Families

Natural history collections are like the libraries of the natural world

The historic natural history museum reinvents itself – again – and puts animals and fossils above books. Manchester Museum has always been a place of wonder – it’s one of those glorious Victorian-era venues with…

The joy of thick cut versus thin isn’t the sole preserve (sorry) of the judges

We love the Lake District for more than just its landscape – try this rather sticky festival up near Penrith. You can’t get more quintessentially British than Marmalade. It’s right up there with talking about…

Hundreds of runners clad in light suits will animate canal, bridges & public spaces

“Human fireflies moving in choreographed patterns”: public art project Speed of Light descends on Salford. Joggers along The Quays’ waterfront have long been a familiar sight; those Lycra-clad bodies a living, sweating part of the…

While it is noisy, likely to be freezing, & epically busy, Chinese New Year here is inevitably worth it

One of the UK’s biggest Chinese communities celebrates with fireworks, food and a whopper of a dragon. This is one for the kids: if you have a young family and you’re wondering how to while…

It's not just fashion frippery; this is how fashion and the beautiful game have changed pop culture

From mods to Rooney, this is a show about a fashionably beautiful game. If you haven’t visited the National Football Museum since it relocated from Preston North End’s ground to Manchester last summer, then a…

Give the kids something magical this Christmas. Take them to see this.

Carol Ann Duffy doesn’t do light and fluffy, but her new festive play, Rats’ Tales, is all the better for the darkness The progenitors of our fairy tales, German Märchen, were gripping stories grown-ups told…

Overlook this historic gallery at your peril

Is Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery merely a historic relic – or a vital part of the Liverpool art world? The Walker Art Gallery is something of an unsung jewel in the crown amongst Liverpool’s younger,…

A classic production - & an invisible steam train

This production of The Railway Children has all the hallmarks of a Christmas classic Let’s face it, no traditional British Christmas is complete without a few tearjerker film classics: White Christmas, The Snowman and It’s…