National Centre for Popular Music facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hallam Union Building of Sheffield |
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The National Centre for Popular Music
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| Former names | National Centre for Popular Music |
| Alternative names | The HUBs |
| General information | |
| Type | Museum |
| Architectural style | Avant-garde |
| Location | Sheffield, South Yorkshire |
| Address | Paternoster Row |
| Coordinates | 53°22′39″N 1°27′58″W / 53.3775°N 1.4660°W |
| Current tenants | Sheffield Hallam University Students' Union |
| Completed | February 1999 |
| Inaugurated | 1 March 1999 |
| Cost | £15 million (Lottery funded by £11m) |
| Owner | Sheffield Hallam University |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Stainless steel drums |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Nigel Coates |
| Architecture firm | Branson Coates |
The National Centre for Popular Music was a museum in Sheffield, England. It was all about contemporary music and culture. This big project cost £15 million. Most of the money came from the National Lottery. It opened on March 1, 1999, but sadly closed in June 2000. The idea for this museum actually started much earlier, in the mid-1980s.
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The Building's Unique Design
The museum building was designed by Branson Coates. It looks very unique. The main part of the building has four huge drums made of shiny stainless steel. These drums surround a central open area called an atrium. The top floor of this atrium has a glass roof.
How the Building Breathes
Each of the big drums has a top part that can spin around. This part has a special opening that works like a nozzle. It was designed to turn with the wind. This helps to let air out of the building. On the other side, another opening faces the wind. This opening brings fresh air into the building. The air then travels through the walls. It gets heated or cooled as needed. This clever system helped to control the building's temperature.
What Was Inside
The ground floor of the building was free to enter. It had office spaces and a shop. There was also a bar and a café for visitors. You could also find another exhibition area there. Only the top floor was part of the actual museum. You needed a ticket to go up there.
- Additional images
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The front of the building from Paternoster Row.
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The roof of the HUBS.
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Detail of one of the tops.
Why the Museum Closed
The National Centre for Popular Music was one of the UK's Millennium Commission projects. These projects were created to celebrate the year 2000. Other famous projects included the Millennium Dome and the London Eye.
However, the museum did not attract enough visitors. It also struggled to make enough money to stay open. The BBC News even said that visitors "shunned" the centre. Even after trying a £2 million relaunch, the museum closed in 2000.
Visitor Numbers and Costs
The museum hoped to attract 400,000 visitors each year. A family ticket cost about £21. But after seven months, only 104,000 people had visited. This meant the museum was losing money. In October 1999, the company that owned the building faced financial problems. They owed £1.1 million to many different businesses. The estimated number of visitors per year was then lowered to 150,000. Despite efforts to save it, the museum closed its doors for good.
Just before it closed, BBC Radio 2 held a special event there. The famous band Madness performed live. Paul Carrack also played as a supporting act.
What Happened Next
After the museum closed, the building became a live music venue for a while. This started in July 2001. Then, in 2003, Sheffield Hallam University bought the building. They paid £1.85 million for it. Today, the building is used as the university's Students' Union. It is a busy place for students to meet and study.
