Manchester Museum and Bengaluru Gallery Launch Youth Partnership 2026

Key Points

• Manchester Museum, an institution that is part of the University of Manchester, and the Science Gallery Bengaluru in India have entered into an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
• The MoU seeks to establish innovative collaborations for youth and biodiversity and nature-related challenges.
• Through the Mentorship Initiative of Science Gallery Bengaluru, Manchester Museum will be able to come up with learning, mentorship, and creativity-based programs.
• The Nature Lab of Science Gallery Bengaluru will be involved in connecting research on biodiversity through Manchester Museum’s conservation initiatives.
• The MoU signing ceremony took place at Science Gallery Bengaluru during the Greater Manchester Mission to India.
• Greater Manchester Mayor Bev Craig OBE and University of Manchester President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Ivison were present at the ceremony.
• Esme Ward, Director of Manchester Museum, and Dr Jahnavi Phalkey, Director of Science Gallery Bengaluru welcomed the partnership.
• The MoU is based on the existing cooperation between Manchester Museum and its South Asia Gallery and previous RhythmXChange project with the Indian Music Experience Museum in Bangalore.
• In the course of the same mission, the University of Manchester launched plans to open a new center in Bengaluru.

Manchester (Manchester Mirror) October 27, 2026 — Manchester Museum and Science Gallery Bengaluru have signed a new partnership agreement to support young people and strengthen environmental action in Manchester and Bengaluru. The two institutions formalised the collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding, which will focus on youth opportunity, mentorship, biodiversity, conservation and public engagement with nature.

As reported by the University of Manchester, the MoU is intended to tackle “some of the shared challenges facing both cities”. The agreement was signed during an event at Science Gallery Bengaluru, held as part of the Greater Manchester Mission to India and attended by Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, and Bev Craig OBE, Mayor of Greater Manchester.

The University of Manchester described the partnership as a key moment in the first-ever Great North Mayoral Mission to India. It said the collaboration promotes biodiversity, conservation and environmental action, while creating opportunities for young people in both cities.

What will the new partnership do?

Manchester Museum will draw on Science Gallery Bengaluru’s work with students, particularly its Mentorship Initiative, to develop new programmes for young people. According to the University of Manchester, these programmes will focus on learning, mentorship and the development of creative pathways.

Science Gallery Bengaluru’s Nature Lab, which forms part of its Public Lab Complex, will work alongside Manchester Museum’s conservation initiatives. The University said this collaboration will act as a “two-way bridge” between biodiversity and nature-related research and public engagement.

The agreement does not announce a single new exhibition, funding amount or detailed programme timetable. Instead, it establishes a framework for the two organisations to collaborate on youth development and environmental engagement.

Why have the institutions joined together?

Manchester Museum, part of the University of Manchester, and Science Gallery Bengaluru have agreed to work together because both organisations work with young people and public audiences on science, culture and environmental issues. The University of Manchester said the partnership is designed to respond to shared challenges facing Manchester and Bengaluru.

Esme Ward, Director of Manchester Museum, said Bengaluru is “a city driven by creativity and innovation”, with “a tangible sense of care for the natural world” and a commitment to creating opportunities for future generations.

As reported by the University of Manchester, Ward said:

“The people and ideas I experienced on a previous visit there have helped to shape the work we do at Manchester Museum and there’s a strong sense of shared purpose between our two organisations.”

She added:

“Science Gallery Bengaluru does an incredible job of inspiring young people and we’re excited to build on that in creating an even brighter future for communities here in Manchester.”

What did Science Gallery Bengaluru say?

Dr Jahnavi Phalkey, Director of Science Gallery Bengaluru, said the organisation values research-based engagement and new ways of bringing science to the public. She said its Nature Lab is one way the gallery continues to explore its commitment to the Anthropocene.

As reported by the University of Manchester, Phalkey said:

“Visiting Manchester Museum and seeing how it puts community spaces into practice offers a valuable point of connection between our institutions.”

She added:

“We are delighted to collaborate with Manchester Museum and explore how our two institutions can learn from each other.”

Rajina Shreshtha, Head of Development at Science Gallery Bengaluru, joined Ward, Craig and Ivison in marking the signing of the MoU, according to the University of Manchester’s report and accompanying image caption.

How does the mission connect Manchester and India?

The MoU was signed during the Greater Manchester Mission to India, an event organised at Science Gallery Bengaluru. The University of Manchester said the mission was attended by Professor Duncan Ivison and Mayor Bev Craig OBE.

During the same mission, the University of Manchester announced plans for a new centre in Bengaluru focused on education, research and innovation. The University said the proposed centre would provide a permanent platform to deepen its engagement with what it described as “one of the world’s most dynamic education, research and innovation ecosystems”.

According to the University, the proposed centre would bring together academic expertise, industry knowledge and entrepreneurial talent to address shared challenges and create opportunities for students and researchers in India.

What earlier work supports the partnership?

The new agreement builds on Manchester Museum’s existing work with South Asian communities and institutions. The University of Manchester said the museum’s award-winning South Asia Gallery, developed in partnership with the British Museum, is the first permanent gallery in the UK to celebrate the experiences and contribution of the South Asian diaspora.

Manchester Museum has also previously partnered with the Indian Music Experience Museum in Bangalore on the RhythmXChange project. The University said that project examined rhythm as a shared language and worked with young musicians from India and the UK.

These earlier projects provide the institutional context for the new MoU, although the University did not state that the new partnership will directly continue either project.

Who attended the signing?

The signing took place at Science Gallery Bengaluru during the Greater Manchester Mission to India. The University of Manchester identified the attendees as Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, and Bev Craig OBE, Mayor of Greater Manchester.

The University also named Esme Ward, Director of Manchester Museum, and Dr Jahnavi Phalkey, Director of Science Gallery Bengaluru, as the leading figures commenting on the agreement. Rajina Shreshtha, Head of Development at Science Gallery Bengaluru, was also pictured marking the signing.

What does the MoU mean for biodiversity?

The partnership links Science Gallery Bengaluru’s Nature Lab with Manchester Museum’s conservation work. The University of Manchester said the collaboration is intended to serve as a bridge between biodiversity and nature-related research and public engagement.

The agreement refers to the Anthropocene, a term used to describe the current geological period in which human activity has significantly affected Earth’s systems. Science Gallery Bengaluru said its Nature Lab reflects its commitment to exploring that relationship between people and the natural world.

No specific conservation project, research funding figure or environmental target was announced in the University’s report.

Background of the development

Manchester Museum is part of the University of Manchester and has previously developed international cultural collaborations, including its South Asia Gallery partnership with the British Museum. The University of Manchester said that gallery was the first permanent UK gallery dedicated to celebrating the experiences and contributions of the South Asian diaspora.

Science Gallery Bengaluru is an Indian institution focused on research-based public engagement with science. Its Nature Lab is part of its Public Lab Complex and is presented by the institution as part of its work on the Anthropocene.

The signing took place during the Greater Manchester Mission to India, which the University described as the first-ever Great North Mayoral Mission to India. The mission also included the University of Manchester’s announcement of plans for a proposed education, research and innovation centre in Bengaluru.

Prediction: How can this development affect young people?

For young people in Manchester and Bengaluru, the partnership could create more access to mentorship, creative learning and science-based public programmes. Manchester Museum has said it will draw on Science Gallery Bengaluru’s Mentorship Initiative to build programmes focused on learning, mentorship and creative pathways, which may benefit students seeking experience beyond formal education.

For young people interested in the environment, the link between the Nature Lab and Manchester Museum’s conservation work could provide new opportunities to engage with biodiversity research and public-facing science. The University said the collaboration is intended to connect research with public engagement, suggesting that future activities may make environmental issues more accessible to community audiences.

For students, researchers and creative practitioners, the wider Greater Manchester Mission to India could also signal stronger institutional links between the two cities. The University’s proposed Bengaluru centre is intended to bring together academic expertise, industry knowledge and entrepreneurial talent, which may create further opportunities for collaboration, study and innovation if the plans progress.