Celebrate Pride at the Science and Industry Museum this August

The Science and Industry Museum has unveiled a special Pride programme coinciding with Manchester’s famous celebration of inclusivity this August.

Spanning talks, newly displayed objects and creative workshops, the Museum’s Pride schedule will kick off on Mon 24 Aug, running through the duration of the festivities until Mon 31 Aug.

Central to the programme will be a series of Spotlight Talks that explore and celebrate the life and legacy of LGBTQ+ hero Alan Turing. Widely recognised as one of the founding fathers of computer science, Turing’s wartime codebreaking contributions helped save an immeasurable number of lives and shaped the future of modern computing.

Led by the museum’s friendly Spotlight Volunteers in the Revolution Manchester Gallery, these talks will take place Mon 26 Aug and Mon 31 Aug at 1.45pm and 2.45pm, and on Sat 29 Aug at 11.15am, 12.15pm and 1.45pm.

Alongside the Spotlight Talks, there’ll be opportunities to discover more about Turing’s impact through newly installed objects and stories which will be displayed alongside the iconic Manchester ‘Baby’ computer.

These include Baiba Auria’s rainbow portrait, which celebrates Turing’s iconic status among the LGBTQIA+ community in Manchester, and a special £50 note featuring the visionary mathematician’s face.

Running Fri 28 Aug – Mon 31 Aug, between 10am – 4pm, visitors can put their creative skills to the test by designing their own woven paper pattern, creating personalised designs inspired by the rainbow colours of the Pride flag and protest banners.

On Sat 29 Aug, the museum will join the University of Manchester for a special edition of its Get Curious series, celebrating LGBTQIA+ STEM professionals. The one-off event will delve into the fascinating world of quantum science with fun hands-on activities, inviting participants to crack a secret code, build a spinning thaumatrope and guess the correct famous scientist or inventor.

For more information about the Science and Industry Museum’s Pride programme, click here.