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Wonderlab Interactive Exhibit Makers (Group 1), The Science and Industry Museum

Science Museum Group

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Award

24 Aug 2026 at 12:56

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

03 Aug 2026 at 12:01

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
TenderUpdate

02 Jul 2026 at 11:24

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

18 Jun 2026 at 14:49

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Science Museum Group commissioned services to design and deliver five large, interactive “hero” exhibits for the new Wonderlab gallery at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester. The gallery is intended to engage children and accompanying adults through multisensory, social experiences that encourage curiosity, experimentation and understanding of science. The scope covers the Manchester Machine, Digital Loom, Loco Race, Cogs, Pulleys, Levers, and Whirlwind Room. The exhibits are intended to create prominent communal moments of surprise and participation throughout the visitor journey, supported by the museum’s permanent gallery and live programme. The work falls within museum and museum-exhibition services (CPV 92521000 and 92521100) and is delivered for the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester.

The procurement has been awarded and contracts have been signed. Science Museum Group used an above-threshold open procedure. The tender closed on 13 July 2026, with award decisions due by 29 July 2026; awards were made on 3 August 2026 and contracts signed on 24 August 2026. All five lots were awarded to Hüttinger Interactive Exhibitions. Manchester Machine was awarded at £180,000 net (£216,000 gross); Digital Loom at £50,000 net (£60,000 gross); Loco Race at £48,000 net (£57,600 gross); Cogs, Pulleys, Levers at £35,000 net (£42,000 gross); and Whirlwind Room at £120,000 net (£144,000 gross). Each contract runs from 31 August 2026 to 30 August 2028. The tender estimate was £425,000 net (£510,000 gross). Each lot was evaluated on price at 30% and quality at 70%, and each was identified as suitable for SMEs.

This procurement demonstrates demand from Science Museum Group for suppliers able to create, build and deliver permanent, high-impact interactive museum exhibits for young audiences and families. A credible competitor would need experience translating scientific or industrial themes into robust, engaging physical experiences that support hands-on exploration, social participation and clear learning outcomes. The requirement spans both large-scale communal installations and more focused interactive exhibits, so relevant capability may include exhibition design, engineering, fabrication, electronics, interaction design, software, visitor testing, installation and programme integration. Suppliers should be able to manage several exhibit workstreams for a museum environment and demonstrate strong quality alongside competitive pricing. The successful supplier was a large organisation, but all five lots were expressly suitable for SMEs, indicating that focused specialists could be relevant when they can evidence the required technical and delivery capability.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Wonderlab Interactive Exhibit Makers (Group 1), The Science and Industry Museum

Notice Description

The Science and Industry Museum's new Wonderlab gallery will be a vibrant, awe-inspiring spectacle at the heart of the world's first industrial city. Dynamic, social and multisensory, it will celebrate the wonder of science and invite everyone to unleash their inner inventor. Drawing on Manchester's unparalleled heritage of innovation, the gallery will excite and challenge young minds to help inspire the next generation of scientists and inventors. Children and their accompanying adults will be encouraged to 'Think and act like an inventor', through curious, fun and memorable interactive experiences and a multifaceted, joyful and stimulating live programme. They will deepen their understanding of science phenomena, delight in tinkering and testing, develop new and existing skills and grow in confidence to question and explore. As a core permanent gallery offer, the new space will be an integral part of the Science and Industry Museum's vision and Masterplan. The gallery floor and purpose-built spaces for live programme will create welcoming, playful and inspiring environment, creating the perfect backdrop for visitors to imagine, investigate and reflect. This tender invites suppliers to bid for Wonderlab's Group 1 interactives, informally described as the "Hero exhibits". These interactive exhibits will provide moments of joy, fun, surprise and wonder at regular intervals throughout the visitor journey. They will offer communal 'wow' moments, where large groups can engage and interact, while being surprised and impressed by the scale, novelty and working of the interactive. For more information, please see the tender documents.

Lot Information

Manchester Machine Digital Loom Loco Race Cogs Pulleys Levers Whirlwind Room

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b846
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080329-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

CPV Codes

92521000 - Museum services

92521100 - Museum-exhibition services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£425,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£425,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
£433,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
£433,000 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Aug 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
13 Jul 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
3 Aug 20263 weeks ago
Contract Period
31 Aug 2026 - 30 Aug 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Science Museum Group
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW7 2DD
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI33 Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Kensington and Chelsea
Electoral Ward
Brompton & Hans Town
Westminster Constituency
Kensington and Bayswater

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Hüttinger Interactive Exhibitions

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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