3 Free Days Out In Manchester
Students have always known how to budget. Making £20 stretch into the ‘weekly big shop’ is light work for young adults in higher education. The country at large could learn a thing or two from the student population when it comes to being thrifty, especially as the price of everything is surging. Inflation seems to be out of control. The only thing better than cheap right now is free: that’s why we’ve researched three completely free places (yet really good!) in Manchester to visit, where the only thing you’ll need to spend is your time.
National Football Museum
It seems only fitting that Manchester should be the home for the National Football Museum. Manchester City, and Manchester United, have been two of the most successful football clubs in the world during the premier league era. Whether you’re into football or not, the sport is synonymous with Manchester, just like world-famous musicians and rain.
The National Football Museum has four levels dedicated to the ‘beautiful game’, showcasing many trophies and famous kits. You can also expect interactive games and experiences to immerse yourself in the museum.
Manchester City Council primarily funds the museum, and because of this, the football museum remains free of charge to anyone lucky enough to call Manchester home. This, of course, includes all students in the city.
The latest exhibition, which will be launched in June 2022, charts the remarkable history of women’s football from the 19th century right up to the present day.
The exhibition is a collaboration between the museum and Manchester City Council, which ties in with Manchester hosting part of this year’s UEFA Women’s Euros tournament. The exhibition runs from June until December. Visit the website below to be updated when June’s actual date is announced.
Open Daily 10 am – 5 pm
Cathedral Gardens, M4 3BG
www.nationalfootballmuseum.com
People’s History Museum
People’s History Museum, also known as the PHM, is the national museum of democracy. The PHM is one of only two national museums in Manchester city centre, the other we’ve just looked at: The National Football Museum.
People’s History Museum contains 1,384 square metres of exhibition space and displays almost 1,500 historical objects. The museum ‘tells the story of the past, present and future of democracy in Britain’. You’ll learn more about the right and fight to vote, fair pay, and what has led to the freedoms we enjoy today.
You can actually work with the PHM and get involved in ideas and philosophies such as equality, social justice, cooperation, and a fair world for all.
The 2022 exhibition programme puts a spotlight on the theme of Migration.
People’s History Museum is a charity, completely independent and has no political affiliation.
Open Daily 10 am – 5 pm
Left Bank, Spinningfields, Manchester M3 3ER
Manchester Art Gallery
The 46,000 objects within the walls of Manchester Art Gallery are collectively owned by the people of Manchester, which is pretty cool in itself.
You can expect to find fine art and contemporary art spanning six centuries. All exhibitions are entirely free. You can just turn up for many, and you don’t need to book in advance.
The art gallery comprises three buildings, and a modern extension connects the main building via a glass walkway and atrium to the architecture reflecting the old and the new, symbolic of what you’ll find here.
Currently, there is an exhibition by Derek Jarman called ‘Protest!’, who was one of the most influential figures in 20th-century British culture.
Open Daily 10 am – 5 pm (Open until 9 pm on Thursdays)
Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3JL
