Science Museum Bicycles

Bicycle Tour is a new dynamic artwork installation created by exhibition designer Emily Pugh for the refurbished entrance hall of the Science Museum. Emily Pugh worked together with lighting designer Zerlina Hughes of Studio ZNA, and an in-house project team headed by Kristin Hibbs.

With some 2.9 million visitors every year, the Science Museum is the UK’s most popular destination dedicated to science, technology and design. When visitors enter the museum they are immediately drawn to the large curving chandelier displaying a small portion of the museum’s vast collection of bicycles. Precision Lighting’s Oculus 11 spotlights have been incorporated into the installation helping to provide discreet, glare-free lighting. Varied beam widths of 14º and 30º were used; each where needed to best illuminate the subject area.

It was important that the luminaires blended into the artwork; adding to it, yet subtly. Custom monopoints were designed to allow for a seamless connection between the Oculus fittings and the installation frame. The invisible fixings allow the luminaires to blend into the artwork and become one with it; allowing them to subtly highlight interesting features and textures of the bicycle designs. Careful consideration took place at the design stage to ensure the fittings were quick and simple to install and easy to wire; facilitating a quick installation time.

The idea behind the installation was to create the impression of a velodrome having flown up into the sky, using the layering of the models, colours and patterns to reveal contrasts in detail of the numerous individual designs. Bikes of all vintages from the museum’s archives are represented in this piece. The curvature of the installation adds to the sense of speed and freedom.