WORK has started on building a new interactive experience at York's National Railway Museum - Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery.

The gallery, which will be packed with 18 interactive exhibits with an engineering theme, along with two specially commissioned art installations, is due to open at the York museum by May next year.

Elmwood Projects, specialist fit-out contractors who have delivered high profile projects at venues such as the British Museum and the V&A in London, have been appointed as main contractors for the 1,500m2 base building.

Rose Mockford, Lead Interactive Gallery Curator at the museum, said she was delighted that building work had begun, marking an 'exciting milestone' in the development of Wonderlab.

"This has been a long time in the planning and now our ground-breaking new Wonderlab is starting to feel like a reality," she ssaid.

"By this time next year, we’ll be seeing visitors in the new space and hope that they’ll be inspired by what they experience."

A museum spokesperson said the design for Wonderlab had been shortlisted for a World Architecture Festival award.

"The engaging and open plan design, drawn up by architects De Matos Ryan, has been shortlisted in the Future Projects – Culture category, with a winner being announced at the WAF Gala in December 2022," they said.

Pippa Hale's involvement in creating one of the art installation was announced last year, and the museum has now announced that County Durham-based artist Steve Messam will create the second artwork.

The spokesperson said Steve was well-known for his 'ephemeral, site-specific, and ‘bigger than a house’ installations that have appeared at cultural and historic sites around the world,"he said.

"His piece, Portico, was shortlisted for a 2022 Aesthetica Art Prize and is now on display at the York Art Gallery as part of that exhibition.

"The new installation will feature at the heart of the new Wonderlab gallery. Visitors will be able to get up close with the piece and think about the engineering behind the artwork.

Steve said: “I’m thrilled that the National Railway Museum has commissioned me to create a new installation in their Wonderlab gallery.

"My piece will aid the museum’s vision of inspiring the next generation of engineers by allowing visitors to walk through and see first-hand how the work is able to stand tall at the heart of Wonderlab.”

The spokesperson said the gallery’s major funding partner was the Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation who pledged £2.5m towards its creation in March.

"Wonderlab has also received funding from Friends of the National Railway Museum, Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, and The Holbeck Charitable Trust," they said, adding that the museum was seeking additional funding for Wonderlab.

For more information about Wonderlab, go to www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/2025.