Catalyst Science Discovery Centre
Catalyst is an interactive science centre and museum which aims to entertain, inform and educate.
Catalyst is an interactive science centre and museum which aims to entertain, inform and educate. Our key aim is to make science exciting and accessible to everyone and to inform people of all ages about science based industries and their role in our lives – past, present and future. Our main theme is chemistry and how the processes and products of chemistry are, and have been, used in everyday life with particular reference to the locality.
The collection was started in 1982 with the setting up of the Halton Chemical Industry Museum Project as a Manpower Services Commission/Halton Borough Council funded project. Catalyst was originally located at Widnes Town Hall but moved to its present location, the Gossage Building, in 1987. In the first instance a collecting policy was not in place and collection of items was rather indiscriminate. This has resulted in a diverse early collection of items.
We have concentrated our collection, in terms of industry, on the salt based chemical industries of Merseyside, South Lancashire and North and Mid Cheshire, along with other chemical industries that have arisen in these areas. Our social history collection has been confined to Widnes and Runcorn and its environs.
The Collection is used as a source of research and display material for exhibitions and to a certain extent for educational purposes.
Weekdays (Tuesday-Friday) 10.00am to 4.00pm. Last admission is at 3.00pm
Weekends 10.00am to 5.00pm. Last admission is at 4.00pm
(winter closing at 4pm and last admission at 3pm) applies during November, December, January and February before half-term.
During school holidays and on Bank Holidays except Christmas and New Year (and every weekend)
Weekdays (Monday-Friday) 10.00am to 5.00pm. Last admission is at 4.00pm
Weekends 10.00am to 5.00pm. Last admission is at 4.00pm (winter closing at 4pm and last admission at 3pm) applies during November, December, January and February before half-term.
Our address is:-
Mersey Rd
WIDNES
WA8 0DF