Turn It Up! Immersive and Interactive Manchester-made Music Exhibition

‘The power music has over us and how it effects our lives’, the exhibition is on at the Museum of Science and Industry until 21st May 2023.

Everyone has that one song that takes them back to that certain point in their life; your first dance, an artist that always reminds you of an old friend, or that one song that was played on repeat round the pool side on your first holiday with your friends. Music has a way of transporting us back to different times, like no other artform can. So, whether you like it or not; U2 will always remind you of your first heartbreak, Bob Dylan will always remind you of your mother’s tasteless kitchen endeavours and Shaun Ryder’s voice will never resemble anything more than your Dad standing on the dining table, hands behind hips, twisting his melon, man. And it turns out that there’s scientific reasoning behind all this, eloquently displayed by Dr Steven Leech’s latest exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry, in Manchester until 21st May, 2023.    

This alluring music experience covers the multitude of ways that music influences human life. From real people recounts of how music has helped them, to the unimaginable ways in which music can be made, with interactive intervals, including making music from Lego bricks. There’s something for everyone to take away from this experience.

Throughout the exhibit there are ‘focus people stories’, boards recounting anecdotes of those whose lives have changed thanks to the music they listen to or create. Some much more mundane than others, it’s fascinating to encounter such an assortment of tales. Dr Steven Leech, Exhibition Curator at the Museum of Science and Industry, detailed ‘the thing that makes him the happiest in the world, and it’s also the reason why he's a refugee because he was an artist … and in contact with people internationally’

These stories contextualise the exhibit, outlining the varying levels of dependence every individual has on music. Steven says this is his favourite element of his expo as it’s ‘relatable and interesting for lots of different people’.

The exhibit also looks at the psychology of music and how it is interpreted by different age groups. ‘Each generation has a wider reference point’, says Steven, ‘The younger you are, before 40s, 50s, the wider your musical repertoire and knowledge’

Jude Rogers, author of The Sound of Being Human, stated ‘as I’ve gotten older, I still have these moments where I think, why does this song propel me back? Why does this song make me feel this way? Why is it that when I feel sad, I listen to this song and I feel better?’ when asked about her relationship with music. Interestingly, this reinforces that music can still have grand psychological impacts as we get older, just if it isn’t wildly out of our repertoire.

The science connecting music and nostalgia is also explored in this exhibit. ‘The science and how we respond to music is not something people think about very often. The scientists we spoke with were the happiest people on Earth and passionate about their subject, even down to the weird stuff; the music people respond to best while on hold, pupil dilation with certain songs and how music listened to by a mother will create a certain rhythm within the womb.’ Dr Leech also discussed the idea of a ‘curated soundtrack to our life. It may be cliché but true… Music becomes stitched into our identity’.

The idea of a ‘curated soundtrack’ is a recurring theme throughout the exhibit. With boards dotted around the site asking visitors questions such as ‘What do you consider to be a mood boosting song?’ ‘What music do you listen to while driving?’ and ‘What songs remind you of your childhood?’. This creates a collaborative brainstorm of ideas between individuals that have never even met. You could stay for hours delving into which songs Jessica, aged 6 could listen to all day, they make her feel that warm and fuzzy inside. ‘It creates an opportunity for people to put their own personality and their own taste into the exhibition’, says Steven.

The curators of the museum, once the exhibit has run its course at this Manchester location, will make a playlist, recording the patchwork of music that has been curated within the museum.

Turn It Up offers an array of information and interactive experiences, making it a fountain of expertise on how people view music within their everyday life. With something there for everybody, this exhibit will open your eyes to the relevance of music in history, and the exciting future of music technology – even down to how AI robots can now create music independently.

Book your tickets now! Turn It Up – The Power of Music at the Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester. Until 21st May, 2023.