19 of Greater Manchester’s Free Museums

Learn about the rich history of Bury and its surrounding areas. The museum is housed in an Edwardian building that in its own right is a work of art. The museum showcases the best of local and international artists and offers an art shop. The different collections and exhibitions are supported by activities and events to allow visitors to enjoy the museum further.

Share in the stories that Bury Transport Museum has to offer as they share with you the cars, trucks, buses and trains they have on display. A huge range of vintage vehicles to climb aboard and period costumes to try on. With dozens of original artefacts from the turn of the 20th century and beyond, telling the stories of people living and working in the North West and how they travelled.

This Grade 2 listed building with a medieval moated site stands on the ancient monument situated in Clayton Park. Built for the Clayton family in the 12th Century and later passed to the Byron Family. The right-hand section of the building is the oldest dating back to the 15th century with its most recent remodelling taking place in the late 20th century.

This Museum tells the story of firefighting and gives more detail of the Greater Manchester region. Manchester formed Englands first municipal fire service in 1826, whilst the country’s earliest motorised fire engine was delivered to Eccles in 1901. Let the museum take you over the past 200 years, from house fires, cotton mill blazes, transport fires, world wars and much, much more.

With the North West of England being the birthplace of the industrial revolution, and with Manchester playing a key role, including the expansion and improvement of the transportation services. From the worlds first passenger railway to one of the busiest UK light rail systems. Greater Manchester had the first Purpose-built canal in 1761, the first bus service in the UK in 1824 and one of the first extensive tramways networks in Britain to name a few proud moments.

Founded in 1981 and funded by Greater Manchester Police, the museum collects and preserves archive material and objects relating to the history of policing in Greater Manchester. Visitors can also talk to staff about policing. The museum also has an archive holding a mix of personal and official records.

Explore the conflicts that Britain and the Commonwealth have been involved in since the First World War to the current day through a timeline of objects that have borne witness to historic events. The museum is housed in an iconic aluminium clad building and the first museum in the UK to be designed by internationally acclaimed architect Daniel Libeskind.

The Science Museum is inspiring visitors through ideas that change the world from the industrial revolution to today and beyond. On the site of the oldest surviving passenger railway station, explore the 5 listing buildings with a vibrant contemporary science program making connections between the past and the present, between scientific theory and real-world applications.

Location

Liverpool Road, Manchester, M3 4FP

The museum tells the story of generations of Manchester Regiment soldiers through two hundred years of service from 1758 until 1958. The unique stories through the objects they left behind with thousands of objects on display. Including uniforms, equipment and weaponry to the souvenirs they collected and medals they won from all over the world.

This award-winning visitor attraction offers two floors of interactive exhibits through the history of Stockport’s once thriving hatting industry. The Museum is home to a recreated hat factory with some 20 fully restored working Victorian-style machines and a collection of over 400 hats from around the world. Other areas include a family fun zone and with plenty of interactive and educational play for younger visitors.

Location

The People’s Museum in Manchester is the national museum of democracy, telling the story of its development in Britain; past, present and future. Through the museum’s stories, collections and unique building. From the main galleries to a massive number of other exhibits, there really is something for everyone.

Location

Left Bank, Manchester, M3 3ER

Step back in time in this museum into a 1920s street as the sights and sounds of bygone Tameside are brought to life. Look into their kitchen and parlour to find out how they use to live. Visitors can explore the areas industrial heritage and discover what life was like down the mines or on the farm. Younger children will love their “nuts and Bolts” educational play area for the under 5’s.

Location

Portland Place, Ashton-under-Lyne OL7 0QA

The museum is widely regarded as the home of the worldwide cooperative movement. It is the perfect place to come and see how your ancestors did their shopping. In Toad Lane on 21st December 1844. The Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society opened their first store selling pure unadulterated food at fair prices and honest weights and measures.

The museums collection of galleries tell the story of the people who have created Saddleworth’s landscape and character. The museum has something for all the family, is wheelchair friendly, and presents its’ collections,  shop and facilities in a thoroughly modern way within the carefully restored fabric of a building dating back to 1862.

Opened first to the public in 1850 the main museum collection is now one of social history. The permanent art display in the Victorian Gallery has recently been re-hung and contains over a hundred works of art exhibited in the style of a victorian gallery.

Location

Crescent, Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 4WU

Explore Stockports entire history all under one roof. Time travel from palaeolithic to the present day. From the Mellor Iron Age hilltop settlement, life in medieval times, the thriving textile industry of the victorian era and the impact of World War 1.

The museum is currently closed, whilst they update and change their exhibitions, gallery and update the museum. They will open again in late 2022.

The museum is a grade 2 listed building and has 5 stunning temporary galleries, showing a regularly changing program of exhibitions. The museum also has a dedicated learning space for hosting workshops, talks and special events.