Catalyst (museum)

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Tower Building
Tower Building
Catalyst Science and Discovery Centre
Catalyst Science and Discovery Centre

Catalyst is a science centre and museum devoted to the chemical industry. Its full title is Catalyst Science and Discovery Centre.[1] It is located in Widnes, Cheshire, in the north west of England, and situated on the north bank of the River Mersey (grid reference SJ513842).

The museum is the world's first museum dedicated to the chemical industry,[2] although museums devoted to chemistry (rather than to the chemical industry) such as Kazan chemical museum,[3] Farsman Mineralogy Museum,[4] and Zelinsky Chemistry Museum[citation needed], Museum "Chemical Industry of the USSR" in the formr VDNKh USSR[5] and Kiev Museum of Chemical Industry did exist earlier. It opened in 1989 and its original title was "The Museum of the Chemical Industry".[6] The museum is housed in an old four storey building with modern extensions. The building was originally known as Tower Building and was constructed around 1860 by John Hutchinson as the administrative centre for his alkali business.[7] It later became the head office of the Gossage soap company. An additional glass-walled storey was added to the building in 1989, accessed via a glass-walled lift, which provides a panoramic view of the surroundings.[2]

The centre gives information to visitors, including school parties, about science, particularly chemistry.[8] In addition to static exhibitions and hands-on experiments, it contains the Alchemy Theatre which gives three-dimensional presentations and allows interactive voting.[9] Family workshops are arranged during school and bank holidays.[10] The centre organises a Science Club for 11 to 14 year-olds which meets monthly.[11]The museum 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.[12]

Catalyst is a charitable trust with a Board of Trustees. The development of the museum was initially funded by chemical industry companies, UK and local government,[2] and funding has also come from the European Union, and a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.[8] It is now supported by a number of partners[13] and further helped by a group of volunteers, the Friends of Catalyst.[14]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Catalyst Science and Discovery Centre. Catalyst. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
  2. ^ a b c Emsley, John (1989-08-19). The wonderful world of Widnes: Catalyst, the museum of the chemicals industry, Widnes, Cheshire. New Scientist. Reed Business Information. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
  3. ^ Kazan chemical museum
  4. ^ Farsman Mineralogy Museum
  5. ^ "Chemical Industry of the USSR" museum
  6. ^ James, Tony (1992-08-15). Review: Catalyst loses its modesty and comes of age. New Scientist. Reed Business Information. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
  7. ^ Hardie, D.W.P. (1950). A History of the Chemical Industry of Widnes. London: Imperial Chemical Industries, 56. 
  8. ^ a b About us. Catalyst. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
  9. ^ Education. Catalyst. Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
  10. ^ Workshops. Catalyst. Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
  11. ^ IScience Club. Catalyst. Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
  12. ^ Collections and Historical Documentation. Catalyst. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
  13. ^ Partners. Catalyst. Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
  14. ^ Friends of Catalyst. Catalyst. Retrieved on 2008-03-24.