MUSEUMS
There are something like 90 museums in and around Manchester, most of which offer free admission. It’s an ideal way to spend a couple of hours while you are visiting – so you can learn more about this fascinating place and the history that made it the dynamic city it is today.
Imperial War Museum North
Located at Salford Quays – Greater Manchester’s unique waterfront destination, the IWMN is an absolute must for history fans or anyone interested in the human side of conflict.
Museum of Science & Industry
Located on the historic site of the world’s oldest surviving passenger railway station, housed in five listed buildings, MOSI’s galleries and outstanding collections tell the story of Manchester’s scientific and industrial past, present and future.
The Manchester Museum
The Manchester Museum is owned by the University of Manchester. It is one of the top university museums in the United Kingdom. Sited on Oxford Road (A34) at the heart of the university’s neo-Gothic buildings, it provides access to about six million items from every continent of the globe.
THEATRES AND CONCERTS
Manchester is one of the North of England’s prime destinations for stage entertainment, with musicals galore, a boisterous mainstream and fringe theatre scene, plus a wealth of ballet, opera and comedy.
If theatres are more your scene then you are spoilt for choice in Manchester. Why not head to the heart of Manchester where the Library Theatre lies? Located at the basement level in the city’s beautiful, circular Central library, timeless classics and modern drama included in the 2009 itinerary are Tom Stoppard’s Rock ‘n’ Roll and Great Expectations. Likewise the Palace Theatre and Opera House perform touring blockbuster shows such as ‘Mary Poppins’ ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘Lord of the Dance’.
The Royal Exchange
For a unique theatre layout head to The Royal Exchange Theatre which turns out a sensational and varied programme. The circular stage set in a unique seven sided glass-walled capsule within the former centre of the world’s cotton exchange trade, a building worth a look in itself.
The Palace Theatre
The Palace Theatre, on Oxford Street, is one of the best equipped and popular theatres outside London. In its repertoire it hosts major touring musicals often with major celebrities and performances of opera and ballet along with various other comedy acts and one night concerts.
The Lowry
Set in a magnificent waterside location at the heart of the redeveloped Salford Quays, The Lowry is an architectural flagship with a unique and dynamic identity. The Lowry houses two main theatres and studio space for performing arts presenting a full range of drama, opera, ballet, dance, musicals, children’s shows, popular music, jazz, folk and comedy and gallery spaces showing the works of LS Lowry alongside contemporary exhibitions.
Chetham’s School of Music
Chetham’s School of Music occupies a unique position in its geographical and historical position in Manchester. For many visitors, Chetham’s is a surprising oasis of creativity in the heart of the city centre; it is where beautiful music, outstanding buildings steeped in English history and talented young musicians meet.
Chetham’s is an integral part of the North West’s rich cultural heritage, housed in buildings that are nearly 600 years old and boasting a truly unique and magical atmosphere. Its medieval buildings are one of Manchester’s real gems – playing music in the Baronial Hall is undoubtedly an experience in itself!