Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum is calling on visitors, local residents, and businesses for support as it navigates a challenging financial period before opening its new gallery in early 2027.
The much-loved Widnes attraction welcomes around 30,000 visitors each year, combining a museum, archive, and hands-on science centre. Housed in a Grade II listed building with over 170 years of chemical industry heritage, Catalyst is now facing the same severe financial pressures impacting heritage sites across the country.
A hot summer and stretched household budgets reduced visitor numbers this year, while energy, supplier, and staffing costs have soared. Government VAT relief measures also failed to benefit the charity, as its admissions are already VAT-exempt.
At the same time, work is underway on a major transformation of Catalyst’s first-floor heritage galleries into interactive, multi-sensory spaces. While funding for this specific project is secure, the money is strictly restricted to the gallery build and cannot be used for day-to-day running costs.
“Catalyst is far more than a building. It is a place where generations of local families have grown up and where children discover science for the first time. We are incredibly excited about what is coming with the new gallery in 2027, but we need people with us on the journey to get there. If you have been thinking about visiting Catalyst, please come says Catalyst CEO Nikki Burton.”
As the UK’s only museum dedicated to the chemical industry, the charity is asking the public to get behind it by visiting, buying memberships, or spreading the word.
The museum is also making a direct appeal to the regional business community to help raise £100,000 to restore its financial reserves and build resilience. Companies can get involved through corporate memberships, sponsorship, partnerships, or direct donations.
“The history we care for is intertwined with the history of business, chemistry, and innovation in this region,” Nikki added. “Whether you visit us with your family or support us as a business, you are helping us protect something very special.”
