Catalyst Science Discovery Centre
Catalyst Science Discovery Centre.
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| Former name | The Museum of the Chemical Industry |
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| Established | 1992 |
| Location | Widnes, Cheshire, England |
| Coordinates |
53°21′07″N 2°44′01″W / 53.35184°N 2.73364°WCoordinates: 53°21′07″N 2°44′01″W / 53.35184°N 2.73364°W grid reference SJ512841 |
| Type | Science museum |
| Accreditation | Arts Council England |
| Website | www |
The Catalyst Science Discovery Centre (originally known as The Museum of the Chemical Industry) is a science centre and museum focusing on chemistry and the history of the chemical industry. It is located near Spike Island in Widnes, Cheshire, and next to the River Mersey. The museum is accredited by the Arts Council England.
The centre contains static exhibitions, hands-on experiments and the Alchemy Theatre which gives shows on chemistry. Family workshops are arranged during school and bank holidays.
The centre is housed in an old four-storey building known as Tower Building constructed around 1860 by John Hutchinson as the administrative centre for his alkali chemical business. In 1989 a glass lift and an enclosed glazed roof-top observation deck, designed by Lord Austin-Smith were added to the building in order to develop it into a museum. In 1994–95, an extension was added to the north to provide an education centre and visitor services. The centre holds a collection of archives relating to the chemical industry, these include documents, photographs and the entire research archive of the ICI General Chemical Division.
The centre focuses on chemistry and the history of the chemical industry. In addition to static exhibitions and hands-on experiments, it contains the Alchemy Theatre which gives three-dimensional presentations and allows interactive voting. Family workshops are arranged during school and bank holidays. The centre organises a monthly Science Club for children aged 11–14 years, and OATS (Over Age Teenage Scientists) for those aged over 14 years. According to former director Gordon Rintoul, as quoted in an article about the opening of the new building, one of the main purposes of the museum was to forge closer links between industry and the public. The museum attracts some 30,000 visitors per annum. About 25% of the current annual total is accounted for by school classes for which Catalyst provides an education program that links directly to the National Curriculum. Catalyst holds the accreditation of 'Quality Assured Visitor Attraction' and to date, has won a number of major awards, including the prestigious Gulbenkian award.
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