Science Museum

The Science Museum is one of the three major museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London. It is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. The museum is a major London tourist attraction. The Science Museum now holds a collection of over 300,000 items, including such famous items as Stephenson's Rocket and the first jet engine.

The Science Museum was founded in 1857 with objects shown at the Great Exhibition held in the Crystal Palace. Today the Museum is world renowned for its historic collections, awe-inspiring galleries and inspirational exhibitions.

The museum contains hundreds of interactive exhibits. A recent addition is the IMAX 3D Cinema showing science and nature documentaries, some of them in 3-D, and the Wellcome Wing which focuses on digital technology.

The Science Museum is made up of a number of galleries, some of which are permanent, and some of which are temporary.

Some of the galleries include:

Making the Modern World - This gallery chronologically presents 150 of the most significant items from the Science Museum's collections from 1750 to 2000.

Energy Hall - The ingenious use of steam to generate power helped Britain become the world’s first industrial nation.

Exploring Space - Trace the story of the space rocket. Learn about the satellites orbiting Earth. Find out how we are probing the rest of the Solar System and beyond.

Other subjects covered by the museum are Agriculture, Challenge of Materials, Computing, Docks and Diving, Flight, Glimpses of Medical History, Health Matters, Marine Engineering, Mathematics, Psychology: Mind Your Head, The Science and Art of Medicine, Science in the 18th Century, The Secret Life of the Home, Shipping, Telecommunications, Measuring Time and Veterinary History.

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Admission to the Science Museum is free and it is open seven days a week from 10am to 6pm (last entry 5.30pm) except 24 to 26 December. Some special exhibits, the IMAX 3D Cinema and simulators charge an entrance fee.

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