Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Bold Heath

"Opposite the Lowry on the south side of the Manchester Ship Canal in Trafford Park is one of five branches for the Imperial War Museum, opened in 2002. This remarkable building, with three interlocking metallic shards (invoking air, earth and water), was designed by Daniel Libeskind and intended to induce a feeling of disorientation apt for war. The entrance is in the 55-metre-high “air shard”, while the permanent exhibition is on the first floor in the “earth shard”."

"Walk through a timeline of history from the First World War to the present day. Again, although tickets are free, they must be booked in advance. Find out more and book here."

"Tate Liverpool is the only place in the North to be for modern and contemporary art from the world over. Since opening its doors in 1988 Tate Liverpool has become one of the most visited art galleries outside of London and has a stunning array of work from the National Collection, as well as regular exhibitions of some of the finest art there has ever been, including exhibitions and events relating to Gustav Klimt, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and Keith Haring, to name just a few."

"1 km from city center 6 out of 10 places to visit in Liverpool. Named after a Liverpool industrialist Henry Tate, the Tate gallery is the subsidiary of famous Tate gallery in London. Like its London counterpart, this one also has an amazing collection of classical and contemporary art."

"The Whitworth, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M15 6ER - Visit now. The Whitworth underwent a £15m redevelopment in 2015, which saw it double in size; the gallery now juts out into Whitworth park, seamlessly transitioning from old to new. It’s been met with national and international acclaim – for its new architecture and for its brilliant exhibitions programme."

"The Whitworth relaunched in 2015 after a massive refurbishment and only went on to win an award for Museum of the Year by the Art Fund in its first year. They have a constantly changing display of collections and a wide spectrum of art in their temporary exhibitions. The Whitworth is located in South Manchester, I would recommend taking public transport as it’s quite a walk otherwise."

"From Wednesday May 19, the stunning Whitworth gallery will be partially reopen to the public, with a film screening of Imran Perretta: the destructors on display. The cafe will be back open too, but the full gallery will be up and running again by July 1, in time for its MIF21 summer exhibition. Plan your visit at whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/visit."

"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."

"A museum that beats all the traditional boring museums around the world, the Victoria Gallery Museum is known for its fun and interesting exhibits which truly captivate the young and old alike!"

"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."

"FACT, 88 Wood Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 4DQ - Visit now. Since opening in 2003, Liverpool’s FACT (AKA the Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) has supported artists working with new media, commissioned countless (and occasionally seminal) artworks and dedicated itself to digital media. Three arthouse cinemas screen both popular and cult films, two galleries show new work, and other spaces within the building are regularly used for digital and new media events."

"Liverpool's much-loved independent cinema and arts centre holds the title of the UK's leading organisation for the support and display of film, art and new media. FACT hosts a wide range of activities, screening and events for the whole family, including a Kids' Club film, accompanied by games and activities for young movie fans, on Saturdays. The weekly Big Scream Club is exclusively for parents and babies under one year old."

"Just turning 15 years old, this cinema and gallery is, in fact, a leader in visual arts. It strives to support local visual and media-based artists who are passionate about technology. The location offers space for video and new (sometimes experimental) media, creating a platform for many UK artists to explore."

"Holly Lodge is a detached Grade 2 Listed Victorian Villa which is only a matter of a few minutes walk from Warrington town centre. Holly Lodge is also conveniently situated for access to the substantial North West motorway network, national rail network and 2 international airports. Warrington town centre has a full range of shops and restaurants to suit every taste all within a short walk of the hotel.There is a car park at the rear of the premises for residents use."

"If when you think of fast food, you think of fried chicken, then Yard and Coop is your kind of restaurant. Students get 10% off all food at the restaurant - so if you have a student card you’re in luck. But even if you’re not a student you can still have the £5 lunch special."

"This great Liverpool restaurant should be your first port of call. While keeping things cool and casual with an American-inspired menu and simple interiors, you can rest assured that Yard & Coop takes its flavours very seriously."

"Contact Theatre will be heading out across Manchester this summer for a series of outdoor performances. Contact is an Oxford Road theatre and performing arts venue creating and producing its own shows, as well as hosting tours from the world’s best theatre companies. Contact will be heading out across the city this summer, delivering a series of outdoor performances before its building reopens to the public in September 2021."