Manchester Museum is owned and operated by the University of Manchester and provides an interesting family day out appealing to adults and children alike.
Collections at Manchester Museum
Spread over four floors the Manchester Museum has a wide range of exhibits. The museum has one of the best collections in the world of objects from ancient Egypt. Other permanent exhibitions include:
- Prehistoric life
- Rocks and minerals
- Meteorites
- Animal life
- Living cultures and archery
- Money
- Mediterranean archaeology
Manchester for Children
Manchester museum has plenty that will appeal to children of all ages, a visit is fun and educational, and provides a cheap days out.
Perhaps the main attraction for kids is coming face to face with Stan the T Rex in the prehistoric exhibition on the ground floor. Displayed in a running position Stan the T rex skeleton was excavated in South Dakota in 1992. Named after Stan Sacrison, the amateur paleontologist who discovered the skeleton, Stan is one of the most complete T Rex skeletons ever to have been found.
Other attractions that appeal to kids include the Egyptology section with its display of mummies, along with their coffins and the treasures they were buried with.
The museum has a vivarium with specimens including monitor lizards, green tree python, boa constrictor, and blue poison-dart frogs.
The greenhouse on the top floor of the museum grows a range of exotic trees including pineapple, kiwi, fig and papaya.
Also on the third floor is the play, learn and picnic area. Visitors are welcome to bring their own food to eat in this area, and children enjoy the range of colouring activities on offer along with the opportunity to handle some of the museums pieces.
During weekends and school holidays free craft activities are often provided in the discovery centre on the ground floor of the museum.
Visiting Manchester Museum
Manchester Museum is on Oxford Road, close to Manchester city centre.
The nearest train station is Oxford Road station and the museum is an easy ten minute walk from there. There are frequent bus services as the line also serves Manchester University and Manchester Infirmary.
Entry to the museum is free, and it is open year round apart from over the Christmas period.
All areas of the museum are accessible without needing to be able to negotiate steps.
There is a shop and cafe and plentiful clean toilet and baby changing facilities.
Audio guides to many areas of the museum are available for free download from the Manchester Museum website.
Other free museums in Manchester city centre include the Museum of Science and Industry in the Castlefield area of the city and the Manchester City Gallery.
