of the invention of photography, the Kodak Gallery opens, telling the story of popular photography from its early development to the present day

A photograph of people sitting in front of mixing desk — 1989: The launch of the first ever live broadcasting studio in a museum

A photograph of a red carpet leading up to a white building — 1992: The Library Theatre, originally situated next to the museum, is converted into a 306-seat cinema, becoming the beautiful Pictureville Cinema

A photograph of a cinerama screen — 1993: A Cinerama screen and projection system is installed at Pictureville. This makes it the only public cinema where this format can be screened in the UK

2002: A landmark exhibition celebrates 40 years of James Bond. The exhibition went on to tour to London, the United States and Canada

A photograph of two men in a recording studio — 2003: The museum opens a functioning BBC tri-media studio, enabling visitors to watch journalists gather and produce material for local and national TV and radio

A photograph of two women looking at a mixing desk exhibit in the Museum — 2006: Experience TV, a £3m gallery dedicated to the past, present and future of television, opens

The original National Museum of Photography, Film and Television exterior sign in 2006 — 2007: The museum relaunches as the National Media Museum, expanding its remit to encompass the web and digital technology

A group of people standing behind large letters spelling Bradford, in front of the Museum — 2009: Bradford becomes the world's first UNESCO City of Film

A photograph of bright coloured seating in the museum foyer — 2010: A major revamp of the museum's foyer sees the introduction of the Games Lounge, as well as a new shop and box office

Two visitors look at an interactive screen in the Life Online gallery — 2011: Life Online, the world's first gallery dedicated to exploring the impact of the internet, opens on the ground floor

IMAX Cinema Screen — 2015: The IMAX cinema undergoes a major refurbishment, allowing the introduction of digital projection and improved seating

Wonderlab gallery at the National Science and Media Museum — 2017: The museum relaunches as the National Science and Media Museum, and Wonderlab, a spectacular £1.8m interactive gallery devoted to the science of light and sound, opens

Who we are

Jo Quinton-Tulloch

Director

David Burton

Cinema Commercial Manager

Charlotte Connelly

Head Curator

Mark Crawford

ICT Head of Business Engagement and Intelligence, Science Museum Group

Mark Cutmore

Head of Commercial Enterprises, Science Museum Group

Lizzie Fenton

Head of Development, Special Projects

Sally Folkard

Head of Screen and Cultural Engagement

Adrian Hine

Digitisation Manager, Science Museum Group

Jasmine Kennedy

Finance Business Partner

Rebecca Land

Head of Communications and Advocacy

Helen Langwick

Head of Exhibitions and Interpretation

Dean Loughran

Head of Operations

Emma Phillips

Learning Manager

Laura Prest

People Partner

Elisha Ryan

Estates Manager

Megan Thomas

Masterplan Project Director

Christopher Whitby

Head of Learning

Ms Lopa PAtel, MBE

Chair

Ms Samira Ahmed

Freelance journalist, writer and broadcaster

Mr Kevin Blacoe

Head of Partnerships, Nations and Regions, Channel 4

Ms Anna Bogutskaya

Curator, writer and broadcaster

Professor Shirley Congdon

Vice-Chancellor, University of Bradford

Ms Amanda Dickins

Head of Impact and Development, STEM Learning

Baroness Eaton DBE, DL

Conservative Life Peer, House of Lords

Professor Elizabeth Edwards FBA

Former Director, Photographic History Research Centre, De Montfort University

Professor Anya Hurlbert

Professor of Visual Neuroscience and Dean of Advancement, Newcastle University

Mr Amir Hussain

Founder and CEO, Yeme Architects

Professor Damian Murphy

Professor of Sound and Music Computing, University of York and Director, XR Stories

Ms Sarah Sands

Former Editor of the Sunday Telegraph and The Evening Standard

Ms Nicki Sheard

Chief Marketing Officer, BBC Studios
(membership intermitted July 2022 – July 2023)

We’re part of the Science Museum Group, along with the Science Museum in London, the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, the National Railway Museum in York, and Locomotion in Shildon.

As the world’s leading group of science museums, we share our unparalleled collection—spanning science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine—with over five million visitors each year.

Visit the Science Museum Group website to find out more.