Exploratory (museum)
Encyclopedia
The Exploratory was a science museum
in Bristol
, England that was established in 1987 by Richard Gregory
.
From 1987 to 1989 it was housed in the Victoria Rooms
which were designed by Charles Dyer
and was built between 1838 and 1842 in Greek revival style
.
In 1989 it moved to Bristol's historic old railway station, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel
. It is the world's earliest surviving railway terminus, which was completed in 1840 and includes the passenger shed and the adjoining former engine and carriage shed. It is over 220 ft (67.1 m) with timber and iron roof spans of 72 ft (21.9 m), this Grade I listed building has been nominated as a World Heritage Site
. The building later became the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum
.
The successor to the Exploratory was At-Bristol
which opened in 2000 at a new site as part of the regeneration of the historical Floating Harbour
. The project was funded with £44.3 million from the National Lottery
, Millennium Commission
, South West of England Regional Development Agency
, and a further £43.4 million from commercial partners (including a controversial donation from Nestlé
) and Bristol City Council.
Science museum
A science museum or a science centre is a museum devoted primarily to science. Older science museums tended to concentrate on static displays of objects related to natural history, paleontology, geology, industry and industrial machinery, etc. Modern trends in museology have broadened the range of...
in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England that was established in 1987 by Richard Gregory
Richard Gregory
Richard Langton Gregory, CBE, MA, D.Sc., FRSE, FRS was a British psychologist and Emeritus Professor of Neuropsychology at the University of Bristol.-Life and career:...
.
From 1987 to 1989 it was housed in the Victoria Rooms
Victoria Rooms (Bristol)
The Victoria Rooms, also known as the Vic Rooms, houses the University of Bristol's music department in Clifton, Bristol, England, on a prominent site at the junction of Queens Road and Whiteladies Road...
which were designed by Charles Dyer
Charles Dyer
Charles Dyer was an architect based in London who designed many buildings in and around Bristol.-Some buildings of Charles Dyer:* St Pauls' Church, Bedminster * Engineers House, Bristol 1831...
and was built between 1838 and 1842 in Greek revival style
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
.
In 1989 it moved to Bristol's historic old railway station, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
. It is the world's earliest surviving railway terminus, which was completed in 1840 and includes the passenger shed and the adjoining former engine and carriage shed. It is over 220 ft (67.1 m) with timber and iron roof spans of 72 ft (21.9 m), this Grade I listed building has been nominated as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. The building later became the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum
British Empire and Commonwealth Museum
The British Empire and Commonwealth Museum was a museum in Bristol, United Kingdom exploring the history of the British Empire and the effect of British colonial rule on the rest of the world....
.
The successor to the Exploratory was At-Bristol
At-Bristol
At-Bristol is a public science and technology "exploration" and education centre and charity in Bristol, England.As a visitor attraction, At-Bristol has hundreds of hands-on exhibits, and a Planetarium with seasonal shows for the over fives, and a 'Little Stars' show for children aged five and under...
which opened in 2000 at a new site as part of the regeneration of the historical Floating Harbour
Bristol Harbour
Bristol Harbour is the harbour in the city of Bristol, England. The harbour covers an area of . It has existed since the 13th century but was developed into its current form in the early 19th century by installing lock gates on a tidal stretch of the River Avon in the centre of the city and...
. The project was funded with £44.3 million from the National Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
, Millennium Commission
Millennium Commission
The Millennium Commission in the United Kingdom was set up to aid communities at the end of the 2nd millennium and the start of the 3rd millennium. It used funding raised through the UK National Lottery....
, South West of England Regional Development Agency
Regional Development Agency
In the United Kingdom, a regional development agency is a non-departmental public body established for the purpose of development, primarily economic, of one of England's Government Office regions. There is one RDA for each of the NUTS level 1 regions of England...
, and a further £43.4 million from commercial partners (including a controversial donation from Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
) and Bristol City Council.