National Collections Centre

The National Collections Centre stands on the site of the former RAF Wroughton airfield near Swindon. The 545-acre park belongs to the Science Museum Group and holds about 80 per cent of the group’s collection. Most objects are kept in the Hawking Building, a modern facility opened in 2024. The centre also houses the Science Museum Library & Archives. The site began as a storage base in 1979 after the group took over the airfield. A £40 million government grant helped create the new purpose-built facility completed in 2021. The centre is worth visiting because it makes large parts of the national collection accessible. Over 300,000 objects are conserved and managed here, including aircraft, cars and scientific instruments. The Hawking Building offers 30,000 metres of shelving plus research and photography spaces. The library holds rare books and archives dating back 500 years. Stephen Hawking’s name marks the building in recognition of his long association with the museum. Researchers and the public can request access or join guided tours. Visitors find hangars filled with historic vehicles and aircraft. A Douglas DC-3, a Ford Edsel and an early hovercraft stand among the exhibits. The library displays Charles Babbage’s notebooks and Humphry Davy’s letters. Outside, solar panels cover the roofs and a large wetland has been created from captured rainwater. Woodland paths and bird boxes support local wildlife. The site also served as a filming location for the television series The Grand Tour.