Though historical activity dates back to 1651 when John Eliot “Apostle to the Indians,” preached at Amoskeag Falls in Manchester the City was formerly known as the Town of Derryfield that received its charter in 1751. In 1810, Amoskeag Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing Company was incorporated, and the name was changed from Derryfield to Manchester. The population at that time was 600 plus residents.

The City of Manchester, Incorporated in 1846 has grown to a population of 100,000 plus. Through the strengths of its habitants, Manchester’s rich heritage survived the devastating effects of the closing of the Amoskeag Mills whose Board initially designed the streets, lots and parks of this great City in 1838. Many of the City’s buildings were originally owned by the Amoskeag Manufacturing Co. and later donated for public uses. The City recently embarked upon and completed a $6.3 million plus restoration of its City Hall. Private industry, sometimes working with the City, has restored many of the mill buildings for museums, educational and other current uses.

As the largest City in New Hampshire, Manchester has been frequented by most every candidate for President, going back to the days of Abraham Lincoln, and continuing through to the current President of the United States. In 1991, the City’s inhabitants suffered the effects of the closing of four major banks and now boasts of a new civic center, active downtown, shopping malls, historic and cultural activities, quality educational programs and good neighborhoods. Manchester has been reported by magazines such as US News and World Report. and Money Magazine as “One of the Top Ten Cities to Live In”, sixth “Best Place to Live in America,” “Best Small City to Live in the East,” and “Manchester’s Business Climate Ranked No. 1 in the U.S.”

According to Manchester’s Charter, a Board of Mayor and Aldermen governs this City. While considered a strong mayoral form of government, the Board holds much power on policy and budget. The Board has consistently endeavored and succeeded in supporting growth of the City with quality of life for its residents. There are twelve wards in the City, which elect the local and state governmental representatives.

Manchester has a huge range of museums, in and around central Manchester, many of which are award-winning museums. These popular Manchester museums are home to some of Manchester’s most impressive, detailed, historic collections. Displays at Manchester museums range from large to small, local to international and many are situated in stunning Manchester buildings, in the heart of Manchester city centre. Here are some of the top museums in Manchester.

Manchester Museums: Chadkirk Chapel Museum - Vale Road, Chadkirk, Romiley, Stockport, Manchester, SK6 3LE, England

Manchester’s Chadkirk Chapel Museum, in the Stockport area of Manchester, is housed in a historic chapel, which dates back more than 500 years. Attractions at the Chadkirk Chapel Museum include local Manchester artefacts and interesting audio-visuals, explaining the local history of this popular area of Manchester.
Manchester museum open: Saturday and Sunday - 13:00 to 17:00
Manchester museum admission: charge

Manchester Museums: Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester - Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester, M3 4FP, England

Situated in the heart of Manchester city centre, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester is particularly popular with children of all ages. Attractions at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester include many interactive exhibits from the world of science, both past and present.
Manchester museum open: daily - 10:00 to 17:00
Manchester museum admission: charge, discounts available for children

Manchester Museums: Macclesfield Silk Museum - The Heritage Centre, Roe Street, Macclesfield, SK11 6UT, England

The Macclesfield Silk Museum, to the south of central Manchester, recalls the history of silk making in Manchester and the world. Other attractions at Macclesfield Silk Museum include a gift shop and a restaurant.

Manchester museum open: Monday to Saturday - 11:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 13:00 to 17:00
Manchester museum admission: charge, discounts available for children

Manchester Museums: Manchester Jewish Museum - 190 Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, M8 8LW, England

The Manchester Jewish Museum is one of the most interesting religious museums in Manchester and is houses in a spectacular synagogue in the Cheetham area of Manchester.
Manchester museum open: Monday to Thursday - 10:30 to 16:00, Sunday - 10:30 to 17:00
Manchester museum admission: charge

Manchester Museums: Museum of The Manchesters - Town Hall, Market Place, Ashton, Manchester, OL6 6DL, England

The Museum of The Manchesters can be found in central Manchester and is a popular military museum, featuring a large and impressive collection of military memorabilia, including historic medals, uniforms and interactive displays.
Manchester museum open: Monday to Saturday - 10:00 to 16:00
Manchester museum admission: charge

Manchester Museums: Pankhurst Centre Museum - 60-62 Nelson Street, Chorlton-upon-Medlock, Manchester, M13 9WP, England

Manchester’s Pankhurst Centre celebrates the life of the famous Emmeline Pankhurst, who once lived in Manchester. Famous for leading the suffragette movement in the early 1900s, attractions at the Pankhurst Centre include exhibitions with historic documents and photographs. Pankhurst Centre is located in the All Saints are of Manchester.

Manchester museum open: Monday to Friday - 10:00 to 15:00

Manchester museum admission: charge

Manchester Museums: Portland Basin Museum - Portland Place, Ashton, Manchester, OL7 0QA, England

Manchester’s Portland Basin Museum is situated in a vast canal warehouse and attractions celebrate Manchester’s historic crafts and life, with displays include the impressive reconstruction of a Manchester street in the early 20th century.
Manchester museum open: Tuesday to Sunday - 10:00 to 17:00
Manchester museum admission: charge

Manchester Museums: People’s History Museum at the Pump House - Left Bank, Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3ER, England

The People’s History Museum is situated in Manchester’s Pump House, in Manchester city centre. Highlights at the People’s History Museum include reconstructions of Manchester life over the last 200 years, many historic documents and a number of hands-on exhibits, which are particularly popular with children.
Manchester museum open: Tuesday to Sunday - 11:00 to 16:30
Manchester museum admission: charge

Manchester Museums: Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum - Maclure Road, Rochdale, Manchester, OL11 1DN, England

The Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum, in the Rochdale are of Manchester, celebrates the history of fire fighting in Manchester. With numerous historic fire-fighting relics from the Manchester area and Victorian scenes, the Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum is a popular museum with the whole family.
Manchester museum open: hours vary, advance notice often required
Manchester museum admission: free

Manchester Museums: Greater Manchester Police Museum - Newton Street, Manchester, M1 1ES, England

Located in Manchester city centre, the Greater Manchester Police Museum features a vast collection of Manchester police history, which dates back to the mid-19th century. Attractions at the Greater Manchester Police Museum include historic Manchester police uniforms and many historic exhibitions.

Manchester museum open: Tuesday - 10:30 to 15:30, other days by arrangement
Manchester museum admission: free

Manchester Museums: Rochdale Pioneers Museum - 31 Toad Lane, Rochdale, Manchester, OL12 0NV, England

The Rochdale Pioneers Museum, in the Rochdale area of Manchester, was founded more than 150 years ago. Celebrating the success of the Rochdale Pioneers, which became an enormous world-wide business, the Rochdale Pioneers Museum features many interesting exhibits dating back many years.
Manchester museum open: Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 16:00, Sunday - 14:00 to 16:00

Manchester museum admission: charge

Manchester Museums: Ellen Road Engine Museum - Elizabethan Way, Milnrow, Rochdale, Manchester, OL16 4LG, England

Located in Rochdale, close to central Manchester, the Ellen Road Engine Museum is one of the most popular museums in this area and is home a several enormous steam mill engines, which are still in working order. The Ellen Road Engine Museum is within easy reach from central Manchester city centre and other attractions include seasonal exhibitions and events.

Manchester museum open: Sunday - 12:00 to 16:00
Manchester museum admission: charge

Manchester Museums: Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Museum - Wellington Barracks, Bury, Manchester, BL8 2PL, England

Sited in the Bury areas of Manchester, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Museum celebrates the history of Manchester’s Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, with interesting artefacts and exhibits dating back more than 300 years.

Manchester museum open: Monday to Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - 09:30 to 16:30
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The weather and climate in Manchester is mild, with fine, hot summers and cold winters, which are generally fairly wet. Manchester’s weather is typical of English weather and is often unpredictable, with occasional high-pressure weather systems producing cold spells during the winter months, or extremely hot weather in the summer months of June, July and August.

Manchester’s temperate climate can be extreme, but the weather in Manchester is usually settled during the spring and summer. April, May and June are particularly popular months to visit Manchester, with mild, sunny weather. However, Manchester weather can be fairly changeable and the morning may start off rather gloomy and damp, and by the afternoon the sun can be shining in Manchester, resulting in high temperatures.

Winters in Manchester can be long and damp and fewer sunny days occur in November, December and January. The weather in Manchester is at its coldest during the winter months, so be sure to bring a warm overcoat, scarf and gloves. Snow is infrequent, but there are often cold, clear, frosty days. December, January and February are the wettest months in Manchester, although there is often some fine, sunny weather at this time of year. If you are planning to visit outdoor locations, an umbrella is always a useful item to carry. Whatever the Manchester weather, there is always plenty to see and do in city of Manchester.

Chinese New Year, Jan or Feb, China Town (around Faulkner Street) is turned in to a carnival of colour and noise culminating in an impressive fireworks display
Caribbean Carnival,

Aug, includes a procession made up of steel bands, floats with DJs and colourful dance troupes, as well as stalls selling traditional Caribbean food, drink and handicrafts, Alexandra Park in Moss Side Manchester Pride, Aug Bank Holiday weekend, carnival parade as well as live music and comedy acts on the main stage, Gay Village

Castlefield Festival, end of Aug-early Sep, a great family festival centred around the Open Air Arena by the canal

Manchester Comedy Festival, Nov, 11-day event that puts on a packed programme of comedy including big names acts as well as new talent

Manchester European Christmas Markets, Nov-Dec, daily European markets take over Albert Square, St Ann’s Square and Exchange Street selling a variety of unusual Christmas gifts and gluhwein (hot mulled wine)

There are many stately homes and gardens in the area but three stand out in particular: Dunham Massey Hall with its impressive red brick house and ornate gardens; Lyme Park , perched on the edge of the Pennines; and perhaps the most famous of the three, Tatton Park with its world famous mansion and incredible gardens.

The Pennine Hills in the stunning Peak District National Park flank the city on three sides and are an easy train ride out from the city and a must-visit for outdoor enthusiasts for their rugged beauty. Other interesting towns and cities within a 45-minute drive of Manchester include Bolton, Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and Stockport.

Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester

This huge complex is set at the site of the oldest passenger railway buildings in the world, and is a great place to learn more about the city’s industrial beginnings and scientific achievements.

People’s History Museum

Housed in an old Edwardian hydraulic pumping station, the museum is the national centre for material relating to the history of working people in Britain and provides a fascinating insight into the often harsh working conditions of those employed in the city’s cotton industry. Also part of the museum, an Archive and Study Centre is located a short walk away on Princess Street.

Manchester Cathedral

The Cathedral is actually the third to have been built on the site since the ninth century and boasts the widest nave of any church in England. A hi-tech visitor centre at the site includes interesting interactive displays covering the history of the Cathedral and mediaeval Manchester.

Urbis

Close to the Cathedral, Urbis is a striking glass-panelled building that is worth a visit even if only to view the groundbreaking triangular architecture that takes on a different appearance on each side. Epitomising Manchester’s pioneering spirit, the unique exhibition inside explores urban culture and the way we relate to cities. (more…)

Public Transport

Due to its relatively small size and the amount there is for visitors to see at ground level, Manchester is a great city to explore on foot (good pocket maps are available free of charge from the Tourist Information Centre, see Sightseeing Overview). But the local travel network ran by Public Transport for Greater Manchester (GMPTE) is excellent, offering a comprehensive range of bus, train and tram services throughout the city.

The main bus station is at the recently redeveloped Piccadilly Gardens, slightly to the east of the city centre. Free Metroshuttle services operate along three circular routes in the city, linking the main attractions as well as the city’s four railway stations. Pedestrians should also keep an eye out for the trams that operate through the city centre with services out to Bury in the north, Altrincham in the south and Salford Quays (close to Old Trafford cricket and football grounds) and Eccles in the west.

Night services operate along the main routes on Friday and Saturday nights. Day Tickets and Travelcards allowing unlimited bus and rail travel for seven days, a month or a year are also available from GMPTE.

Taxis

There are two types of taxis in Manchester: five-passenger black cabs operated through the local council and four-passenger private hire cars. Officially, only the black cabs can be flagged on the street or use one of the many taxi ranks located throughout the city in the town centre at all the major train and bus stations. Private hire cars are usually slightly cheaper than black cabs but should be booked in advance and officially shouldn’t be flagged down in the streets or use the taxi ranks. To prebook a black cab call Mantax . For private taxis, try Street Cars or Taxifone , both located close to the city centre. (more…)

By Air

Manchester Airport is located 16km (10 miles) south of the city centre and is the main airport in the region. Facilities include disabled access, car rental, currency exchange offices, ATMs, baby changing facilities, a large shopping complex and a wide choice of bars and restaurants. Passengers can also take advantage of a number of executive lounges, many of which offer Internet and fax facilities. Tourist Information Centres are located in Terminals 1 and 2, the two largest of the airport’s three terminals.

The airport has a dedicated transport interchange that is open 24 hours and links all trains, coaches and buses into one state of the art building from which moving walkways, lifts and escalators enable easy access to the airport terminals. Signposted off the M56 to the south of the city centre, Manchester Airport is easily reached by road and is well serviced by numerous public transport services. Taxis can be booked on arrival at the airport .

By Rail

The recently redeveloped Piccadilly Railway Station is Manchester’s main station and is located just a few minutes’ walk to the east of the city centre. Central Manchester is also served by stations at Victoria, Deansgate and Oxford Road. Virgin Trains operate numerous services to Manchester, including a fast service from London using the new tilting Pendolino trains capable of speeds of up to 125mph (200kph). First TransPennine Express and Northern Rail provide good coverage of destinations in the north of England. For all train information contact National Rail Enquiries. (more…)

Befitting a city that oozes urban cool, Manchester offers visitors great shopping experiences with the main shopping area spreading out west from Piccadilly Gardens. Mainstream shops tend to be in the area around Market Street and the Arndale Center (website: www.manchesterarndale.com) on Corporation Street, which has now been fully revamped following the devastating IRA bomb that all but destroyed it in 1999. Heading further west towards Exchange Square and on to Deansgate are the
designer shops, one-off boutiques and big department stores.

For more alternative

purchases, head back east towards the Northern Quarter where most of the hip and fashionable stores can be found including the incredible Afflecks Palace - a labyrinth of independent shops dedicated to the weird and wonderful. Close by on Oak Street is the Manchester Craft and Design Center , a series of studios and retail spaces for local craftspeople selling everything from jewelry, ceramics and textiles to furniture and clothing. Out of town there’s also the Trafford Center - a huge undercover shopping complex where most major outlets have a store.

Located on England’s culturally distinct northwest coast, Manchester is a lively, bustling city that is defined by its place in history as the hub of Britain’s cotton industry during the Industrial Revolution. Manchester grew from an average sized settlement in 1750 to become one of the most important industrial cities in the world. So significant was the city that by the time of the Industrial Revolution 100 years later, Manchester had been dubbed ‘Cottonopolis’.

And it is this period of incredible growth and industry that dominates the feel of the city and forms the basis of many of its great attractions with numerous buildings, exhibitions and museums relating to this incredible boom period. But modern day Manchester is also a very progressive city that is leading the way in urban regeneration with eye-catching buildings such as the Urbis center (see Key Attractions). Manchester is also proud of its status as a style icon and the city has a well deserved reputation as a great place to shop, with plenty of independent shops as well as big name retailers (see Shopping).

This is the only Visitor Information Center in the city center and it is located in the Town Hall Extension, just a couple of minutes’ walk southwest from Piccadilly Gardens. There are more Visitor Information Centers at other places of interest in Greater Manchester including at the airport (see Getting There By Air), Altrincham.

Passes

As part of a citywide initiative, many of the museums and galleries have free admission so there are no tourist discount passes currently available.

Key Attractions:

Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester
This huge complex is set at the site of the oldest passenger railway buildings in the world, and is a great place to learn more about the city’s industrial beginnings and scientific achievements.

People’s History Museum

Housed in an old Edwardian hydraulic pumping station, the museum is the national center for material relating to the history of working people in Britain and provides a fascinating insight into the often harsh working conditions of those employed in the city’s cotton industry. Also part of the museum, an Archive and Study Center is located a short walk away on Princess Street.

Manchester Cathedral

The Cathedral is actually the third to have been built on the site since the ninth century and boasts the widest nave of any church in England. A hi-tech visitor center at the site includes interesting interactive displays covering the history of the Cathedral and mediaeval Manchester. (more…)