Catalyst Science Discovery Center
 Exterior view |
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| Data | |
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| place | Widnes , UK |
| Art |
Chemistry Museum
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| opening | 1989 |
| Website | |
Catalyst , with full name Catalyst Science Discovery Center , is an English science center and museum about the chemical industry. It is located in the town of Widnes in North West England in the county of Cheshire , on the north bank of the River Mersey .
It is the first museum in the world that has set itself the task of informing its visitors not only about chemistry in general, but also specifically about the chemical industry and thus differs from museums that have already been opened, such as the Kazan Chemistry Museum, the Farsman Mineralogy Museum and the Zelinsky Chemistry Museum. In 1989 it was opened under the name "The Museum of the Chemical Industry". The old four-story building that now houses the museum was built around 1860 by industrialist John Hutchinson. Back then it was known as the Tower Building and served as the administrative headquarters for Hutchinson's soda company. It later became the corporate headquarters of the soap manufacturer Gossage. As part of the conversion to a museum, a glass elevator and a viewing gallery on the roof were added to the building in 1989, designed by Austin-Smith: Lord. In 1994 an annex was added to the north side of the building to create more space for exhibitions.
The museum offers its visitors the opportunity to learn more about natural sciences, especially chemistry. In addition to the traditional exhibition, there are also many interactive exhibits and a film theater in which the viewer can influence the film itself. Special workshops for children and families are offered during school holidays and bank holidays. Catalyst also organizes the Saturday Science Club once a month, an event for children between the ages of 11 and 14 where interested children can learn more about science and solve problems themselves. The museum also has a comprehensive collection on the chemical industry. Here you can find various documents, photos and the complete research archive of the chemicals department of Imperial Chemical Industries .
Catalyst is a non-profit foundation that is supervised by a board of trustees. The establishment and establishment of the museum was initially funded by companies active in the chemical industry and the national and regional government. Catalyst has also received funding from the European Union and a grant from the Heritage Lottery Foundation of the UK National Lottery. Today it is supported by a number of partners and the "Friends of Catalyst" association.
The number of visitors is currently around 30,000 per year. Around 60% of this is in school classes, for which an extensive program accompanying the curriculum is offered. The museum has been accredited by the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme as a high standard visitor attraction and has 14 major awards, including the prestigious Gulbenkian Prize .
Galleries
- Scientrific : Hands-on exhibits
- Birth of an Industry : Historical overview of the development of the chemical industry - objects, documents, pictures, archive footage, computer quizzes
- World of Opportunities : multimedia station with information on occupational fields and careers in the chemical industry
- Observatory : exhibition on recycling and the landscape of the area; also serves as a viewing platform
history
Although the museum is relatively young, it has seen some major restructuring and expansion, especially at the beginning. The impetus for the establishment of a museum came in 1982 when the centenary of the Society of the Chemical Industry, SCI, was celebrated. To mark the occasion, a study was carried out to see if there was enough material and suitable facilities to establish a museum devoted to the history and development of the chemical industry. After a positive evaluation, a temporary exhibition was finally set up in the old town hall of Widnes. This dealt equally with the history of the region and the history of the chemical industry located there. This first exhibition followed a traditional exhibition concept.
When the rooms in the old town hall were needed for other purposes in 1986, the museum moved to the recently vacated Gossage Building in the West Bank area of Widnes. In 1987 a board of trustees was set up to oversee the museum foundation. Director Gordon Rintoul, appointed in September of the same year, redefined the direction of the museum. History about the area took a back seat and the new exhibition focused on chemistry in everyday life. A new exhibition concept was developed based on the example of the Exploratorium in San Francisco and the At-Bristol Science Center in Bristol, in which visitors should have the opportunity to find out something about chemistry and natural science through independent experiments. The Scientrific gallery, in which this concept was implemented, opened in October 1991.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ New Scientist: The wonderful world of Widnes: Catalyst, the museum of the chemicals industry, Widnes, Cheshire , August 19, 1989, accessed January 8, 2009.
- ^ The Museum of Kazan School of Chemistry
- ↑ Минералогический Музей им. А.Е. Ферсмана-крупнейшее собрание минералов в России
- ^ New Scientist: Review: Catalyst loses its modesty and comes of age, August 15, 1992, accessed January 9, 2009.
- ↑ Hardie, DWP (1950), A History of the Chemical Industry of Widnes, London: Imperial Chemical Industries, p. 56
- ^ Letter from the museum director Dr. Gordon Rintoul to Mr TT Young, Chief Leisure & Operational Services Officer, Halton Borough Council December 7, 1988
- ↑ Internal Catalyst Document: Notes on CATALYST Development for Rainhill Rlwy. Soc. 11th October 1993
- ↑ catalyst.org.uk: Who we are, what we do ( Memento of the original from July 31, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
- ^ Catalyst.org.uk: Education at Catalyst , accessed January 9, 2009.
- ↑ catalyst.org.uk: Family Workshops ( Memento of the original from December 28, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed: January 9, 2009.
- ^ Catalyst.org.uk: Science Club , accessed January 9, 2009.
- ^ Catalyst.org.uk: All About Our Collections , accessed January 9, 2009.
- ^ Catalyst.org.uk: Helping Catalyst , accessed January 9, 2009.
- ^ Catalyst.org.uk: Join the Friends of Catalyst , accessed January 9, 2009.
- ↑ Catalyst Press Pack Info Updated 2008
- ↑ Internal Catalyst Document: Notes on CATALYST Development for Rainhill Rlwy. Soc. 11th October 1993
- ↑ Catalyst Press Pack Info Updated 2008
Coordinates: 53 ° 21 ′ 6.6 " N , 2 ° 44 ′ 1.1" W.