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6 Top Things To Do In Manchester, United Kingdom

Authors
  • avatar
    Name
    Jonathan Chum
    Twitter
    @jchum

Introduction

Manchester is the second largest city in the United Kingdom and a great place to visit. With so much to do, it can be hard to figure out what to do first. This list will help you make your trip easier by suggesting some of the best activities in Manchester for travelers of all ages.

Manchester United FC

Manchester United is arguably the most famous football club in the world. They have won more major trophies than any other English club and were the first English team to win the European Cup in 1968. If you are a fan of football, this is one place that you cannot miss!

The club was founded by members of Manchester Cricket Club including Walter Crickmer, James West, and Louis Rocca on November 1878 as "the Newton Heath LYR Football Club". It was renamed as "Manchester United" in 1902 after merging with another local side called Manchester City. Today it plays its matches at Old Trafford stadium where they have been based since 1910. The nickname "Red Devils" comes from their color red shirts which became popular when they played against Wolverhampton Wanderers wearing their blue shirts!

The Manchester Art Gallery is one of the largest art galleries in the UK, with a collection of over 65,000 works of art. The gallery is located in the center of Manchester and opened in 1824. Since then it has expanded several times to become what it is today---a beautiful venue that houses some stunning pieces from some of history's most renowned artists.

Perhaps you're interested in visiting because you want to see works by Picasso or Monet. Maybe you are intrigued by contemporary British artists like Tracey Emin or Damien Hirst. Whatever your fancy may be, this is an amazing place for all things artistic!

The John Rylands Library

The John Rylands Library is a library in Manchester, England, on Deansgate. It was founded by Enriqueta Augustina Rylands in memory of her husband, Joseph Whitworth. The library's collections include over 350,000 books and manuscripts and 500,000 printed ephemera.

The building was designed by Basil Champneys and opened on 21 October 1900. The decorative scheme of the exterior was intended to reflect the internal arrangements - it features extensive use of mosaic work and colored marbles from Botticino (light-yellow) to Verona (red), with deep blue being used for window surrounds. It is a Grade I listed building as of 14 December 1952.

People's History Museum

The People's History Museum offers a fascinating glimpse into Manchester's past, and it's completely free to visit.

The museum is located in Castlefield, a historic district of Manchester. The area is known for its industrial heritage and beautiful parks, including the Museum Gardens and St John's Garden---both of which are right next door to the People's History Museum.

The museum houses a collection that includes one of the world's largest working models of a Salford Loom (a weaving loom) from 1784; artifacts from Manchester's cotton industry; documents relating to suffragette movement leader Emmeline Pankhurst; photos from the city's gay community; and more than 10 million objects related to everyday life in early 20th-century Britain. You can also see displays depicting daily life during World War II as well as how industrialization changed people's lives over time.

Admission: Free

How To Get There: Take tram number 4 or 17 along Princess Street towards Deansgate and alight at Albion Street/Peter Street. Alternatively, take tram number 2 or 3 along Oxford Road towards Victoria Station; alight at Princess Street/St Peter's Square and walk south along Princess Street until you reach Peter St Market Place (where Peter St meets King Edward VII Avenue). Cross over King Edward VII Avenue then head east up Royal Exchange Buildings onto Old Bank Stairs before turning left onto Long Millgate -- this street leads directly into Castlefield Basin where there will be signs directing you towards The People History Museum

Manchester Museum

Manchester Museum is the largest museum in the UK outside of London and one of the most popular museums in Britain. It houses a large collection of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman artifacts; natural history specimens; ethnography. There are plenty of activities for children from art workshops to behind-the-scenes tours.

The museum has a lot on offer for visitors to Manchester so there's plenty to see as well as do here!

National Football Museum

The National Football Museum is free to enter and has a great collection of football memorabilia that includes the original FA Cup trophy, shirts from teams all over the world, and even the original World Cup.

It's located at Manchester Town Hall, so you can also see if it looks anything like this other famous British landmark.

Conclusion

We hope that this list has given you some ideas for things to do in Manchester! There are plenty of other museums and attractions to explore, but these are our top picks. If you're looking for more information on the city's history or culture, we recommend checking out our blog post on Manchester (available here).