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Catalyst Archives @catalystarchive

The Archive Section of the brilliant CATALYST SCIENCE DISCOVERY CENTRE & MUSEUM. Gossages, Peter Spence, ICI etc - lots of ace stuff at the Catalyst, Widnes!

Joined June 2017
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449 Photos and videos
A few photos capturing Runcorn Town Hall taken at night in 1996 - just naturally showing up in our #westonpointstudios photographic archive!
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Congratulations to Jonathan Davies on his CBE in the New Years Honours. Obviously best known for appearing in one of the 'Two Wonders of Widnes' advertising campaign at our Museum in 1989. Am pleased to say the framed poster still adorns our museum walls!
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The day Father Christmas visited the American Express offices at Runcorn Heath 1984 - I am sure we can put names to faces! #amex
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Catalyst Archives retweeted
Brunner Mond History@bmhistory
20 Dec 2025
The photographer having some fun with the ICI Winnington Research building photos ... in 1990
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I'm not sure when people think of a chemical industry museum that photos of #vladivarvodka would immediately spring to mind. ICI registered the product #perspex (seen here impersonating an ice mountain) in the 1930s following it's discovery by two of its chemists. Cheers!
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A few festive photographs from our archive 1982 Widnes Rec Children's Christmas Party - Technical Department #iciarchives
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When worlds collide! One of the joys of rescuing several hundred thousand negatives is not knowing what will turn up next. Not for the first time do we see the long association that chemical firms have had with our museum since its inception. šŸ§µ
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Here are some photos taken by ICI Weston Point Studios but they are of an Open Day at the Catalyst in 1993. It is lovely to get a snapshot of the museum in the 1990s as we move into the next phase with our The National Lottery Heritage Fund sponsored gallery.
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Great to see some of the original features in the theatre (this part of the building dates back to the early 1900s), which are still visible and we must be one of the greenest organisations as we still have those tables in the last photo!
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Following on from the Heritage Open Days, all of the photos that were on display are available to view in our Gossage Room Library on floor 2. If you're in, have a good browse. #iciarchives
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You never know what will appear in our #westonpointstudios photographic negatives. This charming photo of a room in a Swedish designed #lundbydollshouse from 1980. The photo was taken due to the #vivelle (fabric) being manufactured by ICI #iciarchives #dollshouses
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ā­It's Today!ā­ Join us at the Catalyst Museum for Heritage Weekend between 10 and 5. Meet our friends from Halton Heritage Partnership who have taken over our Gossage Room Library and made it their own! Free entry.
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ā­It's Today!ā­ Explore three floors of ICI Weston Point Studios photographs on temporary display plus our permanent galleries and current art exhibition. Our phone lines are down at the moment so contact us through any of our socials if you need. Look forward to welcoming you!
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Well of course our ICI photographic negative collection contains 1982 photos of Chester City Centre - why wouldn't it! See these and other such gems on Saturday and Sunday 20/21 Sept at our museum as part of this years' Heritage Open Days - Free entry, open 10-5
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From our ICI negatives collection ...
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From our ICI negatives collection
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#HaltonHour Come and see our anamorphic artwork! Makes little sense until you see it through a camera lens (phone) lens :) #illusions
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If you missed the wonderful event 'A Spike in Culture' don't worry, you can still see some of the fantastic Stone Roses photography by Ian Tilton plus signed copies of his book and postcard sets are available in our gift shop (limited stock available). Display is on until 16 Aug
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Dulcine - where's she now, eh! Dulcine was shown to have 200 times the sweetening power of sugar made with phosgene amongst other ingredients! Funny to think that the research into this was nearly 100 years ago. ICI with their fingers in every [apple] pie :) #iciarchives
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Came in this morning to find the clock in the library on the floor with the glass smashed to smithereens. What you see now is the same clock back on the wall with a piece of Perspex cut to size by maintenance volunteer Chris. Thatā€™s service for you! #worththeirweightingold
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