Free Museums in New Longton

"Manchester is home to two world class Art Galleries - The Manchester Art Gallery in town and the Whitworth Art Gallery on Oxford Road, by the university. There's also the recently redeveloped and reopened Gallery of Costume in Platt Fields Park - which you'll pass most days on your commute from Fallowfield to the Uni. All of the galleries house impressive permanent collections (which are free) and regular special exhibitons (which aren't)."

"This free to visit museum is one to add to your Manchester itinerary if you have kids that love art and art history. There’s plenty to learn about the city’s artists and culture. Families with younger children should make a beeline for the Clore Art Studio, which is an interactive space developed by artists."

"If you are a culture seeker, the Manchester Art Gallery is the perfect place for you to be. Over 25,000 works of art from all over the world adorn the walls of this popular gallery of art. But the interesting part is that isn’t just a display of art."

"The National Football Museum is the place to come if you want to learn all about Manchester’s two football clubs, Manchester City and Manchester United. There are a range of interactive exhibits here and this is without a doubt an important pit stop for anyone even remotely interested in football (if you’re not into football, you’d be forgiven for skipping this one). Read more: Best cities in England"

"Visiting the Football Museum in Manchester is a must, regardless of whether you’re a football fan or not. Honestly it beats me that the museum is free to enter, given how elaborate the exhibits are. The museum covers the social history and cultural journey of football becoming a global phenomenon, and everything is very lucidly explained and displayed."

"Manchester's second most important art gallery is arguably its most beautiful, following a restoration that saw the doubling of its exhibition space through the opening of its sides and back, and the construction of glass-screened promenades. Inside is a fine collection of British watercolours, the best selection of historic textiles outside London and galleries devoted to the work of artists from Dürer and Rembrandt to Lucian Freud and David Hockney."

"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 19 May – 1 July, The Whitworth is open for film screenings of its new exhibition, Imran Perretta: the destructors. The Whitworth Café, Art Garden and Collections Care Centre are also open from 19 May to 1 July. The rest of the gallery remains closed while the next exhibitions are installed, following COVID-19 safety guidelines."

"The Blackpool branch of the world-famous wax museum features over 80 wax figures of famous celebrities, film and television characters, athletes and musicians. Alongside the collection of British and international stars, guests can now take to the floor and meet the stars of Strictly, with Tess and Claudia and judge Craig Revel Horwood in the new Strictly Come Dancing experience, which includes a Strictly inspired dancefloor, replica glitterball trophy, and score paddles on the judges' desk. There is also a real treat for fans of Coronation Street, as Madame Tussauds Blackpool has created a replica of the iconic Rovers Return, with classic characters such as Ken and Deidre, Jack and Vera, Bet Lynch and Hilda Ogden."

"We’ve only ever been to the one in Blackpool and it is a lot of fun. There is something for everyone to see, reminisce over and enjoy. The kids enjoyed the Bushtucker trial section and the Spiderman scene."

"Surrounded by the University of Salford, this sizeable museum is on the south side of Peel Park, mapping the history of Salford and with a large inventory of Victorian art. The museum dates to 1850, and would be worth a visit just to appreciate its Italianate Renaissance-style galleries. These have been arranged to reflect the layout of a Victorian museum, with paintings, decorative art and sculpture all competing for your attention in the same space."

"The museums in Salford give the very essence of its citizens and rich culture. If you are looking for something deeper and more meaningful, head to the museums in city. Explore the cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical side of Salford with these museums."

"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"

"CFCCA is the UK leader in Chinese visual culture, with a reputation for debut solo exhibitions and a roster of internationally-renowned artists; impressive considering that, three decades ago, it was just a series of events in Manchester’s Chinatown. As Manchester’s Chinese population is second only to London’s, the centre’s heritage is particularly important; now represented in a new archive and library. Best feature: A vibrant events schedule, spanning film screenings to workshops and even Mandarin lessons"

"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."

"Stood high on Castle Hill dominating Clitheroe’s skyline for over 800 years, Clitheroe Castle Museum is now open after a complete makeover and offers a day of exploration for all the family. Explore the hands-on galleries, collections and displays which reveal amazing stories and take you on a journey through 350 million years of history."

"A museum of oddities built across two floors and based on Ripley's Believe It Or Not. Situated along Ocean Boulevard."

"Hidden just off Cop Lane in Penwortham, Hurst Grange Park is the largest park in Penwortham and was once owned by William Adam Hulton's family in the now demolished Hurst Grange mansion. The park is now full of mature trees and rolling hills, ponds and wildflower meadows. Hurst Grange Coach House, is the only part of the original building that remains standing and is opened occasionally for events, including the annual Penwortham Live."

"The award-winning Avenham and Miller Parks are two adjoined parks located close to Preston City Centre in the stunning Avenham Valley and providing the ideal place to picnic, take a walk, relax and get some fresh air. The popular Ribble Valley Way National Trail also follows the river through Avenham Park and provides a fantastic and idyllic picturesque setting to enjoy by foot or bike."

"The first public events will return to the Stoller Hall from June 7. Shows will be socially-distanced with reduced capacities initially, but there are hopes that it will be back to near-full capacity by September. See more and book tickets at stollerhall.com/whats-on."

"The Stoller Hall is situated in the heart of Manchester and offers a personal live music experience that puts you closer to the music. The concert hall delivers a programme including classical, folk and jazz music, as well as spoken word and comedy."

"A cosy and friendly café located down Cannon Street, Ravenous boasts an ample selection of breakfast and lunch options to enjoy alongside smoothies and fruit juices. The accommodating staff are more than happy to cater for your tastes and dietary requirements, with a variety of seriously tasty vegan options available, including a vegan full English breakfast."

"If you’re after some light refreshment, then the many cafes dotted about Preston City Centre will provide you with exactly what you need. From famous coffee house retailers to an interesting mix of inviting independents, you most certainly won't be stuck for choice."

"Independent coffee shop serving full breakfasts and lunch, Eggs Benedict, porridge, toast, soups, jackets, salads, toasties,Homemade cakes, hot/cold drinks. Address: Preston, UK. Phone: 01772 887 982"

"Driven by a ferocious passion for all things Italian, Wolf can’t wait to welcome you back to the pack, with a spacious heated outdoor terrace with retractable roof available to sit at (no booking necessary). Takeaway orders can be made either in-store, through the Wolf app, or online via Deliveroo and UberEats. Open 10am – 3pm every Monday – Friday, we can’t wait to sink our teeth into something special from Wolf again."

"I swear that the good people of Manchester were waiting for me to leave… I’d been visiting for the inaugural Cup North back in 2014 and no sooner had I left, than it seemed a slew of new coffee shops opened, led by Federal Café & Bar, which, by the way, does what it says on the tin. By day, it’s a café, while by night, it morphs into a bar, although, as I discovered, the staff will happily serve you coffee long into the night (and, I suspect, alcohol during the day). The coffee side of the equation is handled by Kiwi transplants, Ozone, supplying the Hodson blend and decaf on espresso, with a couple of single-origins on pour-over, impressive when you consider the (lack of) available space."

"Situated just along from the Arndale, this Northern Quarter cafe is perfect for a healthy shopping break. It features all of our favourite kinds of healthy food, such as banana bread (well, it does contain fruit), smashed avocado and French toast. It’s also ranked 11/1,752 restaurants in Manchester on TripAdvisor, so we really think we’re onto a winner with this one!"

"City-centre favourite Federal offers an all-day brunch until 6pm, as well as a range of sandwiches, bagels and amazing coffee. We recommend The Turkish Eggs. View this post on Instagram"