Fairfield High students first to step inside reopened power hall

A group of Tameside students made history this week as they became some of the first visitors to step inside the Science and Industry Museum’s iconic Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery, which reopened on Friday 17 October after six years of closure.

Over a hundred Year 8 pupils from Fairfield High School for Girls in Droylsden were among the first through the doors on reopening day, joining hundreds of excited visitors eager to explore the newly restored gallery. The group immersed themselves in the sights, sounds and even the smells of the powerful engines that once drove Manchester’s industrial revolution and helped shape the modern world.

Speaking after the visit, F. Lealman, Head of School at Fairfield High School for Girls, said: “Our pupils were honoured to have been among the first visitors to experience the newly reopened Power Hall. It was a privilege to be invited to such a significant moment for the museum and for Manchester’s industrial heritage.

“Pupils took part in guided activities, explored interactive displays, and spoke with museum staff about the exciting developments taking place in science and technology. It was a wonderful reminder that these industries are open to everyone and that young women have a vital role to play in shaping the future of innovation.

“Opportunities like this help to inspire our young women to see the possibilities within science, technology, and engineering. We are hugely grateful to the Science and Industry Museum for this memorable and inspiring experience.”

The newly transformed Power Hall is home to a stunning collection of historic working steam engines and locomotives, some running for the first time in nearly a decade. Visitors can get hands-on with brand-new interactive exhibits, discover the inspiring stories of the people whose ideas powered our modern lives, and watch the museum’s expert technicians in action as they care for the engines that defined Manchester’s industrial heritage.

To celebrate the reopening, visitors to the museum this weekend (Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October) can enjoy a party atmosphere, complete with live performances from musical collective Mr Wilson’s Second Liners at 11am, 12.30pm, and 2pm on both days.

The reopening of Power Hall marks a major milestone in the museum’s ongoing multi-million-pound regeneration project, which aims to conserve its historic buildings and create new, engaging spaces for visitors to learn and play.

Originally built as a shipping shed for the world’s first inter-city steam-powered passenger railway, the Power Hall is a Grade II listed building and was the first to open when the museum launched in September 1983. It closed in 2019 for essential repairs, a pioneering decarbonisation project to reduce emissions, and a complete reimagining of its displays and visitor experience.

The newly named Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery has been made possible through generous support from Andrew Law via AL Philanthropies, the museum’s largest philanthropic gift to date. Other supporters include the Wolfson Foundation, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Headley Trust, Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, Atmos International, The Beaverbrooks Charitable Trust, The Zochonis Charitable Trust, and several anonymous donors.

The museum has also thanked the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, whose funding supported the gallery and its decarbonisation work through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, delivered by Salix Finance.

After six years of transformation, the Power Hall is once again alive with movement, music, and the unmistakable rhythm of innovation and Fairfield High School’s students were there to witness it first.

(Photo: Year 8 students from Fairfield High School for Girls – Droylsden becoming the first school group in six years to visit Power Hall. © Drew Forsyth, Science and Industry Museum.)