Wallace and Gromit's Wrong Trousers 2m tall one-of-a-kind exhibit to be unveiled

Its doors have been closed for 18 months but now the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford is flinging them back open again in time for the start of celebrations to mark the City of Culture 2025.

And a surprise star object is being unveiled, a 2m tall replica of the Wallace and Gromit Techno Trousers first seen in Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers.

The exhibit will take centre stage in the museum’s reopening celebration A Grand Day Out on Saturday.

The model, crafted by Aardman exclusively for the museum, will create a wow moment and selfie opportunity for visitors as they’re welcomed into the museum’s new foyer space.

The trousers, accompanied by penguin super-villain Feathers McGraw, can be seen climbing the museum’s wall above the welcome desk.

During A Grand Day Out on Saturday, visitors can enjoy hands-on model making workshops with representatives from Aardman, as well as live science shows from the museum’s team of Explainers. The museum’s redesigned Media Café will also feature a new menu inspired by Wallace’s favourite snack, Wensleydale cheese, in a nod to his Yorkshire heritage.

The partnership comes as part of a long-standing relationship between the museum and Aardman, with the museum showcasing animation technology as part of its core collection.

The museum has previously featured Aardman’s pioneering work, including their first creation, Morph, and props from classic Wallace & Gromit films, in both temporary exhibitions and permanent displays.

Morph has also emblazoned the museum’s facade to herald its reopening, on a huge banner welcoming people to come and enjoy the newly revamped museum.

Visitors eager for more Aardman magic can look forward to the museum’s new Sound and Vision galleries, which are being launched in the summer. The new permanent displays will take visitors on a journey through the explosion of media technologies, including additional Aardman treasures and a broader celebration of animation.

Ngaio Harding-Hill, head of attractions live experiences at Aardman, said: “We are delighted to build on Aardman’s longstanding relationship with the National Science and Media Museum with these infamous trousers and our favourite penguin mastermind forming part of their grand reopening and exciting future in such an impactful way for visitors to enjoy, at a time where Wallace & Gromit themselves are also making such a grand comeback.”

The National Science and Media Museum opened in 1983, and some £6m has been spent on the refurbishment, which will eventually include two new permanent galleries as well as a new foyer and redesigned shop.

Its director, Jo Quinton-Tulloch, told the Yorkshire Post: “We’re incredibly excited that we’re now so close to reopening the museum. The work we’ve been doing is really transformational.

“We know it’s a flagship institution within the city centre and that throughout the year Bradford will be welcoming millions of people as part of City of Culture.

“It feels very strange to be in a museum that has not had visitors for so long.”