The National Media Museum in Bradford, UK, is changing its name as part of a major revamp to demonstrate a new focus on science.

The newly-named National Science and Media Museum (NSMM) will now focus on the science behind the still and moving image.

The museum suffered a blow last year, when it was announced its collection of 400,000 images by the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) would be moving to London’s V&A museum. To compensate, the museum will debut a new £1.8m (€2m, US$2.2m) interactive gallery at the end of March, while also confirming plans to host British astronaut Tim Peake’s spacecraft later this year.

The new Wonderlab gallery will explore the science of light, sound and images through state-of-the-art exhibits when it opens on 25 March.

“We want to draw in new visitors, encourage existing ones to come more often and open a whole new chapter for the museum,” said Jo Quinton-Tulloch, museum director. “Our collections across the technology and culture of photography, film and TV are unrivalled, and Wonderlab explores the science behind what makes these things magical in a very hands-on way.”

The Soyuz TMA-19M used by Peake – the UK’s first ESA astronaut – became the first flown human spacecraft acquired by the science museum Group for the UK’s national space technology collection. Currently on display in the Science Museum’s Wellcome Wing, visitors will be able to see the vessel for the first time out of the capital when it arrives at NSMM in September.

“It is the start of our long term strategy to look at our core subjects differently and inspire the filmmakers, photographers, scientists and engineers of the future,” said Quinton-Tulloch. “Ultimately, our aim is to take our place among the top international museums and build on our status as a key part of British, Yorkshire and Bradford tourism.

“These announcements are not only incredibly exciting, but a significant statement of intent – that we are aiming to be one of the leading museums in the UK and worldwide. The museum has a bright future and we are confident people are going to be wowed by Wonderlab and the state-of-the-art exhibits within, along with many other events we have planned like the arrival of Tim Peake’s spacecraft.”