Kelham Island Museum
Revisit Sheffield's history of making at the Kelham Island Museum
The large Kelham Island Museum in the now trendy Kelham Island district of the city is an impressive industrial museum that showcases the city's rich history of steel production and manufacturing.
The museum is situated on the banks of the River Don in the Kelham Island area of Sheffield, which was once a significant industrial zone and has been transformed into a fashionable entertainment district.
History
The museum is housed in a former industrial complex that was originally built in the 19th century. It was once home to various industries, including steelworks and factories, which played a crucial role in Sheffield's industrial development.
The museum opened in 1982 and has recovered from major flooding in 2007.
Exhibits
The museum features a wide range of exhibits that highlight Sheffield's industrial heritage. Visitors can explore displays of historic machinery, tools, and equipment used in steelmaking, engineering, and manufacturing processes. There are also interactive exhibits and demonstrations that provide insight into this Yorkshire city's lengthy, industrial past.
Among the notable exhibits are the River Don Engine, a massive steam engine that was once used to power a local steelworks to produce battleship plate, and the Bessemer Converter, a revolutionary invention in steelmaking history.
The Bessemer Converter is named after its inventor, Sir Henry Bessemer, an English engineer, who developed the converter in the 1850s. His invention revolutionized the steelmaking process by enabling the mass production of steel at a much lower cost than previously possible. Tilted at an angle and mounted on trunnions, it can be rotated during the steelmaking process. Molten pig iron is poured into the converter, and a blast of air is blown through holes in the bottom of the vessel. This oxygen-rich air oxidizes impurities in the iron, such as carbon, silicon, and manganese, resulting in the production of steel. Before the Bessemer Converter, steelmaking was a costly and time-consuming process, and involved manually removing impurities from molten iron. The Bessemer Converter dramatically reduced the time and expense of steel production, making steel more affordable and accessible for various industries.
It led to the widespread use of steel in railways, bridges, buildings, machinery, and other infrastructure projects, driving economic growth.
The River Don Engine dates from 1905 and was used for hot rolling steel armour plate first for the British Navy and latterly to produce reactor shield plates for nuclear power plants. Regularly demonstrated at 12 pm and 2 pm Thursday to Sunday, it is one of the most powerful steam engines ever built, and the most powerful in Europe. Only 4 steam engines of this type of engine were ever produced and only this example survives.
The museum also hosts various special events, workshops, and activities throughout the year, catering to visitors of all ages. These events often focus on specific aspects of Sheffield's industrial heritage and offer opportunities for hands-on learning and exploration.
Hotels
Fairly close to Sheffield Station is the 4-star Novotel Sheffield Centre. The Leonardo Hotel Sheffield is also 4-star and offers a bar, restaurant, and a 24-hour reception. Mercure Sheffield St Paul's Hotel & Spa has a restaurant, champagne bar, sauna and indoor swimming pool.
See here for a complete listing of hotel accommodation close to the station in Sheffield.
Access - Getting There
Alma Street
Sheffield
S3 8RY
www: sheffieldmuseums.org.uk
Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm.
Admission
The museum is free to enter (donations welcome).
Kelham Island Museum also features a café where visitors can enjoy refreshments and a gift shop where they can purchase souvenirs related to Sheffield's industrial history.
The nearest Sheffield Supertram network stop is the Cathedral stop on the Blue, Purple and Yellow routes. It is a 15-minute walk south.
Sheffield Station has trains to London St Pancras, Liverpool Lime Street, Huddersfield Station, Leeds via Barnsley, Cleethorpes via Doncaster, Wakefield Westgate, Leeds, York Station in York, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow Central & Aberdeen. There are also trains from Sheffield to Piccadilly Station in Manchester and Stockport Station in Stockport.
There are buses to and from Sheffield to the spa town of Buxton in Derbyshire.
Nearby
Within walking distance of the museum are both the Sheffield Steelworker mural and Sheffield Cathedral.
The Millennium Gallery, the Crucible and Lyceum theatres and the National Videogame Museum (NVM) are all nearer to the station.
The National Emergency Services Museum is also about 10 minutes on foot.
Sheffield Station is about 25 minutes on foot from the museum or take a number 57 or 95 bus.
Maps of Sheffield
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