May
Every Tues & Thurs, 12-1pm
Tours of the Vivarium
A number of Zoology students are organizing free Vivarium tours to share their knowledge of the animals whilst highlighting some of the fundamental conservation and education work that is being carried out. The tours will also be given monthly in both Spanish and French.
Book on ManchesterMuseumVivarium@gmail.com, free, 13+
Big Saturday
Sat 7 May / 11am-4pm
Living Worlds
From minibeasts like worms and beetles to nature's giants such as whales and polar bears, our world is home to an amazing array of creatures (including humans). Come and celebrate the opening of our new Living Worlds gallery, which explores the connections between all living things, including us, and shows how we can all shape the future by the choices we make. You can also get your hands dirty in the allotment outside the Museum.
11am-4pm: Seed sowing
Plant your own seeds, take them home and watch them grow.
Drop-in, free, all ages
11am-4pm: Living worlds activities
Decorate your seed pot, meet the Manchester Geological Association, see objects not on display in Living Worlds, watch BBC films and the film HOME.
Drop-in, free, all ages
11am-4pm: RSPB peregrine project
Find out about the Manchester peregrine project.
Drop-in, free, 8+
12-1pm: Family Friendly Film screening
Watch short animated films about bugs and insects.
Book on the day, free, under 7s and their families/carers
1-2pm: Waste makes music
Claudio Kron do Brazil, a percussionist from Bahia, developed his interest in music as an adolescent in Bahia. His love of nature made him look at preserving the world with a spirit of celebration, using re-usable waste to create instruments to make music. Claudio says, “Mother earth is in pain. If we don't look after our mother we are not great sons!!“
Bring any waste material which can be reused to make music. Ideas include anything that can be used to make a sound, noise, rattle etc – eg old pots, pans, computer keyboards, tins, beads, yogurt, pots, seeds, any organic or man-made objects. Part of the Cultural Collage World Music Festival.
Book on the day, free, 5+
2-3pm: Conservation and sustainability – Paradise Lost
What impact did the use of early stone tool technology have on how people lived their lives? What can we learn today about the balance between nature and technology from the past? Join Matthew Cobb, from The University of Manchester, in this first talk in our Conservation and Sustainability series.
Book on 0161 275 2648, free, adults and older children
Conservation and sustainability talks
Every Sat between Sat 7 May & Sat 11 Jun
Did pre-historic hunters live in balance with nature or over exploit their resources? How can we make sure our current food resources, such as fishing, are harvested sustainably? Join museum and university experts along with 6 objects from the Museum’s collection to explore the history of sustainability and how we might become more sustainable.
Sat 7 May / 2-3pm: Paradise Lost?
What impact did the use of early stone tool technology have on how people lived their lives? What can we learn today about the balance between nature and technology from the past? With Matthew Cobb, The University of Manchester.
Sat 14 May / 2-3pm: This Island Earth
Did the people of Easter Island cause the depletion of their island’s resources or was it the impact of contact with European society? Does the Easter Island story act as a metaphor for today’s world population and resources? Anthropologist Colin Richards, from The University of Manchester will debate these issues.
Sat 21 May / 2-3pm: Plenty more fish in the sea?
Are fish a sustainable food source or do we face empty oceans? Join geneticist Niklas Tysklind, Bangor University in a discussion on the relationship between people and the sea.
Sat 28 May / 2-3pm: Fencing off nature?
Yellowstone park was created in 1872 as a public monument “for the benefit and enjoyment of the people”. Join George Holmes, Leeds University in a discussion about how ‘natural’ is nature.
Sat 4 Jun / 2-3pm: The bread of the Tropics
Originally native to South America, Manioc is now a staple in the entire tropics. Film-maker and photographer duo Ali and Sumiko Anzai-May, will talk about the history of how humans have used plants for their own use, and what impact that has had on the natural world.
Sat 11 Jun / 2-3pm: Spending to save
What do we know about the current balance between economy and nature? Johan Oldekop, The University of Manchester, will discuss the interaction between money and credit as we struggle to protect biodiversity.
Book on 0161 275 2648, free, adults and older children
Sat 14 May / 12-12.30pm
Story explorer
Watch the Museum come to life and learn about the worlds of Ancient China and Egypt. This family theatre piece will begin in our China: Journey to the East exhibition and finish in our Ancient Egypt Galleries. If you’d like to join in, meet your time travel explorer in our China exhibition.
Drop-in, free, 6+
Sat 14 May / 5-9pm
Museums at night - THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL
The ghost of a man from the 1880s and the head of a young Egyptian prince etched in the dust are just a couple of the Museum’s ghostly sightings. See if you can spot anything on our spooky tour, take part in art and craft and watch an after-hours family friendly film screening of Night at the Museum (in our Fossils gallery underneath Stan the T.Rex). During the evening there will be an opportunity to eat a picnic – so please bring some food and drinks with you. Please note that children have to be accompanied for the whole evening and any adults attending will need to purchase a ticket.
Booking essential - THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL
£5. You can pay by credit card by ringing Laura O’Donnell on 0161 275 2635 or by sending a cheque payable to The University of Manchester to Anna Bunney, The Manchester Museum, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL. Suitable for families with children of all ages.
Sun 15 May / 11am-4pm
Wedding Fayre
See our weddings page for details
Thurs 19 May / 12-4pm
Nature skills swap shop
Bird spotting, flower pressing and growing your own fruit and veg. These are the kinds of skills you could learn and share with other visitors and experts from the Museum, Manchester City Council and elsewhere. Part of Adult Learners Week.
Drop-in, free, adults and older children
Magic Carpet
Fri 27 May / 11am-12pm
Living Worlds
Storytelling and activity session for under 5s.
Book on 0161 275 2648 (from 20 May), £1 per child, under 5s and their families/carers
May/Jun half term
Mon 30 May-Fri 3 Jun / 11am-4pm
Living Worlds
What would happen if we had no minibeasts like dung beetles and earthworms? Would Planet Earth be the same again? Create an animal or plant and add it to our giant paper chain of life.
Most activities are free and drop-in. Some activities may need to be booked on the day and may cost up to £1.50. All ages
