When the weekends and school holidays come around it can be a tad tricky to find engaging activities for the kids. If you’re looking for a fun way to educate the little ones – especially when it’s a rainy day or you’ve over exhausted the local park – then a trip to the museum is a great shout. The city of Manchester and its surrounding areas are brimming with museums suitable for kids whether it be exploring the likes of history, sport, science and more – and they’re bound to come away having learnt something new. Check out our round-up of the best museums for kids in and around Manchester – with most of them free to enter!
1. Science and Industry Museum
The Science and Industry Museum is quite possibly one of the top museums for kids in Manchester as it is a space to let their creativity and exploration run wild. Not only does the museum take visitors on a trip to the Industrial Revolution, since it is the home of the oldest railway station, but their bright and immersive exhibitions are a must-visit.
Kids can experience the thunderous sounds of historic machinery to the much-loved exhibition Power Up where you can play your way through the very best video games from the past five decades. Plus, there are even events and activities for tiny ones including Mini Movers, Experitots and Early Years Story Time.
📍 Science and Industry Museum, Liverpool Rd, M3 4FP.
🎟️ Tickets are free and you can book here.
🕒 The museum is open daily from 10am-5pm.
2. Manchester Museum
Back after a big renovation, Manchester Museum reopened in February 2023 and features the Museum’s historic collections as well as new displays. Visitors can see works collected by the University of Manchester, the museum boasts stunning art created by the South Asian diaspora communities in the UK, alongside a space devoted to Chinese culture and a dinosaur display.
The museum also houses an important collection of gilded mummy masks and realistic painted images known as ‘Faiyum Portraits’, dating back to the Graeco-Roman Period (around 300 BCE to 300 CE). Manchester Museum is currently showcasing the Wild exhibition and it also cares for a collection of around 100,000 fossils, including one of the most important collections of Ice Age animals in Europe – so there is plenty to fascinate young minds.
There’s also a massive dinosaur display that you simply can’t miss!
📍 Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, Oxford Rd, M13 9PL.
🎟️ Admission is free however pre-booking tickets is recommended to guarantee entry to events and exhibitions, which you can book here.
🕒 The museum is open Tuesdays-Fridays 10am-5pm, Saturdays 8am-5pm and Sundays 10am-5pm.
3. People’s History Museum
Uncovering the story of the people of Britain, the People’s History Museum explore democracy throughout the years, from the heartfelt stories of refugees and asylum seekers, to the history of Labour and numerous trade unions. The museum tells stories through an eclectic and colourful, historic and contemporary collection that features banners, badges, posters, artwork, cartoons, placards, personal items and more, spanning four centuries of ideas worth fighting for.
The People’s History Museum it’s one of the best museums in Manchester when it comes to activities for the kids as they can explore hands-on activities and digital interactives for all ages in every gallery. From visiting the suffragette kitchen to play the Pank-a-Squith board game to going back in time at the Co-op shop, see how fast you can work at the Bryant & May match factory through an arcade style game or play your favourite songs on a vintage jukebox.
📍 People’s History Museum, Left Bank, M3 3ER.
🎟️ Entry is free and you can book a slot here.
🕒 The museum is open from 10am-5pm every day, except Tuesdays.
4. Greater Manchester Police Museum & Archives
Whether your child aspires to be a person of the law or is curious to find out more on how the Greater Manchester police all began then it’s definitely worth visiting Greater Manchester Police Museum & Archives. Possibly one of the smallest museums in Manchester to explore with kids, however what it lacks in size it makes up for in its vast archives and interactive opportunities.
The museum on Newton Street explores how the force was founded, the evolution of the judicial system and even has opportunities to try on police gear of past and present. See some of our collections ranging from cars, war time, police stations and videos in their archives as well as discovering the crime room, charge office, court room, AV room as well as uniform and transport galleries. There are even cells, so the kids should be on their best behaviour!
📍 Greater Manchester Police Museum & Archives, 57A Newton St, M1 1ET.
🎟️ Entry is free and you can find more information here.
🕒 The museum is open every Tuesday, 10.30am-4pm.
5. IWM North
Now, you might be thinking that the topic of war isn’t necessarily one for the youngsters, however the North’s first Imperial War Museum covers key historical events and explores more recent global conflicts in a digestible and approachable way. IWM North hosts family activities on weekends such as exploring objects and photographs as well as hearing real stories detailing methods of disguise and deception used by the Allies leading up to D-Day.
Sitting on the Manchester Ship Canal, the museum boasts impressive architecture and interiors, which are designed to unsettle and disorientate you with sloping walls and sharp angles. Kids can discover art, photographs, artefacts and impressive exhibitions including the beautiful, permanent poppy installation that is sure to mesmerise whatever your age.
📍 Imperial War Museum North, Trafford Wharf Rd, Trafford Park, Stretford, M17 1TZ.
🎟️ Entrance is free and you can get tickets here.
🕒 The museum is open daily from 10am-5pm.
6. National Football Museum
If your child loves football then a trip to the National Football Museum is bound to hit one in the back of the net. England’s national museum of football can be found right here in Manchester, facing Cathedral Gardens and boasts tons of football memorabilia from over the years as well as interactive games (penalty shoot-out, anyone?) for kids to get involved in.
Fans can explore 140,000 boots, balls, programmes, paintings, postcards and ceramics – each curated to tell the story of the beautiful game. Visitors can explore exhibitions including MARKERS which features artwork from Manchester-based artists who have each selected a hero from the footballing world to honour and Admiral: 50 Years of the Replica Shirt, the latest Pitch Gallery exhibition telling the story of the football shirt pioneers.
📍 National Football Museum, Urbis Building Cathedral Gardens, Todd St, M4 3BG.
🎟️ Tickets can be booked here.
🕒 The museum is open daily from 10am-5pm, with last admission at 4pm.
7. Museum of Transport
Love vintage vehicles? Or fancy showing the kids modes of transport from the olden days? Well, you’ll find plenty of them at the Museum of Transport. Telling the story of Manchester’s transport history, guests can explore retro buses from the 1930’s onwards, trams from the early 1900s, vintage signs, furniture and so much more – all in one place.
You and the kids can step back in time and hop on one of the museum’s heritage bus rides soaking up the sights along the route. Plus, the museum hosts numerous events including a transport-themed market, classic car shows (they even previously had one dedicated to Morris Minor vehicles) and anniversary events to celebrate 200 years of buses in Britain.
📍 Museum of Transport, Boyle St, Cheetham Hill, M8 8UW.
🎟️ Entry is free for children under 16 years and adult tickets cost £6, which can be booked here.
🕒 The museum is open Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, 10am-4.30pm.
8. Bolton Museum, Aquarium and Archive
It’s not just the museums in Manchester city centre that have all of the fun for the kids, instead venture north west of the city to Bolton Museum for a brilliant day out. Ranging from Egyptian mummies to local history and wildlife, the collections at Bolton Museum has something for everyone.
Bolton Museum is also one of the only museums in Greater Manchester that boasts an aquarium, making it the perfect spot for kids, especially on a rainy day. Having first opened its doors to the public on in 1941, it’s now home to more than 70 varieties of fish originating from across the globe.
📍Bolton Museum, Aquarium and Archive, Le Mans Cres, Bolton, BL1 1SE.
🎟️ Admission is free and you can find more information here.
🕒 The museum is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 9am-5pm, Wednesdays 9.30am-5pm, and Sundays 10am-4pm.
9. Stockport Air Raid Shelters
Not your typical museum, Stockport Air Raid Shelters (which opened in 1939 with room for 3,850 people) are carved into the natural sandstone cliffs and boast an intriguing network of underground tunnels. The shelters give visitors an insight into life in 1940s wartime Britain with information panels and authentically recreated settings illustrating the extent of Stockport’s air raid precautions for life on the home front.
Stockport Air Raid Shelters offer underground tours including self-guided, private, family and also explorer tours which show visitors areas of the tunnels which are not usually open to the public. The explorer tours (which cost £10) must be booked in advance, include unlit and reinforced tunnelling and show the full extent of Stockport’s air raid preparations.
📍 Stockport Air Raid Shelters, 65 Chestergate, Stockport, SK1 1NP.
🎟️ General admission costs £5.50 for adults and free for children under 16 (£3 with an activity trail) and tickets can be booked here.
🕒 The museum is open Tuesdays to Fridays 1pm-5pm, Saturdays 10am- 5pm and Sundays 11am-4pm.
10. Clayton Hall Living History Museum
Clayton Hall is a Grade II* listed building and it sets itself apart from other museums for kids in Manchester as it is a rare example of a medieval moated site. Originally built for the Clayton family, Clayton Hall has seen many different owners including the Byrons and the Chethams, with Humphrey Chetham being one of Clayton Hall’s most notable owners.
Here kids can travel back in time as they explore the moated house with hands-on stuff in every room, winding staircases and dressing-up costumes making it a fun place to explore for the whole family. You’ll also find a Memories Room housing a local history collection as well as the Textiles Room with a selection of vintage sewing machines and some lovely examples of needlework.
📍 Clayton Hall Living History Museum, Clayton Park, Ashton New Road, Manchester, M11 4RU
🎟️ Admission is free and you can find out more information here.
🕒 The museum is open on the first and third Saturday of the month from February to November, 11am-4pm.