Museums and Galleries in Manchester
Manchester has a whole host of museums and galleries on a wide variety of subjects. From art to history, Manchester museums and galleries have free admission and you only pay for special exhibitions.
MMU Special Collections
Telephone: 0161 247 6107MMU has been awarded museum status for its historic collections of artwork, books and artefacts - all of which can be used by students and researchers. There are eleven collections in total including book design, poster collections and the Society of Architects' Library.
These special collections form a fascinating and varied resource for the use and enjoyment of students, researchers and the general public.
Next time you're in the Sir Kenneth Green Library, pop by the Special Collections and enjoy what it has to offer.
North West Film Archive
Telephone: 0161 247 3097Serious film enthusiasts will be impressed by Britain's largest public collection of film archives outside London. Set up in 1977, the Northwest Film Archives documents moving images made in or about Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire.
The archives care for over 31,000 items and the collection includes cinema newsreels, documentaries, advertising and promotional material, educational and travel films, home movies, corporate videos and regional television programmes.
Museum of Science and Industry
Telephone: 0161 832 2244Email: lib-spec-coll@mmu.ac.uk
The Museum of Science and Industry is situated in the oldest passenger railway buildings in the world. It celebrates Manchester as the first industrial city - Manchester was, and still is, famous for its role in the cotton industry and many of the old cotton warehouses still stand to this day. The museum has an 1830's warehouse, a station building, power hall and an air and space hall.
The museum has free admission and hosts special exhibitions regularly. This museum will especially entertain science and engineering students, with plenty to see and do.
Manchester Museum - (University of Manchester)
E-mail: museum@manchester.ac.ukManchester Museum gives visitors access to over 6 million items and artifacts from every continent of the globe. Get the chance to see butterflies from India, birds from the Pacific, ancient pottery from the Americas and armour and archery from Asia.
For a bit of fun, why not avail of the free identification service. You can take a mystery object into the museum and an expert tells you a bit of its history.
Whitworth Art Gallery
E-mail: whitworth@manchester.ac.ukInternationally famous for its collections of art and design, the Whitworth Art Gallery is home to an impressive range of watercolours, prints, and drawings, modern art and sculpture.
It has the largest collection of textiles and wallpapers outside London and uses its comprehensive collections to create changing exhibitions exploring different themes. A must for all art aficionados.
The Greater Manchester Police Museum
Telephone: 0161 865 3287The Greater Manchester Police Museum is an interesting place to visit, with rooms devoted to crime and forensic science, forgery and international policing.
There is also an archive collection for GMP, mixing official records, personal memorabilia and photographs. Open every Tuesday, the museum is staffed by a team of volunteers nearly all of whom are retired police officers.
Manchester Art Gallery
Telephone: 0161 235 8888The Manchester Art Gallery has recently benefited from a £35m transformation and some of the UK's finest art collections are housed in its stunning surroundings.
There are different areas within the gallery, including a 'feedback wall' - a series of completed postcards filled in by the visitors to the gallery.
Other interactive areas of the gallery include a play area for children (ideal for students!).
The Lowry Art Gallery
E-mail: info@thelowry.comAn award-winning building within a stunning waterside location, the Lowry Art Gallery offers lots of fun activities and educational programmes for any age group.
The ever changing range of exhibitions on display means that it's never boring and there's always something new to check out.
The Lowry art gallery isn't just a great place for exhibitions though; it is also one of the best venues in Europe for live entertainment, with an outstanding international programme of drama, dance, comedy and music.
Gallery of Costume
The Gallery of Costume in Rusholme, set back from the main road, is open on the last Saturday of each month between 10am and 5pm. The Gallery of Costume contains one of the largest collections of costume and accessories in Britain and is an excellent resource for students and researchers.
Urbis
Email:info@urbis.org.ukUrbis, located in Cathedral Gardens next to the Victoria Station is an exploration of urban culture and the cities of today and tomorrow. It has many events including unique and interactive free exhibitions.
Levels 2-4 of the museum looks at people, places and the pulse of the modern city. The journey starts with the MEN glass elevator sky glide - not good if you're afraid of heights!
Urbis also runs community projects including workshops for young people in graphic design, illustration, street fashion, music and film making.
Imperial War Museum North
Email: info@iwmnorth.org.ukThe Imperial War Museum North or IWMN is situated on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal. The museum is worth seeing if only for the magnificent structure, an inspired concept of internationally renowned architect, Daniel Libeskind.
The museum excellently depicts world conflict on land, water and in the air and there are loads of things to see and learn about. Definitely one to visit!
The People's History Museum
Telephone: 0161 839 6061Email: info@phm.org.uk
This museum tells the extraordinary story of ordinary people and how they changed the world. It looks at working people's lives at work, home and leisure over the last 200 years. Subjects include the Peterloo Massacre, the Chartists, working conditions in the cotton industry, the struggle for the right to vote for women, the rise of trade unions, the Co-operative movement, sweated work, socialism and leisure time.
Alan, 39 said: "Being a mature student, I worried that Manchester could only offer me student bars but the city is awash with museums, galleries and theatres, I love it!"