Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Anderton

"From personal survivor accounts to common conflict themes, the Imperial War Museums explores the human aspect of war and the effect it has on everyday life before, during and after. Featuring one-off exhibitions as well as a main showcase and connected to other similar museums around the UK, the IWM shines and light on the conflicts Britain and the Commonwealth have been involved in since World War I. Focusing on the many changes war has brought to the UK, from the role of women in society to technology and science advances."

"Inside this stunning building, you will find interesting and thought-proving exhibitions that show how war has shaped the world. Throughout the year there are new exhibitions exploring different stories, events and peoples experiences. The kids will enjoy getting hands-on in the TimeShack where they will find object handling sessions and storytelling sessions, and also getting creative in the Learning Studio where they can make something craft to take home!"

"An acclaimed branch of the Tate Gallery, Tate Liverpool, has been established in the Albert Dock. As chance would have it, the London Tate Gallery - established at the end of the 19th century with a legacy from the sugar magnate Sir Henry Tate - found space in the warehouses where raw sugar was stored before being refined. The ground floor of the 'Tate of the North" has exhibition halls and galleries dedicated to contemporary art as well as works on loan from the London gallery. Admission is free."

"Tate Liverpool, Albert Dock, Liverpool Waterfront, Liverpool, Merseyside, L3 4BB - Visit now. This northern outpost of arguably Britain’s most important arts institution opened at Liverpool’s Albert Dock in 1988. Tate Liverpool is housed inside a Grade I-listed former warehouse, a redbrick beauty designed by Jesse Hartley in 1840 that was once an integral part of Liverpool’s gargantuan port industry."

"Situated on the city’s famous Albert Dock, the Tate Liverpool houses an impressive collection of British and international modern and contemporary art. Currently on show is the exhibit “Tracy Emin and William Blake in focus”, which examines the parallels between the two artists. Visitors can also admire Judy Chicago’s Beatles-inspired mural, “Fixing a Hole”."

"Over the past 125+ years, the Whitworth has seen many transformations but none so much as its recent £15 million development, resulting in accolades such as RIBA National Award and Art Fund’s Museum of the Year 2015. Now home to an internationally important collection numbering 60,000 works - blending high-profile names like Blake, Spencer, Rembrandt and Moore with fresh new talent - the gallery’s principal aim remains the same: ‘the perpetual gratification of the people of Manchester’."

"Reopened in 2015 after a £15m transformation, Manchester’s gallery in the park is home to an internationally important collection of art, including significant work by William Blake and J.M.W. Turner. It also hosts an exciting roster of visiting exhibitions and events. Visit the website for the latest information."

"Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 4WU - Visit now. A family friendly city museum that stakes a claim as the UK’s first free public library. Explore the historic Lark Hill Place street installation then let loose in Peel Park."

"Housed within an impressive, Grade II listed building, VG&M is known for its collection of the work of wildlife artist, John James Audubon. Once you've checked out the art gallery, the museum has some curiosities worth taking a look at too: the National Pipe Archive and a display of dentures through the ages – not your average collection of artefacts. Opening times: Tuesday-Saturday 10:00-5:00 Victoria Building, 150 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF 5 minute walk from LJMU Mount Pleasant Campus and 20 minute walk from LJMU City Campus."

"In this fascinating museum, you will find a range of collections displaying the weird and the wonderful from nightmares in a bottle, Victorian dental surgeries, and a fine art collection. This variety of exhibits is bound to inspire everyone and teach you something about almost everything!. The Victoria Gallery and Museum aim to give visitors a unique insight into the curiosities from the 127 years of the University of Liverpool."

"Artworks illustrating the ever-present tensions between the natural world and the human race, including The Eruption of the Soufriere Mountains in the Island of St Vincent by JW Turner. A New Beauty: Romanticism in Art 1880-1920. Display exploring the evolving ways that physical attractiveness was depicted from the late 1800s."

"Contemporary Six – The Gallery is a leading independent art gallery located in the heart of the city centre of Manchester opposite the beautiful Town Hall. Established in 2010 by Alex Reuben, the gallery is known for offering a warm and friendly welcome to art enthusiasts, collectors, and new visitors and explorers to the city. Specialising in original paintings, landscapes, portraits, abstracts handmade prints, sculptures, and ceramics."

"From Darrell Evanes’ scrap metal sculpture to Matthew Bourne’s natural abstracts, Contemporary Six’s repertoire is all encompassing. Having outgrown its former location of Royal Exchange Arcade, the gallery - founded by Alex Reuben in 2010 - now occupies an airy space on Princess Street, where it represents around 40 artists. Best feature: Contemporary Six offers the Own Art Scheme, which allows buyers to pay in monthly instalments"

"Centre For Chinese Contemporary Art is a unique art gallery with a year-round programme of socially engaged exhibitions, events, and artist residencies. They have over 30 years experience of working with emerging and established artists to provide a space for conversation, debate, and cross-cultural exchange. They are the go-to place to discover new artists and explore relevant global issues from different international perspectives."

"CFCCA reopens with a duo of exhibitions investigating and unpicking themes of belonging, identity and citizenship in a globalised and hyper-connected society. Housed in CFCCA’s Northern Quarter galleries, the exhibitions are just a few minutes’ walk from the Arndale Shopping Centre. Multiplicities in Flux brings together works by contemporary artists Grace Lau and Eelyn Lee in a dialogue around identity and belonging."

"Manchester's Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art will reopen both of its galleries on Wednesday May 19. Exhibitions Multiplicities in Flux and Autopsy of a Home, which originally opened in October, will be back until June 13. Booking is advised at cfcca.org.uk but walk-ups are welcome."

"Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user JohnShipley89 used under CC BY 4.0. Warrington Museum & Art Gallery is Warrington’s premier art gallery and houses over 200,00 exhibits and objects, covering everything from local history to numismatics, from archaeology to ethnology. Located right in the centre of town, the Warrington Museum & Art Gallery is very easy to find and well worth a visit."

"Key to the redevelopment of the Ropewalks quarter of Liverpool, and catering for the needs of film and art lovers since 2003, FACT was founded on a remit to "use the power of creative technology to inspire and enrich lives". Tucked behind the bohemian Bold St, this futuristic-looking space – made up of three floors of galleries, cinema screens, a cafe and a bar – celebrated a decade since its launch, in which time it has played host to pioneering work from Pipilotti Rist, Nam June Paik, Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Kurt Hentschläger. 88 Wood Street, fact.co.uk."

"Arts space and cafe LEAF was included in Guardian Travel's first "budget eats" guide to Liverpool, in 2008, and is still going strong, albeit at a new address. In the meantime, owner Natalie Haywood has branched out at the media arts centre, FACT, and at Oh Me Oh My, a weekday cafe in a grand, Grade II-listed property opposite Liverpool's totemic Liver Building. LEAF and FACT are natural allies – way beyond their preference for upper case logos – and last year cemented their union when LEAF opened the Garden cafeteria at the centre."

"FACT on Wood Street is hoping to open again from May 19 with three brand new exhibitions including Biennial artists. Soft Boys, in the foyer gallery, is a short film about queer and trans joy, specifically within the Somali culture and community. It’s free, no booking needed."

"Discover a symbol of Liverpool and gain insight into the city’s history with a visit to the National Heritage-listed Liverpool Cathedral. As the largest religious building in Britain, the Anglican cathedral boasts neo-Gothic architecture, distinctive artwork, and a 328-feet (100-meter) tower that provides sweeping views across River Mersey."

"If you are into your architecture then there are plenty of things to explore in and around the cathedral. There are numerous stain glass windows which can make for some really bright and colourful photos. It is quite dark at some points inside, so you may need a tripod if you're going to be using a slower shutter speed."

"2 km from city center 3 out of 10 places to visit in Liverpool. Liverpool Cathedral is the largest Anglican cathedral in entire Europe and is also one of the most important buildings in the city. One can get a magnificent view of the city from the top of 331ft high tower in the Cathedral."

"Alan Turing Statue is also a very important LGBTQ landmark in Manchester. It’s located in Sackville Gardens, just behind the Gay Village. Alan Turing was a computer scientist and mathematician best known for his work on Enigma (German encrypting machine) during WWII."

"Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Rept0n1x used under CC BY-SA 3.0. Commonly known as the Dock Office, Port of Liverpool Building features an Edwardian Baroque architectural style, with a large dome at the top, and it has canted corners embellished with stone cupolas. It is among Liverpool’s “Three Graces” together with the Royal Building Liverpool and the Cunard Building, which are in the Pier Head waterfront."

"Another of Liverpool’s Three Graces, the Port of Liverpool Building is Grade II listed and a part of the Liverpool’s UNESCO-designated World Heritage Maritime Mercantile City. Originally purpose-built as the headquarters of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, this characteristic, Edwardian Baroque-style building has been standing since 1907. Brunswick Street, Liverpool, UK"

"The southernmost of 'Three Graces', the trio of Edwardian buildings at Pier Head, the Port of Liverpool building was completed in 1907. Its dome mimics St Paul's Cathedral."

"The Academy Restaurant is a hidden gem for tourists in Liverpool. The staff prepare amazing British and European food in mouth-watering flavours. They also serve a nice selection of wine and beer."

"As one of Liverpool’s most established restaurants, having won copious awards over the years, this is the restaurant to visit for a special occasion. Part of the London Carriage Works hotel which was built in the 1860’s, it has recently been revamped and features a number of different menus going from breakfast all the way through to dinner. Expect to find the likes of smoked haddock with poached eggs on the breakfast menu and lamb rump niçoise, seared sea bass and coconut pannacotta."

"The multi award-winning restaurant is hot on event organisers lips when it comes to finding a venue that has it all. Superb food, various spaces and the ease of having a beautiful boutique hotel attached to it courtesy of Hope Street Hotel. They can host up to 150 people within some of their rooms!"

"Time Out describes the restaurant as having a “a focus on produce from across the North-West”, while the menu is “European fine dining done with simplicity and flair.”. 40 Hope St, Liverpool L1 9DA"

"Arts Hub 47 is a creative community in Merseyside that established in 2012. Created to provide different artists with a safe and inclusive place where they can show their talents and skills, this is certainly one of the best places to visit if you are out to hunt amazing arts and crafts to adorn your home or office. Offering different items from cards, bags, paintings, prints, clothes, jewellery, bunting, textile art and many others, they aim to address your particular needs and requirements and offer you wonderful and amazing work that will perfectly match your taste and will leave you very satisfied."

"Centre For Chinese Contemporary Art is a unique art gallery with a year-round programme of socially engaged exhibitions, events, and artist residencies. They have over 30 years experience of working with emerging and established artists to provide a space for conversation, debate, and cross-cultural exchange. They are the go-to place to discover new artists and explore relevant global issues from different international perspectives."

"CFCCA reopens with a duo of exhibitions investigating and unpicking themes of belonging, identity and citizenship in a globalised and hyper-connected society. Housed in CFCCA’s Northern Quarter galleries, the exhibitions are just a few minutes’ walk from the Arndale Shopping Centre. Multiplicities in Flux brings together works by contemporary artists Grace Lau and Eelyn Lee in a dialogue around identity and belonging."

"Manchester's Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art will reopen both of its galleries on Wednesday May 19. Exhibitions Multiplicities in Flux and Autopsy of a Home, which originally opened in October, will be back until June 13. Booking is advised at cfcca.org.uk but walk-ups are welcome."

"\In 1924, upmarket department store Hendersons opened on Church Street where you’ll now find H&M. The Hendersons store was known as a real special occasion shop, renowned for intimidating Beauty Counter ladies who also sold chocolates!. The store went on to be so successful, it sold to Harrods in 1948, but Liverpool’s branch of Hendersons will always be linked to tragedy after the worst fire damage seen in the city since The Blitz, took hold of the building in June 1960, bringing the city centre to a standstill and resulting in 11 people losing their lives."