The Must-Visit Museums in Manchester

“There’s a museum for every day of the week and then some in Manchester. You can learn about war and writing and see dinosaur skeletons and football trophies. Here’s a round-up of the highlights of each of Manchester’s must-visit museums.

Imperial War Museum North
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The Imperial War Museum North gives you a deeper understanding of the impact of war on the world. There are more than 2,000 objects on display, from the field gun that fired the opening British round on the Western Front to a piece of the mangled rusted steelwork retrieved from the rubble of the World Trade Centre in New York. The museum also puts on a Big Picture Show six times a day, projecting videos telling stories from conflicts on to the high walls of the main exhibition space.

Open 10am–5pm daily. Admission is free.

National Football Museum
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The six levels of this boot-shaped building explore the UK’s national obsession. In addition to learning about the history and culture of football, you can take part in interactive experiences. Have a go at live Match of the Day commentary, pose with a virtual trophy and test your goal-keeping reaction speeds. For an extra £2, you can also take part in the Penalty Shootout Challenge, which gives you three chances to score a goal from the 12-yard line.

Open 10am–5pm daily. Admission is £10 for adults and £5 for children aged five to 15.

The People’s History Museum
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This museum tells the story of the development of democracy in Britain. The exhibits cover seven themes: revolution, reformers, workers, voters, citizens, time off and banners. Make sure you see the section on the Peterloo Massacre, which happened in Manchester and led to the first reform of Parliament in 1832. The area dedicated to the formation of the Women’s Social and Political Union, founded in Manchester by Emmeline Pankhurst and her sisters in 1903, is also a must.

Open 10am–5pm daily. Admission is free.

Manchester Museum
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While its name makes it sound like this museum is about a single city, Manchester Museum is actually shares insights into anthropology, archaeology, botany and earth sciences from the seven continents of the world. Drop by to visit Stan – a T-Rex skeleton – and to touch pieces of meteorites from Mars and the Moon. The gallery is currently undergoing a three-year redevelopment, so the Ancient Worlds, Living Cultures and Money galleries are closed.

Open 10am–5pm daily. Admission is free.

Elizabeth Gaskell’s House
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The Grade II listed neo-Classical villa at 84 Plymouth Grove was once the home of writer Elizabeth Gaskell. Today, it’s a museum dedicated to her life and work. The ground floor has period rooms restored to look the way they did when Gaskell was alive, You can see her study, where she would have worked on the novels Mary Barton, Cranford and North and South, and the guest reception areas where she would have hosted literary friends Charlotte Brontë and Charles Dickens. Upstairs, meanwhile, has event and performance spaces.

Open Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 11am–4:30pm. Admission is £5.50 for adults and free for children under 16.

Museum of Transport Greater Manchester
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A 15-minute drive from Manchester city centre, the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester tells the story of the development of transport in Manchester, from horse-drawn carriages to double-decker buses and the Manchester Metrolink. There are 70 buses on display alone, and you can board many of them to see what’s inside. While you’re there, see the bus stop signs, traffic lights, ticketing equipment and uniforms exhibits, too. The museum also hosts events throughout the year, so you might catch the Morris Minor shows and a model railway show.

Open 10am–5pm daily. Admission is free.

The Museum of Science and Industry
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Across five historical buildings, the Museum of Science and Industry is crammed with displays on ideas and inventions that all had the sliced-bread effect and revolutionised the world. It’s hard to choose what to see first: cars, aircrafts, locomotives, water, electricity, steam, sanitation, textiles, communications or computing. In addition to the permanent exhibitions, there are regularly changing temporary exhibitions, too. Topics for these displays have ranged from the sun to the lives of notable scientists. The museum is undergoing restoration until 2021, which will affect access to certain areas here and there. Check for any closures online before you visit.

Open 10am–5pm daily. Admission is free.

Planning to tour the museums of Manchester? You’ll need a place to stay. Here’s our pick of hotels in Manchester, UK.”