AFTER a turbulent few years, today’s announcements mark the “start of a new chapter” for the museum, director Jo Quinton-Tulloch said.

She said it also demonstrated the Science Museum Group’s “absolute commitment” to the future of Bradford’s national museum.

Four years ago, the future of the National Media Museum was plunged into doubt when Science Museum Group boss Ian Blatchford revealed that cutbacks could force them to close one of their three northern venues.

The institution under threat was later confirmed to be Bradford’s museum.

The closure threat prompted a huge public outcry, with the Telegraph & Argus Stop the Cut campaign attracting more than 45,000 signatures.

It also won the backing of big names such as Hollywood producer Martin Scorsese, Monty Python stars Michael Palin and Terry Jones, world famous artist David Hockney and legendary actor John Hurt among others.

Later in 2013, Mr Blatchford told the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee that the museum ‘s future was saved, thanks to a reduction in the funding cuts from 10 per cent to five per cent.

In the same session, he also said the National Media Museum needed to change its name, saying: “It appears to be a neat title, but it’s quite confusing because it doesn’t tell you anything about the contents of the museum.”

Speaking to the T&A yesterday, Ms Quinton-Tulloch said she “absolutely” thinks the new name - the National Science and Media Museum - fulfils this requirement.

She said: “We know that the word ‘media’ alone can be confusing for some. Some people thought we were a museum about journalism and newspapers, but we are absolutely about the technology of photography, film and television, so adding the word ‘science’, we think, gives us a much clearer focus.”

Ms Quinton-Tulloch said the new name and opening of the Wonderlab represented a “really significant moment for us” and the start of a journey to becoming a world-class attraction.

She said: “I like to think of it as the start of a new chapter. This demonstrates our absolute commitment to making sure the museum goes from strength to strength.

“We want to build a world-class attraction so we have a new gallery, a new name, a new brand, we have got a new website we are launching.

“All of this creates a fantastic platform for us to continue to build on.”

There will also be a television and cinema marketing campaign that will initially be aired on regional satellite TV and 40 cinemas across Yorkshire.

Ms Quinton-Tulloch said she felt it was a great time for people to rediscover Bradford and visit other recent additions to the city as well.

She said: “There is a sea-change in Bradford and it feels like people are a lot more confident.”