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Bring all the family

Play, connect and wonder with our free, family-friendly resources.

Families and early years

The skeleton of a sperm whale, a giant Japanese incense burner and one the rarest frogs in the world – these are just some of the amazing objects we care for.   

Getting to know the objects and asking questions can help children to make sense of the world around them and spark big ideas. Being close to culture can also offer an escape from the pressures of modern life and provide a space to reflect and bond.

The Museum is full of incredible stories and our free activities made for families will help you take a deep dive into some of the most fascinating objects on display.

On this page you will find unmissable events, creative resources and the important stuff – like where the picnic area is – to make your family’s visit one to remember!

Activities made for families

Events made for families

Family twilights

Free drop-in activities provide fun as the sun goes down at our celebratory Lates.

Find out more

Play on

Free drop-in activities for kids during school holidays – we’ll keep you entertained while school’s out!

Visit our What’s On page

Highlights Tours

Join one of our Visitor Team who will share a selection of the museum’s stories that have captured the imagination of staff and visitors for over 100 years.

  • Tickets: Free, no booking required.
  • Date: 15 May 2024 -31 Dec 2025
  • Location: Manchester Museum, Oxford Road

Highlights Tours

Festive Family Fun

  • Tickets: Free, drop in
  • Date: 7 Dec 2024
  • Location: Manchester Museum, Oxford Road

Festive Family Fun

What you need to know

Picnic area  

Our new ground floor picnic area offers a welcoming environment where you can eat your picnic lunches. It is beautifully decorated to complement the Museum Café and includes tables, microwaves, work surfaces, a sink, and bins. It is free to use and does not need to be booked in advance. 

Museum Café 

Our family-friendly café can be accessed through the Main Hall or from Oxford Road. It serves delicious vegetarian food and drinks all day.

Buggy parking  

We have space for buggy parking in the Main Hall close to the picnic area – please ask a member of the team for assistance. Events for 0-5s will have temporary buggy parks available, ask at the museum welcome desk for details. 

Baby feeding   

You are welcome to breastfeed or bottle-feed anywhere in the museum. Should you wish for more privacy, there’s a quiet room located on floor 1 next to the Egypt and Sudan Gallery. Please see our map of museum facilities and ask our Museum Visitor Team for details and access. 

Baby changing  

There are baby changing spaces in the toilets on the ground floor, next to the Main Hall, and in the toilets on floor 1 near to Living Worlds. You can ask for a family pack at the welcome desk, which include nappies, baby wipes, and bags.

Find more information to help plan your visit

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Family twilights

Fun as the sun goes down at celebratory Lates

Our regular celebration events are full of joy, warmth and colour.

From Africa Day to Iftar and Stan’s Secret Santa, they’re some of the highlights of the Museum calendar and there’s plenty for families to enjoy at each one.

Next up is Diwali at the Museum on Wednesday October 30 and here’s what you’ll be able to enjoy:

4.30-6.30pm

  • Diya clay lamp making with artist Lydia Meiying.
  • Mindfulness craft workshop, including tea light painting and lamp making with Renu Bhardwaj.
  • Diwali-themed object handling table with Manchester Museum volunteers.

5-8pm

  • Pop-up 3D greeting card-making session with Dina Mistry, aka the Playful Indian. You’ll be able to take your card away with you.
  • Henna/Mehndi artist Rashmi Aggarwal in a relaxed, chill out area.

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You can help us care for our collections and bring joy and inspiration to people in Manchester and beyond

As one of the UK’s largest university museums, we care for over 4.5 million objects, with an internationally-important collection spanning from Archaeology to Zoology, and nearly everything in between. We work with communities, support university students and schools in Manchester and beyond and we are a free, inclusive museum for all. But we need your help. Every object we care for, exhibition, school visit and community event comes at a cost, and you can help make the museum as ambitious and impactful as possible.

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