Amy Harbour, head of Licensing and Commercial Partnerships at Science Museum Group, tells Toy World how the new live stage show is reinvigorating the museum’s licensing programme.

The London-based Science Museum is part of the Science Museum Group, which also counts the National Railway Museum (York), National Science and Media Museum (Bradford), Science and Industry Museum (Manchester) and Locomotion (AKA: National Railway Museum) in Shildon among its sites.

Being spread across the UK is an important part of the group’s DNA: the group firmly believes everyone should be able to access the learning opportunities it offers regardless of where they live. It was for the same reason that the Live Stage Show was created, which, until the end of October 2024, is visiting theatres everywhere from Southampton and Cardiff to the Isle of Man and Aberdeen.

The Science Museum has partnered with professional theatre promoter Mark Thompson Productions on the show. The three-year deal gives the group a way of reaching more families than ever before as well as a way to expand its brand far beyond the Science Museum, which itself welcomes an average of 2.5m visitors every year.

The deal is also a chance for existing and potential licensees, retailers and manufacturers to experience first-hand the impact the museum has on kids and families and gain a deeper understanding of how those in the audience end up becoming consumers of Science Museum products.

To read the full feature, which appears in the May issue of Toy World, click here.