Events List
Half term family fun
Every day during October half-term you’ll find family-focused activities offering a little something for everyone.
Flip into Wonder, with CALFE
CALFE (Children and Authors’ Literary Fanfare and Events) is back for a third year celebrating African and Caribbean culture and heritage through a day of energetic storytelling and hands-on workshops.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Wellbeing Wednesdays: Henry Dresser scientific illustration
£2.88 | BOOK ONLINE
THE TOP FLOOR
Illustrate an eagle owl inspired by the works of Henry Dresser, author of A History of the Birds of Europe.
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.
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 London Mining Network
How much do you know about where your mobile phone comes from? Drop in to the Human Natures exhibition to meet members of the London Mining Network.
UKYCC PowerShift
Hope. Unity. Action. Collaborate and learn with other young people on how to engage more actively in the issues you care about. The UK Youth Climate Coalition is taking over the Museum’s Top Floor for a full day, as they bring their Powershift conference to Manchester.
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.
Wellbeing Wednesdays: Autumn Equinox
£2.88 | BOOK ONLINE
THE TOP FLOOR
Combine creativity with traditional Chinese movements designed to help you adapt to the change in seasons.
The Plural World of Migrants
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
KANARIS THEATRE
The Plural World of Migrants is a space for real stories, honest conversations, and deeper understanding, in Partnership with Readfirst Bookshop, a community bookshop for Hong Kong people.
Wellbeing Wednesdays: Can't see the wood for the trees
£2.88 | BOOK ONLINE
THE TOP FLOOR
A relaxed, therapeutic art workshop taking inspiration from some of the wood specimens from our botany collection.
Meet the London Mining Network
FREE | JUST DROP IN
EXHIBITION HALL
How much do you know about where your mobile phone comes from? Drop in to the Human Natures exhibition to meet members of the London Mining Network.
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.
Discover the shofar
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
TOP FLOOR CLASSROOM
Discover the fascinating story of the shofar, one of the world's oldest musical instruments, in this hands-on family workshop.
The Plural World of Migrants
FREE | BOOK ONLINE
KANARIS THEATRE
The Plural World of Migrants is a space for real stories, honest conversations, and deeper understanding, in Partnership with Readfirst Bookshop, a community bookshop for Hong Kong people.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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+.
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.
Reuse and Recycle Crafts
FREE | JUST DROP IN
THE TOP FLOOR
Don’t chuck it away, put it to good use! Join us to get creative through fun craft activities using waste materials, inspired by our exhibition Human Natures.
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.
Critical Conversations: Relooted Game
FREE | Book online
THE TOP FLOOR
Critical Conversations is a space for young people to explore museums, culture and heritage. In this session, play and discuss Relooted, an Afrofuturist heist game.