Sitting on the banks of the River Derwent in Derby, the Museum of Making occupies the historic site of Lombe’s Mill, a former silk mill that marks the southern end of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. The building carries centuries of industrial heritage, and today it houses a museum that traces Derby’s long history of making and manufacturing.
From Industrial Museum to Museum of Making
The site first opened to the public on 29 November 1974 as Derby’s Industrial Museum. After four decades of operation, Derby City Council closed it on 3 April 2015 to free up funds for redevelopment across several of the city’s museums. The closure released £197,000 a year that had previously been tied up in staffing and operational costs, though it also resulted in the loss of 8.6 full-time jobs. In October 2016, a £17 million redevelopment programme got under way, with the aim of reshaping the museum around the principles of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics – collectively known as STEAM. The project used an innovative integrated project insurance model, a procurement approach designed to replace the blame culture common in construction by binding all team members into a shared-risk contract. Despite the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and suppliers going into administration, the project was delivered on time and within budget. The Museum of Making reopened on 21 May 2021.
Awards and Recognition
In its first year of opening, the museum received a Highly Commended placement at the Museum and Heritage Awards in the category of Sustainable Project of the Year. September 2021 brought further recognition when the museum won the National Construction News Award for Project of the Year Under £25m, along with five awards at the Constructing Excellence East Midlands Awards. In May 2022, it was shortlisted for the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year award.
Flooding and Future Plans
The museum’s exhibits are deliberately positioned on the upper floors, a practical decision taken to limit damage in the event of flooding. That precaution proved well-founded when Storm Babet caused flooding in October 2023 and forced the museum to close. It reopened on 25 January 2024. In August 2025, the museum applied for planning permission to fit its workshop area with flood protection measures, reflecting an ongoing effort to safeguard the building and its collections against future flood risk.