The Science Museum Wroughton is part of the Science Museum Group in the UK, located near Swindon, Wiltshire. It serves as a storage and conservation site for large objects in the Science Museum‘s collection that are not displayed in the main London museum.
Science Museum Wroughton
Hackpen Lane
Wroughton, Swindon
Wiltshire, SN4 9LT
https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/researchers/library-and-archives-wroughton
smlwroughton@sciencemuseum.ac.uk
+44 1793 846222 (response on Fridays only)
Friday 10:00 – 17:00 by prior appointment only
Closed on bank holidays and between 25 December and 1 January
Free admission, but there can be a charge for special events
Wroughton Airfield, on the A4361 south of Swindon, Wiltshire. Follow the signs for Wroughton from the A4365 (M4 Junction 16) or the A345 (M4 Junction 15) and then the brown ‘Science Museum’ signs.
Aircraft collection
| G-BGLB
– N18E – G-ACIT G-ALXT VP975 G-APYD G-ANAV EI-AYO XP505 G-AACN G-AWZM G-MBVT G-MMCB G-AVZB N7777G G-AEHM G-APWY | Bede BD-5B
Bensen B.7 Boeing 247D Chargus Midas Super E De Havilland DH.84 Dragon De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide De Havilland Devon C.2 De Havilland Comet 4B De Havilland Comet 1A (nose) Douglas DC-3A Folland Gnat T.1 Handley Page HP.39 Gugnunc Hawker Siddeley Trident 3B-101 Hiway Skytrike Huntair Pathfinder II LET Z.37 Cmelak Lockheed L-749A Constellation Mignet HM.14 Pou-de-Ciel Piaggio P.166 |
- Collections and Highlights:1. Large Objects:
- The Wroughton site houses over 35,000 items, many of which are too large to be displayed at the main museum in London.Notable items include:
- Historic aircraft, such as the Comet 4B (an early commercial jetliner).Cars, buses, and trains from various eras.Large-scale industrial machinery and prototypes.
- Several important aviation pieces, including:
- Rare aircraft models. Helicopters and gliders.
- Historical medical instruments and larger apparatus that played key roles in healthcare advancements.
- Steam engines, wind turbines, and other renewable energy prototypes.Early examples of mass production and automation equipment.
- Open Days: Occasionally, the site opens to the public for special events, showcasing unique items from its extensive collection. Educational Workshops: Hosts educational events focused on science, technology, and conservation. Research Visits: Scholars and researchers can arrange access for study purposes.
- Public Access: Regular visits are not allowed due to the site’s nature as a storage and conservation facility, but special events provide unique opportunities to explore its treasures. Booking and Tickets: Details about open days or events can usually be found on the Science Museum Group’s official website.Directions: Located approximately 6 miles southwest of Swindon, accessible by car.
- The site is actively involved in promoting sustainability, with renewable energy installations like solar panels and wind turbines contributing to the museum group’s environmental goals.
- The Wroughton site houses over 35,000 items, many of which are too large to be displayed at the main museum in London.Notable items include:
The Wroughton ‘out station’ near Swindon houses the large object store for the Science Museum in London, and holds all the large exhibits that are not on display there. In particular, visitors can see a number of airliners from the Air Transport Collection, plus other large exhibits such as agricultural machinery, cars and lorries. Among the aircraft on display are some very rare items, including the Boeing 247, Handley Page Gugnunc and the only Lockheed Constellation in the UK.
See also Science Museum London
The Science Museum has submitted plans to build a new store for 340,000 of its objects near Swindon.
The 545-acre former airfield in Wroughton currently stores the museum’s large objects, when they are not needed for display, in 10 hangars.
But due to the cramped conditions and “failing 1940s infrastructure” the stores are not open to the public.
The London museum said the new building would house 80% of its collection and be regularly open to the public.
The Wiltshire site was taken over by the Science Museum in the late 1970s.
Along with the airliner used for a Rolling Stones tour, the site also holds the first hovercraft, MRI scanners and deactivated nuclear missiles.
A spokesman for the museum, said: “The new facility will enable us to improve and speed up the process of preparing objects for loan to other organisations, or for display in new galleries and exhibitions across our family of museums.”
Matt Moore, head of site, said: “It’s fantastic to think that we are really close to transforming the site and how we manage, and access, our collection.”
Plans for the new facility, which is the size of two football pitches, have been submitted to Swindon Borough Council.
BBC News 23 December 2017