We do like a good museum, from those old-fashioned slightly dusty numbers (who shall remain nameless) to the hipper variety, such as Manchester Museum, which of all UK museums arguably does the best job in combining a historic collection with 21st-century details. Greater Manchester is studded with gems, from the sprawling Science and Industry Museum to the small but perfectly-formed Police Museum. Read our picks of the best here.
Manchester Museum has always been a place of wonder – it’s one of those glorious Victorian-era venues with a smorgasbord of fascinating collections crammed into a building within the complex of The University of Manchester. Now, following a £15 million transformation – as part of its ‘Hello Future’ project – the Museum moves into a brand new phase in its rich history.
The national museum of democracy couldn’t have a better home than the radical city of Manchester, birthplace of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and universal suffrage.
The Science and Industry Museum is housed in the buildings of the world’s first inter-city passenger railway; this sprawling, interactive land of scientific exploration is also undergoing a multi million pound restoration project to reveal how ideas change the world.
The National Football Museum attracted 100,000 visitors in the first six weeks of opening. It continues to be hugely popular – expect football-related displays and exhibitions, a café and an extensive shop.
IWM North was designed by Daniel Libeskind, whose beautiful waterfront building was based on a globe shattered by war and houses a permanent collection, special exhibitions and events that consider the many ways conflict shapes society.
In recent years Elizabeth Gaskell’s House has been lovingly restored; you can now sit at her desk, see where Charlotte Brontë hid behind the curtains, and have tea in the downstairs café.
At the Greater Manchester Police Museum you can stand in the dock, see make-shift riot weapons – such as a soap in a sock – and try the feel of a wooden pillow.
Salford Museum and Art Gallery is a friendly city museum close to Peel Park with special appeal to families; the highlight is Lark Hill Place, a charming Victorian Street installation.
Recently declared a Unesco World Heritage Site, the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre is a great day out for all the family and home to the Bluedot Festival.
Stockport museums are beginning a phased reopening of their sites. The first to re-open were Bramall Hall and Stockport Air Raid Shelters. You must book tickets in advance to allow for managed visitor numbers.
A visit to Quarry Bank in Cheshire is a must for anyone wishing to gain a deeper understanding of the North West.
The Rochdale Pioneers Museum is widely considered to be the birthplace of the co-operative movement.
Museum of Illusions Manchester is part of the global Museum of Illusions Group, the largest and fastest-growing chain of private museums in the world.
Inspiring visitors through revolutionary, world-changing ideas, the Science and Industry Museum makes learning fun.
The National Football Museum is now open to the public, ready to show off its impressive array of football-related exhibits and activities.
Lectures and talks about literature and philosophy.
The Manchester Museum isn’t one of the UK’s leading university museums for nothing – it has six million objects in its stores, including a full size T-Rex skeleton, and that’s just for starters.
The Pankhurst Centre houses a small museum and heritage centre that remains as a legacy to the Pankhurst family and the Suffragette movement born in this city.
Built on a former bomb site and designed by world-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, a visit to this iconic museum provides an unforgettable experience for all ages.
This beautiful building holds temporary exhibitions of acclaimed international art, contemporary and historical collections, handcrafted art in the Art Shop and Tina’s tea rooms. Alongside this runs a varied events, workshop and education programme.
People’s History Museum, the home of ‘ideas worth fighting for’, is the only museum in the UK dedicated to the history of British democracy.
Salford Museum and Art Gallery is a friendly city museum close to Peel Park with special appeal to families; the highlight is Lark Hill Place, a charming Victorian Street installation.
Gallery Oldham provides a wide range of exhibitions and activities targeted at different audiences of all ages within Oldham and the surrounding area.
Carved into the natural sandstone cliffs, the intriguing network of underground tunnels offers visitors an unparalleled insight into life in wartime Britain in the 1940’s.
The world's at your fingertips with free history, art, science and creative capers for all ages in Manchester.
Presenting the best walking tours in Manchester for history buffs, culture enthusiasts, and those looking to scratch beneath the surface of the city.
If you find yourself in the North West of England looking for a spa day, look no further, check out our guide featuring our favourite spots.
Looking for somewhere to eat outside in Manchester in these hot summer months? Here's our guide to the restaurants in Manchester with the best areas for al fresco dining.
There's no shortage of places to drink in the Northern Quarter. From hidden bars in launderettes and pawn shops, to record stores and even traditional pubs. We round up the
Manchester's best secret, hidden and hard to find bars - here's our guide.
Looking for the best cocktails in Manchester? We have the lot, to cover all tastes and budgets, to guarantee a good time.
Best roof terrace in Manchester? We know the lot, and we're willing to share our hard-earned information.
Make the most of the sun in one of Manchester's many top-notch beer gardens.
Looking for things to do with babies? Check out some of our top things to do with the littlest tourists before you set out.
Presenting the best walking tours in Manchester for history buffs, culture enthusiasts, and those looking to scratch beneath the surface of the city.
Take me there
With these lighter, brighter days and warmer temperatures, it's really starting to feel like summer here in the North West!
Books, beer and burlesque. Dive into a glorious tangle of joyful happenings.
The sun is shining in the North, so use our guide to get out there and eat, drink and be merry in it.
Eclectic as ever. You'll find inventive reworkings, world-class contemporary dance and Greater Manchester's inaugural Improv Festival in our guide.
Willow weaving, textile collages, digital arts and ecology - all this and more in our exhibition top picks this month
We've got laughs and we've got leftfield on the live literature radar this month. Something for everyone, from poets playing with form to short story writers looking long.
Open air clubs, new festivals and long-awaited gigs. The North West's live music scene is heating up this spring.
Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.
