What To Do When It Rains In Manchester

Creative Tourist

What To Do When It Rains In Manchester? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Contrary to popular belief, Manchester does attract sunshine once in a while – for over 1,000 hours a year, according to one source. However, we cannot deny that it does rain here more than we’d really like. There’s plenty of things to do in Manchester when the heavens open though; from award-winning theatre and exhibitions to an exciting food and drink offer and thriving literature and music scenes.

With our guide, you can stop asking what to do when it rains in Manchester. Grab your brolly, watch out for those loose paving stones that like to spurt rainwater up your leg and get exploring.

Our top picks

Science and Industry Museum

Science and Industry Museum, Liverpool Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M3 4FP - Visit now

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 includes a working steam train. It’s mostly indoors, it’s very kid-friendly and there’s good cafe on site too. Your closest tram stop is Deansgate Castlefield, it’s only a short dash away, making it an ideal pick when it’s bucketing down.

HOME Manchester

HOME Manchester, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M15 4FN - Visit now

HOME is a great place to spend a rainy day. Take in some art-house cinema across five, excellently programmed cinema screens, explore contemporary art, browse the bookshop, enjoy a pint in the downstairs bar and then maybe dinner before catching a show on of the theatre spaces.

HOME Manchester

Manchester Art Gallery

Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M2 3JL - Visit now

Positioned at the very heart of the city, Manchester Art Gallery houses six centuries worth of fine art, ceramics, glass, furniture and costume, and presents a year-round programme of contemporary exhibitions by world-leading artists. Taking in the whole gallery properly demands at least a couple of hours and there’s a very good cafe to keep you fuelled up.

Manchester Art Gallery. Photo by Andrew Brooks
Manchester Art Gallery. Photo by Andrew Brooks

Mackie Mayor

Mackie Mayor, 1 Eagle Street, Manchester, M4 5BU

The Grade II listed Mackie Mayor is must-see for anyone visiting Manchester. This ornate, voluminous, early-Victorian, purpose-built meat market is now a glass-roofed marketplace, packed with the city’s finest food and drink merchants, with room enough for hundreds of diners and drinkers. Stay here and eat and drink out the storm.

The Whitworth

The Whitworth, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M15 6ER - Visit now

Winner of Visit England’s gold prize for Large Visitor Attraction of the Year 2016 and Art Fund’s Museum of the Year 2015 following a major £15m redevelopment, the beautifully designed Whitworth Art Gallery is a true gem of a place. Its internationally important art collection is presented alongside a changing programme of contemporary exhibitions and outdoor sculpture, whilst the spectacular ‘café in the trees’ is well worth a visit alone.

The Whitworth
The Whitworth. Photo: Alan Williams.

Afflecks

Afflecks, 52 Church Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 1PW - Visit now

Afflecks in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, formerly (and still affectionately) known as Affleck’s Palace, is a mind-bogglingly diverse vintage shopping emporium. Have a look around here for or an hour or so and enjoy some of the city’s most wonderfully independent retailers.

Image of Afflecks Palace in Manchester's Northern Quarter
Ben Williams

National Football Museum

National Football Museum, Urbis Building, Cathedral Gardens, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 3BG - Visit now

Manchester is probably even more famous for football than it is for rain! Visitors to the National Football Museum can dive into this heritage and more as they explore the whole world of football across several floors of changing exhibitions. The Museum is on the doorstep of Victoria Station and the nearby Corn Exchange has a decent pick of eateries, all under one (waterproof) roof.

The National Football Museum Manchester

Manchester Craft & Design Centre

Manchester Craft & Design Centre, 17 Oak St, Northern Quarter, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 5JD - Visit now

Housed in a former Victorian fish market, Manchester Craft and Design Centre has for 30 years been home to an array of artist-run studios. Hands down the most reliable one-stop-shop for unique, but not over-priced, gifts in the city.

Manchester Craft and Design Centre by Joel C Fildes.
Manchester Craft and Design Centre by Joel C Fildes.

Manchester Museum

Manchester Museum, The University Of Manchester, Oxford Rd, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M13 9PL - Visit now

Manchester Museum boasts six million pieces in its archive, an impressive Egyptology collection and new discovery space The Study all in one gothic, Grade II*-listed building. You can wander around Manchester Museum for several hours without even thinking about the rain outside.

Manchester Museum Tours at Manchester Museum

Pubs in Manchester

If all else fails, there are plenty of great pubs in Manchester.

Britons Protection entrance.
Image courtesy Britons Protection.

Where to go in Manchester

Manchester
Gallery
Black Redstart Gallery

Black Redstart Gallery is located in the Northern Quarter and runs a busy programme of exhibitions from emerging and established artists.

texture logo
Manchester
Gallery
texture mcr

Possibly one of the city’s most mysterious art galleries, texture is a small and perfectly-formed independent space in Ardwick.

Stevenson Square
Manchester
Stevenson Square

Stevenson Square, the central hub of bars and cafes in Northern Quarter. Home to some of the best bars in the city.

CUPRA City Garage DJ Decks
City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
CUPRA City Garage

Already based in Paris, Mexico City, Sydney and Vienna, CUPRA’s international expansion is driven by culture as much as cars, and Manchester’s creative energy has clearly caught their attention.

Ancoats
Restaurant
Bruco

Bruco is a new restaurant in Ancoats, serving up stylish Italian small plates.

Samsi
Manchester
Restaurant
Samsi

Long-standing Japanese restaurant on Whitworth Street in Manchester with a pleasingly affordable menu.

Chorlton
Restaurant
Yane

Friendly neighbourhood restaurant in Chorlton, specialising in authentic Japanese cuisine such as donburi, katsu kare and traditional pickles, made in-house.

Creatures Comedy Club
Manchester
Theatre
Creatures Comedy Club

Whether you’re a die-hard comedy fan or just after a spontaneous night out, there’s something here for everyone. Open 7 nights a week.

The Loft
Manchester
Music venue
The Loft

The Loft is an intimate, industrial-style club tucked away on the edge of Manchester city centre. Known for its impeccable sound system and low-key vibe.

Manchester Visitor Guides

SB_BreweryTour- Distillery Two
Brewery Tours in Manchester

A growing number of breweries and independent tour operators now offer behind-the-scenes access to the city’s thriving beer scene.

Afternoon Tea in Manchester

The finest places in Manchester to sip Darjeeling, eat dainty finger sandwiches and slap extra clotted cream on a freshly baked scone.

Bars in Manchester

The best new bars in Manchester, plus some old favourites for good measure.

Spas in the North West

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.

Production Two
Brewery Tours in the North

Brewery tours across the North offer more than just a behind-the-scenes look at hops and fermenters. They’re a window into the region’s character.

20 Stories eat outside in Manchester
Places To Eat Outside in Manchester

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.

Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Spotlight on

Walking Tours in Manchester by Jonathan Schofield

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

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester and the North.
Theatre in the North

From outdoor shows to drama in the dark, our theatre guide celebrates genre-pushing work, new writing and contemporary performance.

Author portrait
Literature Events in the North

Our latest round-up features plenty of one-off live literature events to wrap your ears about, so get those diaries ticking over...

Two women stand next to an orange car.
Cinema in the North

August brings a huge LGBTQ+ film festival, plus a reggae classic and a spotlight on Japanese animation.

Blondshell by Hannah Bon.
Music in the North

From Lyra Pramuk’s sacred synths to the sugar rush of YAANG, our latest music picks bring ritual, rebellion and ridiculous levels of fun.