Manchester Museum Tours and Activities

Manchester Museum which includes street scenes, a city and heritage architecture
Manchester Museum showing interior views
Manchester Museum featuring interior views as well as an individual female
Manchester Museum featuring interior views and art
Manchester Museum


Showcasing an eclectic mix of precious artefacts from across the globe, live animals, mummies and dinosaurs, the Manchester Museum is a great day out for all ages.

The Manchester Museum is bursting with natural history and culture, and is a wonderful way to spend a rainy afternoon. The impressive exhibitions are housed in beautiful Victorian galleries, and include one of the largest collections of ancient Egyptian artefacts in the UK – some pieces have been dated back as far as 10,000 BC. Closer to home, but no less interesting, are the local exhibits of ancient pieces from Manchester and the surrounding region.

The museum joined the Manchester Natural History Society in 1835, after its humble beginnings as the personal collection of a wealthy 19th-century manufacturer in the region. Over time, the number of artefacts and pieces donated to the collection got so large that the museum had to upscale a number of times. The lack of space was finally solved when architect Alfred Waterhouse designed the present-day building which sits in Manchester’s city centre and opened its doors in 1890. Waterhouse is perhaps best known in the UK for being the brains behind London’s Natural History Museum and Manchester’s Town Hall.

At first glance, the museum looks quite small, but once you step inside, you’ll find a vast array of artefacts spanning millennia – everything from prehistoric fossils to live reptiles! The museum is perfect for kids, with plenty to keep them entertained. Don’t miss the 70-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus Rex on the ground floor, known to most as “Stan” after the man who discovered it. Stan shares exhibition space with a large collection of fossils and natural history pieces.

The attraction is free to visit, but voluntary donations are much appreciated and help with the upkeep of the museum. It is open every day except New Year’s Day and the period of 24-26 December. You can find out which exhibits will be on show during your visit on the museum’s informative website.

The Manchester Museum is situated near the University of Manchester in the centre of the city on Oxford Road. You can walk the fifteen minutes from Oxford Road train station, or hop on the free Metroshuttle bus. If you’re driving, you can leave your car on nearby Booth Street West for a small fee.

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Top Manchester Museum Hotel & Accommodation Deals

YOTEL Manchester Deansgate
YOTEL Manchester Deansgate
4 out of 5
John Dalton House, John Dalton Street, Manchester, England
YOTEL Manchester Deansgate
Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly
Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly
4 out of 5
London Road, Manchester, England
Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly
Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre
Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre
4 out of 5
Charles Street, Manchester, England
Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre
Holiday Inn Manchester - City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Holiday Inn Manchester - City Centre, an IHG Hotel
4 out of 5
25 Aytoun Street, Manchester, England
Holiday Inn Manchester - City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Britannia Hotel Manchester
Britannia Hotel Manchester
3 out of 5
35 Portland Street, Manchester, England
Britannia Hotel Manchester
ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel
ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel
3.5 out of 5
3-5 Portland Street, Manchester, England
ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel
Kimpton Clocktower, an IHG Hotel
Kimpton Clocktower, an IHG Hotel
5 out of 5
Oxford Street, Manchester, England
Kimpton Clocktower, an IHG Hotel
Hyatt Regency Manchester
Hyatt Regency Manchester
4 out of 5
55 Booth Street West, Manchester, England
Hyatt Regency Manchester
Motel One Manchester St. Peter's Square
Motel One Manchester St. Peter's Square
3 out of 5
1 Dickinson St, Manchester, England
Motel One Manchester St. Peter's Square
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.