National Museum of Science and Industry
Encyclopedia
The National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI) is a collection of British
museums, comprising:
The term "National Museum of Science and Industry" had been in use as the Science Museum's subtitle since the early 1920s. The National Railway Museum and National Photography Museum were later established as "outstations." The Science Museum was run directly by HM Government until 1984, when a Board of Trustees was established under the National Heritage Act (1983) and NMSI was adopted as a corporate title for the entire organisation. At this point, NMSI no longer operated as part of a central government department; instead, it now has the status of a non-departmental public body
, operating within the public sector but separately from its associated sponsoring government department, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
. The NMSI operates as a charity; it also has a wholly owned subsidiary trading company, NMSI Trading Limited, which was established in 1988.
The following have separately been Directors of the NMSI:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
museums, comprising:
- The Science MuseumScience Museum (London)The Science Museum is one of the three major museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. The museum is a major London tourist attraction....
, incorporating the Science Museum Library and the Wellcome collections of the history of medicine at South KensingtonSouth KensingtonSouth Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.- The Science Museum at Wroughton in SwindonSwindonSwindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
, WiltshireWiltshireWiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
.
- The Science Museum at Wroughton in Swindon
- The National Railway MuseumNational Railway MuseumThe National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...
in YorkYorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.- Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at ShildonShildon Locomotion MuseumShildon Locomotion Museum is a railway museum in Shildon, County Durham, England. The museum is a branch of the National Railway Museum , which is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry...
in County DurhamCounty DurhamCounty Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
.
- Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon
- The National Media Museum (formerly the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television) in Bradford.
The term "National Museum of Science and Industry" had been in use as the Science Museum's subtitle since the early 1920s. The National Railway Museum and National Photography Museum were later established as "outstations." The Science Museum was run directly by HM Government until 1984, when a Board of Trustees was established under the National Heritage Act (1983) and NMSI was adopted as a corporate title for the entire organisation. At this point, NMSI no longer operated as part of a central government department; instead, it now has the status of a non-departmental public body
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
, operating within the public sector but separately from its associated sponsoring government department, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is a department of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for culture and sport in England, and some aspects of the media throughout the whole UK, such as broadcasting and internet....
. The NMSI operates as a charity; it also has a wholly owned subsidiary trading company, NMSI Trading Limited, which was established in 1988.
Directors of NMSI
The following have been Directors of the National Museum of Science and Industry and the Science Museum:- Dame Margaret WestonMargaret WestonDame Margaret Kate Weston, DBE, FMA was the Director of the Science Museum, London, UK.- Life :Margaret Weston was born in Oakridge, Gloucestershire, the daughter of a headmaster....
DBE FMA (1973–1986) - Sir Neil CossonsNeil CossonsSir Neil Cossons OBE FSA FMA is Pro-Provost and Chairman of the Council of the Royal College of Art, of which he has been a Governor since 1989. From 1986 to 2000 he was the Director of the Science Museum, London, UK, the National Museum of Science & Industry...
OBE FSA FMA (1986–2000) - Dr Lindsay SharpLindsay SharpDr Lindsay Sharp is a museologist and writer living near Berry in the coastal hinterland of New South Wales in Australia, working on two large novels....
(2000–2005) - Prof. Martin EarwickerMartin EarwickerProfessor Martin John Earwicker FREng CCMI was Director of the National Museum of Science and Industry group of British museums from 2006 until 2009...
FREng (2006–2007)
The following have separately been Directors of the NMSI:
- Prof. Martin EarwickerMartin EarwickerProfessor Martin John Earwicker FREng CCMI was Director of the National Museum of Science and Industry group of British museums from 2006 until 2009...
FREng (2007–2009) - Molly JacksonMolly JacksonMolly Jackson was acting director of the National Museum of Science and Industry in England, from 6 April to 23 September 2009. From June 2004 she was managing director of NMSI Trading Ltd...
(2009) - Andrew ScottAndrew Scott (museum director)Andrew John Scott CBE was Director of the National Railway Museum in York, part of the National Museum of Science and Industry in England...
CBE (2009–2010) - Ian BlatchfordIan BlatchfordIan Blatchford is the Director of the National Museum of Science and Industry, which oversees the Science Museum in London, England, and other related museums. He was previous Deputy Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, opposite the Science Museum on Exhibition Road in South Kensington,...
(2010–)
External links
- NMSI main website
- Science Museum, London
- National Media Museum
- National Railway Museum
- The official NMSI print website containing over 40,000 images from the various museum collections