Gas radio

The Gas Museum was opened in 1977 and was known as the John Doran Museum after the then Chairman of the East Midlands region of British Gas.

It was established to preserve the knowledge and skills of the industry during a period of rapid technological and economic change arising from, for example, the change to manufacturing gas from oil, the enormous program to convert the nation's gas appliances from town gas to natural gas and continuing improvements in gas storage and distribution.

Many of the artefacts on display were collected during the conversion to natural gas and many more have since been donated by individuals and organisations keen to preserve the history of one of the UKs most significant industrial sectors.

The National Museum of Science and Industry has described the collection as "the largest, most representative and most significant holding of material related to the gas industry, its application and effects upon society, probably anywhere in the world."

Following the demerger of British Gas in 1997, Centrica Plc and Transco set up the National Gas Museum Trust to take over the running of the museum. The objectives of the Trust are to ensure the preservation of the artefacts for future generations and to provide a way of collecting and displaying present and future artefacts.

The museum is housed under the clock tower of a Victorian building which dates from 1878 (when town gas was first made at Aylestone Road) and was originally the gatehouse to the gas works.