Preston has been without its central museum, The Harris Museum and Art Gallery, since 2021. It’s been closed for a huge renovation, but the wait is nearly over: an opening date has been set for next week.
The Harris Museum is housed in a gorgeous Victorian Grade I-listed building on Preston’s historic Market Square. Since its closure, it’s gone through £19 million worth of updates and upgrades, and it will be ready to welcome visitors back on September 28.
The gallery contains a variety of exhibits including ‘ceramics, history, fashion, glass, art and even a 13,000-year-old elk’. It is also home to something unique: the UK’s largest Foucault Pendulum.
Nobody can feel the Earth moving beneath their feet, even if we all know that it is. For most of us, it seems like there’s no way to actually prove the planet is rotating without having a look through a telescope or hopping in a spaceship, but that’s exactly what 19th century physicist Léon Foucault wanted to disprove.
He devised an experiment where a heavy pendant was attached to a wire and swung, then observed over a period of time. As the Earth moves, the pendulum appears to swing in different directions, but it isn’t – it’s swinging on a fixed plane, but the Earth moves below it, causing the optical illusion.
It’s thought that there are only around 10 operational pendants in the entire country. They tend to be pretty big, so you only really see them in universities and museums like the Harris, which demonstrated the tool in action last week (September 11) ahead of its grand reopening.
Prof Derek Ward-Thompson, an academic who is advising the museum on all things pendulum, explained that: ‘What makes this installation special is not just its impressive length, but the sophisticated modern systems we've integrated to ensure reliable, long-term operation.
‘This fusion of historical significance and contemporary technology exemplifies the best of both scientific heritage and innovation.’
Anna Hindle, who is cabinet member for arts and culture in Preston City Council, also noted that ‘the Harris has always been at the heart of Preston's cultural life’, adding ‘the pendulum perfectly encapsulates our vision – respecting our scientific and cultural heritage while embracing innovative approaches to public engagement with science and the arts’.
As well as the Foucault Pendulum, you’ll also be able to enjoy a brand new Wallace and Gromit exhibition when the museum is back in action, with loads of original drawings and sketches on display. Nick Park, the creator of the cheese-loving characters, hails from Preston.
If you want to book a spot for the opening weekend, you can do so on the museum’s website. Otherwise, just turn up any day between 9am and 5pm, or 4pm on Sundays – entry is free.
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