Learn
Home educators
Shape a visit that supports your children’s interests, confidence and curiosity. Use our galleries, trails and digital tools to create flexible learning experiences that work for your home education style.
Home-educating families are welcome to visit the Museum for free at any time during our opening hours. If you’re bringing more than six children, please let us know through our group booking enquiry so we can support your visit. You’ll find quieter times early in the day or later in the afternoon, especially outside school holidays. You can also use LearnHereNow, a social learning platform, linking objects in the Museum with curriculum concepts from Early Years to KS4, offering trails, learning prompts and guidance from educators. And our Home Educators E-News shares new resources, activities and opportunities throughout the year.
Visits, resources and activities
We want to support educators to make the very most of a museum visit
Free self-led visits
Cost: Free
The museum is free to visit and you are very welcome to bring your family or group any day (Tuesday to Sunday).
If you’re visiting with more than 6 children, please just let us know you’re coming for a learning visit by completing a group booking enquiry.
Some handy hints
During term time, Manchester Museum gets quite busy between 10.30am and 2pm, and also during school holidays. You may find it more comfortable to visit outside of these times.
Check What’s On for other activities you may want to attend as individuals/families.
The Big Question
The Big Question is the ultimate way to enhance your visit to Manchester Museum.
Bring topics to life and connect with our curators through a combination of free resources.
Manchester Museum’s Takeover & Share events
Monday Takeovers for Home Educating Families
We are delighted to offer termly Monday Takeover events for Home Educating Families. During these events you will focus on answering one of the museum’s Big Questions through a combination of facilitated object handling with our learning team, curator Q&As, gallery activities and more. These events are aimed at children +7 and are special events for home educating families while the rest of the museum is closed.
Home Educating Family Share Events
Paired with our Takeovers, we also offer Sharing Events at Manchester Museum. Share and celebrate your recent learning and find out what other learners have been up to in the beautiful surroundings of our Fossils Gallery. These events are held a couple of times per year, usually on a theme related to our most recent takeover day. These events happen with the support of University of Manchester’s EHE Family Science Project.
Our takeover and share events are extremely popular. Please sign up to our Home Educator’s E-News to find out when the next event is and book your place.
LearnHereNow @ Manchester Museum
Enhance your museum visit with LearnHereNow, a social learning platform designed specifically for the home education community. This was developed by researchers at the University of Manchester for learners from the Early Years Development Framework, through KS1- KS4.
With the LearnHereNow app, you can:
Share Your Discoveries: Upload photos of your favourite objects and post your "learning moments" to inspire other families.
AI-Powered Insights: Use our integrated AI tutor to instantly see how a museum object links to the curriculum, helping you explain complex concepts in age-appropriate ways.
Connect with Experts: Access stories and guidance from University of Manchester academics and STEM ambassadors.
Record Progress: Document your children’s progress as a digital learning journey that continues long after you leave the museum.
Call to Action: Manchester Museum Science Trail
Home Educators E-News
Sign up to our Home Educator’s E-News to find out about new resources and opportunities here.