Manchester Museum opened The Study on 11 September 2015. A reworking of the entire top floor of its historic Grade II*-listed building, The Study has been reimagined as a space designed to spark wonder, curiosity and a passion for research in all of its visitors.
The Study sits inside the museum’s original 1885 building, the historic space opened up and original features painstakingly restored. But the project is not just about restoration. It features bespoke furniture designed by Ben Kelly Design (BKD) and state of the art equipment, such as a video microscope capable of sharing still images direct to Twitter.
A space designed to spark wonder, curiosity and a passion for research
Inside The Study, visitors will find a gallery, which opens with photography by West African artist, Nyaba Ouedraogo; a research space, filled with tools, resources and curious objects taken from the museum’s collection; an expanded collections study centre, for in-depth research; new work from Manchester Craft Mafia and an aquaponics installation by the Biospheric Studio, where a fish tank generates the nutrients needed to grow plants – a live research project supported by courses and information for those who want to find out more.
Alongside runs a lively programme of events, talks and workshops aimed at adults that begins in September with events from Manchester Science Festival, the European Researchers’ Night, and a “bio-historic banquet” as part of Manchester Food and Drink Festival with chef Robert Owen Brown. Taken as a whole, the different elements of The Study are designed with one thing in mind: to enable all visitors to the museum to think about the world in new ways.
