Top Manchester Art & Culture

Discover Manchester, England with a local guide to show you around the city and some of its top attractions on this group walking tour. See the Royal Exchange Theatre, street art, the Gay Village, St Peter’s Square, and more as you stroll. Learn all about Manchester’s history, from the Romans to the Industrial Revolution and beyond.

Led by an architect who’s passionate about Manchester’s past and future, this walking tour explores the city through the lens of its buildings, streets and hidden stories. Unlike standard sightseeing tours, we look at why Manchester looks the way it does… how post-war planning, industrial heritage and modern regeneration have shaped the city you see today. Expect original photos, architectural insights and thoughtful discussion rather than a rehearsed script. Each tour is relaxed, conversational and designed for anyone curious about design, place-making and how cities evolve.

Discover the vibrant essence of Manchester on the '5 Quarters' walking tour, where history seamlessly intertwines with modern creativity. This engaging journey covers five unique quarters, each revealing a chapter of Manchester’s rich narrative—from its Roman origins to the heart of the Industrial Revolution, and its contemporary artistic scene. Led by expert local guides, you’ll uncover hidden gems and captivating stories that you won't find in any guidebook, ensuring a deeper understanding of the city’s character. Ideal for both locals and visitors, this tour promises an enriching experience for all ages. - Duration: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, including a short comfort break. - Group size limited to 20 participants, ensuring personalised attention. - Outdoor tour with stops at significant landmarks, focusing on historical insights without indoor access. - Headsets are provided for clear communication during the tour, enhancing the overall experience.

The National Football Museum in Manchester is perfect for football lovers of all ages. We have four floors of galleries and exhibitions to explore. Starting in our Pitch Gallery, you can have your photo taken with our replica Premier League and Women's Super League trophies, as well as temporary exhibitions and workshops. Moving upstairs, the Match Gallery houses our most significant and rare items, including the original 'Laws of the Game', the oldest surviving FA Cup Trophy, the 1966 World Cup match ball and Jules Rimet Trophy & our statue of Lily Parr. The Play Gallery is your chance to have a go at playing the beautiful game, with our interactive games and junior discovery zone. Highlights include the skills zone & shot stopper game. Finally, our Score Gallery is dedicated to our programme of special exhibitions. Please see our website for more details on what's on during your visit.

An ideal Manchester experience for music-lovers, this guided group walking tour has you following in the footsteps of music legends like Oasis and The Smiths while you learn all about their time in the city. Hear stories you won’t get in the average guidebook and learn all about Manchester’s culture through the lens of its musical past as you stroll past local landmarks.

Book online to visit LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre in Manchester’s Trafford Palazzo, and step into a world of family fun amid millions of the iconic building blocks. Perfect for rainy days, the attraction is based indoors and features laser rides, a 4D cinema, and a Manchester MINILAND, all designed for children between the ages of three and 10. After you redeem your booking voucher for your ticket, you can spend as long as you want inside.

Join Joe, an Oasis insider who went to school with the Gallagher brothers, on an exclusive Oasis-themed walking tour of Manchester! Whether you're a die-hard Oasis fan or just love Manchester’s rich musical history, this tour promises an unforgettable experience filled with stories, iconic locations, and rare insights. Join the ultimate Oasis Tour in Manchester, where the legendary Britpop band was born! This tour is a must for any Oasis fan! Tour Highlights: Visit legendary Oasis landmarks, including: -The band’s rehearsal space -Gig venues where they performed -Favourite pubs where they hung out -Where the Gallagher brothers lived -Signed Oasis instruments and memorabilia Hear personal stories about Oasis from someone who knew them firsthand! Uncover hidden meanings behind their iconic songs Plenty of photo opportunities at legendary Oasis locations.

This self-guided audio walking tour of Manchester traces a city that never accepted the way things were — from the Peterloo Massacre to the suffragettes, Alan Turing's story to the IRA bomb that rebuilt the city centre. Across 20 stops, you'll hear what most tours skip: cotton workers who chose conscience over survival, a Cold War bunker beneath Chinatown, and a postbox that survived Britain's largest peacetime bomb. This tour connects two thousand years of radical history across one four-kilometre walk. Set your own pace, start anytime, pause whenever you like. No group to keep up with, no fixed schedule. Over 500 travelers have taken this Manchester audio tour, and 20,000+ have used our self-guided tours worldwide. If you'd rather explore on your own terms with richer stories than a rushed group tour allows, this is for you. Full refund guarantee — book with confidence.

Ditch the hustle and bustle of busy Manchester for the day and discover the culture, history, and tranquility of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. From the Brontë sisters to filming locations for the TV show ’All Creatures Great and Small’ to the impressive Victorian Ribblehead Viaduct, there’s plenty to see and learn about that you’d easily miss if you tried traversing the Dales yourself.

Go beyond the guidebooks to learn about the history, culture, and future of Manchester's Media City and The Quays on a family-friendly guided walking tour. Led by a local guide, start and end your journey at the impressive Media City Piazza, and pass by landmarks such as the Lowry Arts Centre and the Imperial War Museum. Enjoy the benefit of your guide's insight—something you'd miss if exploring independently—and stroll alongside the storied Manchester Ship Canal (which links the city to the Irish Sea). Along the way, get the lowdown on urban regeneration, and find out why the area is one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the UK.

By the end of the workshop, you will have a finished pottery masterpiece to take home (pick up within a week or postage available) and display with pride. Join us for this hands-on activity and discover the joy of pottery painting. Start your creative journey today!

Go beyond the museum and experience the landscapes that inspired the Brontë sisters on this full-day small-group tour from Manchester. Journey through the heart of Yorkshire's literary landscape, visiting atmospheric ruins, historic villages and beautiful countryside closely connected to the lives and works of Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë. Explore Haworth with an expert guide, enjoy a visit to the Brontë birthplace, and discover locations that helped inspire scenes from Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Along the way, soak up panoramic views, walk through spectacular countryside, and hear the extraordinary story of one of Britain's most famous literary families. - Designed specifically for Brontë fans and literature lovers - Combines famous locations with lesser-known hidden gems - Visit to the Brontë birthplace - Small-group experience with expert storytelling - Stunning Yorkshire scenery throughout

Uppermill’s serene valleys hide centuries of ghost stories, unexplained sightings, and chilling local legends. This atmospheric walking tour takes you from the Gothic Civic Hall to canal paths, riversides, and the abandoned Micklehurst railway line, where tales of wandering spirits still linger. Along the way, meet the woman in black, the ghostly policeman at the duck pond, and the mysterious boy in blue. The route ends back at the Civic Hall, where modern encounters hint the supernatural still stirs in Uppermill. **On this 60-minute tour, you’ll also:** • Visit Saddleworth Museum and hear the story of the haunted Victorian cot • Learn about poet Ammon Wrigley • Stand on the haunted Micklehurst line • Hear Rita’s tragic tale at the viaduct • Discover strange events linked to the library’s forbidden book • Pass the former mortuary tied to the Moors Murders • Explore local superstition around witches’ stones • Learn how grief can leave lasting imprints on a place

Journey into Manchester’s recent past and see how the city has rebuilt itself, sometimes literally, from the ashes. This self-guided audio tour takes you through the city center, Spinningfields, and Castlefield where you’ll hear key stories about Manchester’s journey from industrial relic to modern metropolis. Your tour begins in front of Mackie Mayor food hall in the NOMA district, where dangerous slums have been replaced by ground-breakingly modern buildings like the National Football Museum. As you wind your way through the city centre, seeing the wonderful Mancunian mix of old and new, you’ll learn about the factory owner who wanted a worker’s revolution, Manchester’s most terrifying days and nights, the scruffy statue of Abraham Lincoln, and what happened to the Hacienda night club. On the way to the Midland hotel where your tour ends, I’ll show you a perfectly adequate Manchester Cathedral, and a theatre hidden inside the Royal Exchange Building.

This tour offers a captivating journey through Manchester’s cultural and architectural highlights, all from an exterior perspective. Begin at the magnificent Manchester Cathedral, marveling at its stunning Gothic architecture and historical significance. Admire the exterior of the Manchester Art Gallery, a neoclassical treasure housing a renowned art collection. Stroll through the vibrant Northern Quarter, famous for its striking street art, independent shops, and quirky cafes like the iconic Afflecks Palace. Conclude with a peaceful walk through Piccadilly Gardens, a green haven amidst the city’s hustle and bustle. Perfectly blending history, art, and modern charm, this tour allows you to experience Manchester’s unique character while staying outdoors.

Manchester was a cradle of the industrial revolution but the sites that sparked it can be hard to find. Get a taste of the city and its history on this walking tour, which includes five stops for delicious tasters and two alcoholic drinks. Learn how industrial areas have been reshaped for the 21st century and turned into vibrant lifestyle destinations.

Trace Stockport’s evolution over the centuries from a Victorian village to an industrial town on the outskirts of Manchester. On this self-guided audio tour, I’ll take you on a journey through Stockport’s captivating history. You’ll find out the story behind Stockport’s famous viaduct, and what role the rivers around the town played in its development. As you’ll soon learn, each landmark offers its own insight into Stockport’s heritage. Our tour starts at Stockport Train Station. As you make your way through the town’s centre to River Goyt, I’ll show you traces of its industrial revolution. We’ll see key historical sites along the way too, including Robinsons Brewery, the members-only Liberal Reform Club, and the Stockport Lads Club, a sports and recreational centre that’s been around since the late 1800s. Our tour ends at the Market Hall, from where you’ll be able to see the site where Stockport Castle stood guard from the 1100s, on what used to be a 30-foot cliffs.

Explore the enigmatic streets of the UK with self-guided murder mystery trails that turn your surroundings into a thrilling whodunit. Navigate through hidden alleyways and historic landmarks, piecing together clues and unraveling the captivating stories of each location. With no guide needed and no bookings required, the adventure is entirely at your pace, making it perfect for curious minds eager to discover the secrets of the streets while seeking out the elusive killer.

Whether you’re visiting Manchester for its musical heritage or its footballing legacy, this walking tour will fill you in on all the juicy secrets the city has to share. See famous streets and sets from TV and film on your way to visit places of historical importance—from women’s rights to ending slavery. If you’re into football, learn about how Manchester began the Premier League, and if you’re more of a music fan, see where live acts started out.

Discover Manchester’s vibrant mix of history, culture, and architecture on this private walking tour starting from St Peter’s Square. As you stroll through the city’s bustling streets and charming squares, you’ll uncover stories of Manchester’s industrial past, literary heritage, and modern transformation. From striking landmarks to peaceful corners, this tour offers an engaging and authentic introduction to one of the UK’s most dynamic cities, with flexible durations ranging from one hour to six hours to suit your pace and interests.

Discover the street art of Manchester’s Northern Quarter the fun way: with a self-guided challenge experience, downloadable as a cellphone app. You’ll play by solving puzzles in the style of a treasure hunt and unlocking stories as you explore. You’ll learn about the street art project known as the Cities of Hope, and discover the story behind the Stevenson Square canvas. Note that for an optimal game, each player should buy their own ticket.

Magic at the Midland invites you to witness an unforgettable evening of illusion and entertainment in the heart of Manchester. The show features Steve Price, the renowned magician, who masterfully combines humor with astonishing tricks, captivating audiences for 75 minutes without an interval. This family-friendly performance, suitable for all ages, takes place in the elegant Lancaster Suite at The Midland Hotel. With accolades from TripAdvisor, it's a must-see for magic enthusiasts and those looking for a unique night out in Manchester.

When British industry expanded rapidly during the Industrial Revolution, port cities scrambled to keep up with demand. Salford Quays became one of the ports to fill that gap, playing a pivotal role in Manchester‘s transformation into the vibrant city it is today. On this self-guided audio tour through Salford Quays, I‘ll tell you its captivating story of growth, decline, and rejuvenation. During the walk, I‘ll show you important sites like Victoria Warehouse, an enduring relic of history, as well as fellow survivors of time, the Old Dock Office, and the Port‘s Gate. Along the way, you‘ll hear about Lowry’s connection to the city, and ITV Studios, where Coronation Street is recorded. After venturing through Mariner‘s Canal, the walk ends at Media City, a mixed-use property development that helped to usher in a fresh era of industry and creativity for Salford Quays.