Top Picks
Guides
What’s on
Where to go
See all

Hat Works Museum

Creative Tourist

Visit now

Hat Works Museum

Wellington Road South, Stockport, SK3 0EU
0161 474 2399
Website Facebook X
  • Tuesday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Wednesday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Thursday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Friday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Saturday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Sunday11:00am - 5:00pm

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Visit now
Hat Works Museum All rights reserved by Visit Manchester
Book now

Housed in the landmark, Grade II listed Wellington Mill, the Hat Works is the UK’s only collection devoted to hats and is well on its way to becoming a world centre for research on hats, head wear and the hatting industry.

Two floors of interactive exhibits include over 400 hats from around the world. The Hat Works celebrates the late nineteenth century heyday of hat wearing when Stockport’s hatting industry was large and prosperous – a heritage which continued into the twenty-first century. Higlights include the recreated workshop of William Platt & Co of Ancoats, the last hat block makers in the North of England and a recreated small terrace house showing how workers in hat factories lived.

There are regular millinery and family events and workshops throughout the year.

Featured in

Toddler standing on grass with a paintbrush in hand turning to the right to look at the camera. He is wearing a navy blue rainsuit with a burgundy and navy blue long sleeved tiop underneath. He is standing in front of large cream coloured sheets that have been strung up on a washing line. The sheets have mud marks making on.
Free family things to do in Manchester

The world’s at your fingertips with free history, art, science and creative capers for all ages in Manchester.

What's on near Hat Works Museum

Foggy trees in Alexander Park, Hulme.
Walking TourManchester
Alexandra Park and Whalley Range Tour

Take a walking tour of both Alexandra Park and wider Whalley Range, uncovering the tales that lie within its mighty buildings, its churches and its people.

From £20.00
MusicManchester
Bar Italia at Manchester Academy 2

One of London’s most hyped bands of the last few years, Bar Italia are playing Band on the Wall in support of their latest album, Some Like It Hot.

From £19.45
Southern Cemetary Chorlton by Tom Jeffs
–
TourChorlton
Southern Cemetery Tour

Within Chorlton’s Southern Cemetery lie fascinating stories, beautiful architectural details, and the inspiration behind one of The Smith’s best songs.

From £20.00
See all events

Where to go near Hat Works Museum

Stockport Memorial Gallery on Wellington Road Stockport.
Manchester
Gallery
Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery

Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery aims to give emerging artists the space to showcase their work. It has a varied programme, though its exhibitions often return to themes linked to…

Image licensed with iStock.
Stockport
Library
Stockport Central Library

Stockport Central Library is a Carnegie library, built 1913–15 in the Edwardian Baroque style. It continues to serve as Stockport’s largest library.

Manchester
Museum
Air Raid Shelters

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.

Merseyway is built on giant stilts over the river Mersey – hence the name! It was one of the first shopping centres to open in 1965 and was refurbished in 1995. Merseyway are proud of their heritage and their role in continuing to attract visitors to Stockport. They strive to live up to the brand promise “famous brands, fabulously close”.
Manchester
Merseyway Shopping Centre

Merseyway is built on giant stilts over the river Mersey – hence the name! It was one of the first shopping centres to open in 1965 and was refurbished in 1995. Merseyway are proud of their heritage and their role in continuing to attract visitors to Stockport. They strive to live up to the brand promise “famous brands, fabulously close”.

A projected image of the Stockroom.
Stockport
Library
Stockroom

Stockroom is Stockport’s new centre for culture and creativity, with a library, a children’s play area and a whole host of exciting events.

Odioba
Stockport
Restaurant
Odioba

Odioba is a new audiophile bar in Stockport, from the team behind the much-missed NAM. Coffee shop by day, bar by night.

Stockport
Bar or Pub
Bohemian Arts Club

Bohemian Arts Club is a chic and intimate cocktail bar in Stockport owned by Blossoms singer Tom and Katie Ogden.

See all places

Manchester District Guides

The front of Didsbury restaurant Volta.
Didsbury, Manchester

Didsbury has the perfect split between big brands and independent businesses, welcoming all from far and wide.
Ancoats, Manchester
Ancoats & New Islington

Ancoats, just off the Northern Quarter in Manchester, is one of the city’s most increasingly desirable neighbourhoods. Find out why.
People enjoying drinking in Altrincham
Things to Do in Altrincham

Plan a day out down Altrincham way, and you’ll soon find that one day isn’t nearly enough. Getting there is easy on the tram, or how about cycling along the…
Salford museum and art gallery exterior
Salford, Greater Manchester

Cross over the River Irwell, and you’ll find yourself in another city entirely – Salford, which is enjoying something of a regeneration.
chinatown, manchester in sun by ben williams
Chinatown, Manchester

Chinatown is a network of back streets dotted with Chinese restaurants – go to Ho’s Bakery for perfect honey buns, Hunan for spice and Middle Kingdom for a very affordable menu.
The Quays, Greater Manchester

The Quays is home to MediaCityUK (the largest media hub in Europe) and studios purpose-built for the BBC’s move up North in 2011.
Chorlton, Manchester

Chorlton is a left-leaning suburb a few miles south of Manchester’s city centre (and only 10-odd minutes away by tram). A sprawling hive of artisan coffee shops, boutique clothing stores,…

Culture Guides

A doll with makeup peeks out of a hanging wall of butter yellow fabric. Red and black threads descend and cascade around the doll.
Exhibitions in the North

This season, exhibitions across the North West feel attuned to the world beneath the world – the forces and stories shaping how we see, feel and imagine.

Music in the North

Manchester’s starting the new year with a run of gigs from some of the country’s best underground exports.

A performer in a bright red costume sits on a snowy stage set, holding a large snowball between their legs with a surprised expression. The colourful winter backdrop features snowflakes, hills, a snowman, and a traffic light with glowing lights.
Family things to do in the North

Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.

Textured portrait image of Jarman
Theatre in the North

Theatre across the North West splits between festive escape and sharp, urgent work exploring politics, power and resistance.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
Cinema in the North

There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.

Food and Drink in the North

Hear ye, hear ye. Take some eating-out tips from our wintertime guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.