Factory Communications exhibits go on display at Museum of Science and Industry

A series of exhibits celebrating the archives of Factory Communications Ltd – the legendary team behind Factory Records, the Haçienda and Dry Bar – have gone on display at the Museum of Science and Industry.

The displays will run to the end of April, changing once a month with a different theme each time. Themes will include food and drink, membership and nights, and cocktails.  Archive items will include designs for cocktail menus, an original press release about the club and membership cards.

Archives manager Jan Hicks said: “Putting the mini-displays together has been an interesting opportunity to promote one of the museum’s significant contemporary collections, and link Peter Saville’s current design work with his past work for Factory.”

Saville’s first job on leaving college was to design a poster for Factory’s original club night at the Russell Club in Hulme. He went on to design many Factory Records products including New Order’s famous Power, Corruption and Lies album cover. He became a director of the company, producing most of its iconic graphic design and developing a set of brand values that are still recognisable today.

Last year the museum commissioned Saville to design a range of glassware celebrating Manchester’s three rivers and the dancefloor at the Haçienda. The range is now on sale in the museum’s shop.

The museum owns a collection of Factory Communications Ltd archive items. The full archive is available to view by appointment. Please visit the archives website to book.

The museum is hosting a late event on March 15 themed around sound and music. The event will run from 7pm to 10.30pm and will include a mix of hands on activities, talks and performances taking place across the ground and first floor of the Great Western Warehouse.