Events List
Anindilyakwa Arts: Stories from our Country
FREE | JUST DROP IN
BELONGING GALLERY, FLOOR 1
Hear stories from the Anindilyakwa People or Warnumamalya (true people), who are the Traditional Owners of the Groote archipelago off the north coast of Australia.
The Artefacts of Prediction: Imagining Tomorrow
FREE | JUST DROP IN
RESEARCH GALLERY, FLOOR 2
From tarot cards to uranium glass, from paper dresses to futuristic games, how have people from 1900 to the present tried to glimpse, design, or control what comes next?
Human Natures
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
EXHIBITION HALL, GROUND FLOOR
Are we losing our connection with nature? Modern life can make it easy to forget people are part of the natural world and that the actions we take can have impacts that we don’t even see.
Highlights Tours
£5 | BOOK ONLINE
BELONGING GALLERY
Within Manchester Museum’s collection of 4.5 million objects, stories unfold across millennia. Join a member of our Visitor Team on a family-friendly highlights tour and discover the objects that have inspired curiosity for over 100 years.
Collection Bites: Neolithic bodies. Fragments, landscapes and identities
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
RESEARCH STUDIO, FLOOR 2
In this Collection Bites, you’ll meet a 5,000-year-old clay fragment from the Neolithic Vinča culture. We’ll use fragments as storytellers about belonging and whose bodies we imagine as whole.
Pinc College summer exhibition
FREE | JUST DROP IN
MAIN HALL
A celebration of the work Pinc College students have created over the past year. An independent Specialist College for Creative Studies, Pinc College is based on the Museum’s Top Floor.
Igbo Arts & Culture Day
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
ACROSS THE MUSEUM
Igbo Arts & Culture Day, hosted at Manchester Museum and delivered by the Igbo Community Greater Manchester (ICM), celebrates the richness and contemporary relevance of Igbo heritage.
Creative writing workshop with Jenny Lau
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
TOP FLOOR CLASSROOM
Join Jenny Lau, author of An A–Z of Chinese Food (Recipes Not Included), for a unique and inspiring creative writing workshop.
'At a very Chinese time in my life' - ESEA writers conversation
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
KANARIS THEATRE
Zoe Li, from The Juniper by the Sea, the UK’s first East and South East Asian bookshop, will chair a lively conversation with East and South East Asian (ESEA) writers.
On creativity and being Chinese - panel conversation
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
KANARIS THEATRE
In this panel, four creatives come together to talk about their creative practices and the intersection with their Chinese heritage, in a conversation moderated by Zoe Li.
The Contributions of North West Nurses to NHS Health and Social Care
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
KANARIS THEATRE AND SOUTH ASIA GALLERY
Celebrate the start of South Asian Heritage Month and the South Asia Gallery’s new installation, marking the contribution of nurses from across South Asia to nursing in the UK.
Shared Reading
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
THE TOP FLOOR
Relax, connect with people and share stories in our discussion group exploring stories, poetry and non-fiction, new and old.
SEND Live Animal Encounters
FREE | Book online
THE VIVARIUM, FLOOR 2
Specially for groups of students with special educational needs/disabilities, our Live Animal Encounters allow students to get up close to frogs, snakes and more from our amazing Vivarium.
Wellbeing Wednesday: Nature's Adornments
£2.88 | BOOK ONLINE
TOP FLOOR
A relaxed, therapeutic paper craft workshop, creatiung garlands and artworks based on buttercups and daisies.
Punjab Registers: Sharing the Stories for Evermore
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
KANARIS THEATRE
An evening of discussion and remembrance, raising awareness of the ‘Punjab Registers’, a significant initiative that commemorates the contribution and sacrifice of Punjabi soldiers during the World Wars.
The Summer Superbugs Trail
FREE | JUST DROP IN
ACROSS THE MUSEUM
Did you know tiny bugs have incredible superpowers? This summer, say hello to a brand new team of amazing Superbugs, who’ll be visiting your Museum alongside a loveliness of ladybirds.
Bugtastic!
FREE | JUST DROP IN
KANARIS THEATRE
Dive into a summer of creativity, discovery and hands-on fun with Bugtastic! Weekdays from Tuesday 21 July to Friday 28 August.
Jewels in the Crown: The Oxford Road Tour
£15 | Book online
WALKING TOUR
Discover the secrets of Oxford Road and take a trip through world-changing moments in Manchester’s past with Blue Badge Guide Jonathan Schofield.
Jewels in the Crown: The Oxford Road Tour
£15 | Book online
WALKING TOUR
Discover the secrets of Oxford Road and take a trip through world-changing moments in Manchester’s past with Blue Badge Guide Jonathan Schofield.
Chai & Paint
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
TOP FLOOR
Join us for a relaxed Chai & Paint workshop celebrating South Asian Heritage Month, designed especially for older South Asian women.
LEGO Build & Talk
FREE | JUST DROP IN
KANARIS THEATRE
A free interactive experience delivered by Lego and digital family experts Parent Zone, designed to support families with a playful way to engage in otherwise difficult conversations about digital safety.
Billie Bee Story Time
FREE | JUST DROP IN
BASEMENT EDUCATION SUITE
Interactive storytelling inspired by the new book Bille Bee and the secret glue that holds Manchester together.
Play Day
FREE | JUST DROP IN
ACROSS THE MUSEUM
National Play Day is a celebration of children’s right to play, and the vital benefits of play for children’s health, happiness and creativity. Join us for a medley of playful activities popping up around the Museum.
Family Collection Bites: Gotta Match ‘Em All
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
BASEMENT EDUCATION SUITE
Video games are full of creatures inspired by real animals, but can you work out which is which?
Young People Moving Through Manchester
FREE | JUST DROP IN
MAIN HALL
A mixed-media art exhibition created by young people at 42nd Street and The Horsfall. It shares stories of journeys, barriers, freedom, frustration and imagination, offering honest and creative reflections on how transport shapes everyday life.
Collection Bites: Indo-Greek numismatics and colonial imagination
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
RESEARCH STUDIO, FLOOR 2
How Indo-Greek coins shaped Western understanding of the ancient Indo-Greek kingdoms.
Made in South Asia Games Night
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
SOUTH ASIA GALLERY PROJECT SPACE
Made in South Asia Games Night is a regular Wednesday evening event exploring the South Asian origins of much-loved games like Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, and Carrom.
Hiroshima Commemoration
FREE | JUST DROP IN
LIVING WORLDS AND THE TOP FLOOR
Join Manchester’s annual commemoration of the Hiroshima and Nagaski atomic weapon attacks and civilian victims of war and terrorism.
Meet the Manchester Library of Things
FREE | JUST DROP IN
EXHIBITION HALL
Pop in to meet the team behind the Manchester Library of Things and take part in activities for all ages exploring how borrowing, sharing and repairing can save you money and help build stronger, greener communities.
Billie Bee Story Time
FREE | JUST DROP IN
BASEMENT EDUCATION SUITE
Interactive storytelling inspired by the new book Bille Bee and the secret glue that holds Manchester together.
Shared Reading
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
THE TOP FLOOR
Relax, connect with people and share stories in our discussion group exploring stories, poetry and non-fiction, new and old.
Family Collection Bites: Egg Detectives
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
BASEMENT EDUCATION SUITE
Grab your magnifying glasses and get cracking with Egg Detectives this summer!
Wellbeing Wednesday: Nature's Ecosystem
£2.88 | BOOK ONLINE
TOP FLOOR
A relaxed, therapeutic art and craft workshop, using reusable modelling clay to create rainforest-inspired pieces.
Human Natures Shared Reading
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
EXHIBITION HALL
Relax, connect with people and share stories in our discussion group exploring stories, poetry and non-fiction, new and old.
Finds ID
FREE | JUST DROP IN
THE TOP FLOOR
Found an archaeological object in your garden, out walking, or metal detecting?
Come along to a finds day to learn more about your discovery and hand it in for recording with the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
Billie Bee Story Time
FREE | JUST DROP IN
BASEMENT EDUCATION SUITE
Interactive storytelling inspired by the new book Bille Bee and the secret glue that holds Manchester together.
Family Collection Bites: Zoo Do You Think You Are?
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
BASEMENT EDUCATION SUITE
Meet some familiar animals close up and use your skills of deduction to decide who their closest relatives are.
Intergenerational Climate Café
FREE | Book online
How do you feel about the climate crisis? Do you find it’s difficult to talk about it? Join us in a welcoming space for people of all ages to get together and talk about the climate crisis.
Learning to repair with the Manchester Library of Things
FREE | JUST DROP IN
EXHIBITION HALL
Pop in to meet the team behind the Manchester Library of Things, who will be joined by a skilled repairer demonstrating how you can fix common repair issues with household appliances.
Pride tours
FREE | JUST DROP IN
WELCOME AREA
Celebrate Manchester’s Pride week with us by enjoying Pride-themed tours of the Museum led by our Visitor Team.
Family Collection Bites Archaeologist for the Day!
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
BASEMENT EDUCATION SUITE
Find out how archaeologists care for objects and use clues and evidence to describe them and uncover their stories.
Grand Raksha Bandhan Celebration
FREE | JUST DROP IN
LIVING WORLDS
Living Worlds will play host to a Grand Raksha Bandhan celebration at the culimination of a four-month programme by local community organisation Sangha, titled 'Connected Beginnings'.
Jewels in the Crown: The Oxford Road Tour
£15 | Book online
WALKING TOUR
Discover the secrets of Oxford Road and take a trip through world-changing moments in Manchester’s past with Blue Badge Guide Jonathan Schofield.
Jewels in the Crown: The Oxford Road Tour
£15 | Book online
WALKING TOUR
Discover the secrets of Oxford Road and take a trip through world-changing moments in Manchester’s past with Blue Badge Guide Jonathan Schofield.
Jewels in the Crown: The Oxford Road Tour
£15 | Book online
WALKING TOUR
Discover the secrets of Oxford Road and take a trip through world-changing moments in Manchester’s past with Blue Badge Guide Jonathan Schofield.
Sarah Hall: Burning Snowflake – The Faber Lecture 2026
£10 | BOOK ONLINE
LIVING WORLDS
Award-winning author Sarah Hall delivers the 2026 Faber Lecture: Burning Snowflake. The natural world is burning. Time is running out. You know the story. So what possible role could something as flimsy as fiction play?
Finds ID
FREE | Just drop in
THE TOP FLOOR
Found an archaeological object in your garden, out walking, or metal detecting?
Come along to a finds day to learn more about your discovery and hand it in for recording with the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
Jewels in the Crown: The Oxford Road Tour
£15 | Book online
WALKING TOUR
Discover the secrets of Oxford Road and take a trip through world-changing moments in Manchester’s past with Blue Badge Guide Jonathan Schofield.
Timeless Bodies: Death, Grief and Healing Across Cultures
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
KANARIS THEATRE AND TOP FLOOR CLASSROOM
A two-day interdisciplinary workshop exploring how cultures across time have understood death, mourning, remembrance, and healing.
Jewels in the Crown: The Oxford Road Tour
£15 | BOOK ONLINE
WALKING TOUR
Discover the secrets of Oxford Road and take a trip through world-changing moments in Manchester’s past with Blue Badge Guide Jonathan Schofield.
Wellbeing Day
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
VARIOUS LOCATIONS
In celebration of World Wellbeing Week 2026, we warmly invite you to our free wellbeing day.
Talk English Circle
FREE | JUST DROP IN
TOP FLOOR
Join our welcoming Talk English Circles sessions, designed to help you build confidence in speaking English, develop new skills and meet other people.
Jewels in the Crown: The Oxford Road Tour
£15 | BOOK ONLINE
WALKING TOUR
Discover the secrets of Oxford Road and take a trip through world-changing moments in Manchester’s past with Blue Badge Guide Jonathan Schofield.
Culture Monday: Human Natures Edition
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
EXHIBITION HALL
Experience the Museum at a quiet time and visit our brand new temporary exhibition Human Natures in this Age Friendly Culture Monday aimed at people aged 50 and over.
Refugee Week film screening
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
LOCATION TBC
Join us for a film screening, as part of the Refugee Week Film Festival. Each year, Refugee Week curates a selection of short and feature-length films exploring themes of displacement, migration, belonging and community. The films invite reflection, conversation, and connection.
Talk English Circle
FREE | JUST DROP IN
TOP FLOOR
Join our welcoming Talk English Circles sessions, designed to help you build confidence in speaking English, develop new skills and meet other people.
Four Seasons - Chinese Landscape, Poetry and Sound
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
MAIN HALL
Four Seasons is a composer-led live performance project by Abigail Yang from Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), inspired by the natural imagery and emotional depth of classical Chinese poetry.
Upcycling Workshop with The Or Foundation
FREE | Book online
TOP FLOOR
Join makers from Kantamanto, the world's largest second-hand clothing market, to learn how to repurpose and refashion your old clothes.
Wellbeing Wednesday: Nature's Jewels
£2.88 | BOOK ONLINE
TOP FLOOR
A relaxed, therapeutic mixed art and craft workshop taking inspiration from some of the insects in our Entomology collection.
SEND Live Animal Encounters
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
THE VIVARIUM, FLOOR 2
Specially for groups of students with special educational needs/disabilities, our Live Animal Encounters allow students to get up close to frogs, snakes and more from our amazing Vivarium.
Shared Reading
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
THE TOP FLOOR
Relax, connect with people and share stories in our discussion group exploring stories, poetry and non-fiction, new and old.
Universally Manchester Festival
FREE | JUST DROP IN
ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER CAMPUS
This vibrant free one-day festival is packed with fun, interactive activities for all ages. Universally Manchester is The University of Manchester’s community festival and, whether you’re curious about the latest scientific discoveries or passionate about arts and culture, there’s something for everyone.
Talk English Circle
FREE | Just drop in
TOP FLOOR
Join our welcoming Talk English Circles sessions, designed to help you build confidence in speaking English, develop new skills and meet other people.
Human Natures Shared Reading
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
EXHIBITION HALL
Relax, connect with people and share stories in our discussion group exploring stories, poetry and non-fiction, new and old.
Help MUD make a community cookbook
FREE | JUST DROP IN
EXHIBITION HALL
50 years from now and it's 2076. Do we still use cookbooks? What would they look like? What will we be eating? and how?
Talk English Circle
FREE | Just drop in
TOP FLOOR
Join our welcoming Talk English Circles sessions, designed to help you build confidence in speaking English, develop new skills and meet other people.
Meet the Manchester Urban Diggers
FREE | JUST DROP IN
MAIN HALL
A celebration of the work Pinc College students have created over the past year. An independent Specialist College for Creative Studies, Pinc College is based on the Museum’s Top Floor.
Collection Bites: Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution Contextualised
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
RESEARCH STUDIO, FLOOR 2
Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution did not emerge in isolation. This talk will focus in on the social, political and scientific climate of the mid 19th century and how this impacted on Darwin’s early life and studies.
Introductory tai chi qigong summer session
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
LEE KAI HUNG CHINESE CULTURE GALLERY, FLOOR 1
Enjoy the benefits of relaxed, free-flowing movement during our introductory tai chi qigong sessions aimed at people aged 50+.
Intergenerational Climate Café
FREE | Book online
How do you feel about the climate crisis? Do you find it’s difficult to talk about it? Join us in a welcoming space for people of all ages to get together and talk about the climate crisis.
Jewels in the Crown: The Oxford Road Tour
£15 | BOOK ONLINE
WALKING TOUR
Discover the secrets of Oxford Road and take a trip through world-changing moments in Manchester’s past with Blue Badge Guide Jonathan Schofield.
Design your own Challah cover
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
KANARIS THEATRE
As part of Jewish Culture Month, join textile designer Francesca Kletz to learn about Jewish traditions and symbolism while creating your own personalised Challah cover.
Family-friendly Chinese Ink Painting
FREE | JUST DROP IN
TOP FLOOR
Try your hand at Chinese ink painting in one of our family-friendly sessions. We’re joining forces with Chinese Art Zone Manchester for a day-long celebration of this traditional artform, which will be perfect for families, art lovers and curious creatives of all ages.
Manchester Museum Celebrates Vesak
FREE | JUST DROP IN
ACROSS THE MUSEUM
Discover one of the most important festivals in the Buddhist calendar and join the celebrations during Vesak at your Museum.
RSPB Pop-Up Stall
FREE | JUST DROP IN
Pop along to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) pop-up stall to get involved in fun activities, while discovering more about their work and how you can get involved.
Jewels in the Crown: The Oxford Road Tour
£15 | BOOK ONLINE
WALKING TOUR
Discover the secrets of Oxford Road and take a trip through world-changing moments in Manchester’s past with Blue Badge Guide Jonathan Schofield.
Right to a Healthy Environment, with Friends of the Earth
FREE | JUST DROP IN
THE TOP FLOOR
Get involved in fun, family-friendly activities and find out more about Friends of the Earth’s Right to a Heathy Environment campaign at their pop-up stall throughout May half term.
(Re)imaging faces: restoring humanity through art, archaeology and science
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
KANARIS THEATRE, FLOOR 2
Join the Museum’s Curator of Egypt and Sudan, Dr Campbell Price to explore research on the human face from art, medicine and engineering perspectives.