---
title: "Manchester Cotton and Transatlantic Slavery Exhibition Design"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05db89"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05db89"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05db89.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05db89.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "SCIENCE MUSEUM GROUP"
published: "2026-04-21"
---

# Manchester Cotton and Transatlantic Slavery Exhibition Design

Buyer: SCIENCE MUSEUM GROUP  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05db89

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## Summary

The Science Museum Group, a central government public authority located in London, recently completed an open competition tender for the design of the Manchester Cotton and Transatlantic Slavery Exhibition. This project involved creating a vibrant exhibition design to uncover the role of Manchester in the cotton trade and the impact of transatlantic slavery. The tender described a need for creativity in incorporating archival content, interactive exhibits, and sensitive subject matter to provide a compelling visitor experience. The contract, awarded on 21 April 2026, has a duration until 30 March 2027, with a gross value of £73,373. The procurement process involved services under CPV classification 92521100 for museum-exhibition services. The contract was signed with Freehaus Design Ltd, a design firm headquartered in Sevenoaks.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in exhibition design and museum services, particularly those with a focus on historical and culturally sensitive subjects. It is well-suited for creative firms that can integrate lighting design and innovative interactive elements into their projects. Businesses aiming to grow in the cultural sector or expand their market in public sector competitions might find this type of contract advantageous. With an open competition procurement method below threshold, small and medium enterprises have an accessible platform to showcase their capabilities, allowing for strategic positioning in future similar bids. The opportunity also reinforces the importance of merging thoughtful design with historical narratives to engage modern audiences effectively.

## Notice

We are seeking a creative exhibition designer (option to include lighting design services) who will use vibrant, welcoming, dynamic and sensitive design to tell the story of Manchester, cotton and transatlantic slavery. We will explore the role that enslaved Africans played in Manchester's growth and discuss why this story is relevant to the people of Manchester today, reshaping the narrative of how the textile industry created the world's first industrial city. This project calls for the expertise of a designer who can demonstrate an ability to produce an exhibition design that works carefully with sensitive subject matter, bringing together archival content and objects, a limited number of thoughtful interactive exhibits and creative commissions to produce an insightful and inspiring visitor experience. Please refer to the tender documents for further details.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036139-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - open competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 21 Apr 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 30 Nov 2025 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 19 Apr 2026 |
| Contract period | 20 Apr 2026 - 30 Mar 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £50,000 |
| Lots value | £50,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £61,145 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | SCIENCE MUSEUM GROUP |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW7 2DD |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI33 Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham |
| Local authority | Kensington and Chelsea |
| Electoral ward | Brompton & Hans Town |
| Westminster constituency | Kensington and Bayswater |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | FREEHAUS DESIGN |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 22 - Printed matter and related products
- 92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

### Codes

- 22314000 - Designs
- 92521100 - Museum-exhibition services

## Release History

- 21 Apr 2026 at 13:17 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036139-2026
- 6 Nov 2025 at 09:44 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/071489-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036139-2026
  21st April 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/071489-2025
  6th November 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
- https://in-tendhost.co.uk/sciencemuseumgroup/aspx/Tenders/Current

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05db89. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05db89.json.