Best Museums in Ashton-under-Lyne

"Manchester Art Gallery is the original useful museum, started in 1823 by artists, as an educational institution to make sure that the city and all its people grow with creativity, imagination, productivity, and health. It is free and open to all people as a place of civic thinking and public imagination, it promotes art as a means to achieve social change. It has been at the centre of city life for almost 200 years, created as the Royal Manchester Institution for the Promotion of Literature, Science and the Arts."

"Situated in the heart of Manchester city centre, Manchester Art Gallery mixes history with contemporary fine art to bring us the best exhibitions and collections. The gallery is also famous for its 19th century British paintings and Pre-Raphaelite works. This gallery is great for any art and design students as the variety of work on exhibition is of such a wide variety to suit any artistic style."

"Football (known in America as soccer) is the national pastime in England, but especially in Manchester, home of Manchester United. The city's National Football Museum is a great way to learn more about the history and culture of the beloved sport, including special exhibits on topics like the fashion of football shirts and women's soccer. It has a huge archive of items, with pieces that date back to the early 20th century, and it's engaging for kids as well as adults."

"Anyone with an interest in football should make a beeline to the National Football Museum, situated inside the dramatic glass building previously known as Urbis. Find out more about your favourite sport, including an extensive look at the last time England won the World Cup, and take the chance to refine your own football skills."

"Designed by some of the most renowned architects in the UK, the Millennium Gallery is a piece of art in itself. But the reason people visit is for the eclectic collections it’s home to, including the Ruskin Collection: watercolours, drawings, prints, coins, manuscripts, and illustrated books used to inspire Sheffield’s Victorian workforce. The Craft and Design centre exhibits a modern take on Victorian themes."

"The Millennium Gallery is one of Sheffield’s most prominent art galleries. It is located in the city centre making it easy to access, and entrance is free to visitors. The gallery has a number of permanent collections as well as spaces for temporary exhibits so there is always new culture to experience."

"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."

"After an extensive renovation project, the Whitworth is the best place in the city to view a collection of exciting contemporary art. Keep your eyes peeled on their exciting events calendar, pay a visit to their fabulous restaurant with sweeping views of the surrounding park and pick up a picnic basket of art supplies to spark your own creativity."

"The Whitworth will partially reopen from Wednesday 19 May 2021. The gallery is expected to reopen fully from Thursday 1 July 2021."

"Located about 10 miles from Sheffield, the Elsecar Heritage Railway is dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and expansion of one of the area's oldest railway lines. Highlights include an impressive collection of historic locomotives and rolling stock that once belonged to the South Yorkshire Railway. Budding engineers can even learn to drive a steam train through one of the railway's "footplate" courses (they also offer a number of fun themed excursions)."

"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"

"A pioneer on the Sheffield vegetarian and vegan restaurant scene, the Blue Moon serves homely favourites such as pasties, stew and rice, salads, vegan brownies and ice cream. While they don’t offer traditional vegan takeaway service, they have ticketed Blue Moon at Home nights, when you can pre-order their set menu and have it delivered to your door. The last offer included some seriously mouth-watering deliciousness, such as smoky chipotle-marinated mushrooms, black beans with orange and bay, pineapple and jalapeño salsa and pico de gallo with toasted corn."

"Veggie & Vegan – Oh Blue Moon Cafe, those words hold such fond memories and experiences. As a regular of ours we cannot praise the Blue Moon Cafe enough!. Their food is always scrumptious and stacked to the rafters, and let’s not forget the staff that are always happy to see you."

"Longstanding vegetarian and vegan spot Blue Moon Café, next to Sheffield Cathedral, has been offering weekly meals for delivery - each one has sold out so far this year. (https://www.bluemooncafesheffield.com). Photo: Chris Etchells"

"If your dog is at the spinning-in-circles level of needing to run like Usain Bolt, then Farnley Hall Park is a perfect dog-friendly spot. It’s also a particularly calm space–which is an ideal mood change when your dog is at the washing machine spin cycle stage of existence (looking at you, every waggler under the age of one!). The space used to be a deer park, though today it’s more accustomed to gatherings of dog owners; here, you’re almost guaranteed to make nice new doggy pals to charge over the grass and into the woodland with."

"This 40-acre former deer park, which is located four miles west of Leeds city centre, has a large open grassland, woodlands, formal gardens and a pond. It's accessed via Hall Lane, Farnley, LS12 5HA."

"Super stylish and situated within the Trafford area, Boombae is a salon that packs a punch – with super cool murals dotted around the venue that can only be described as ‘Instagrammable’. The salon specialises in hair extensions, so is perfect for anyone looking for a bit of a makeover to debut after months in lockdown, with facials, make-up, teeth whitening, nails and more on the menu if you’re looking for a bit of a pamper day. Boombae, 480 Chester Rd, Old Trafford, Stretford, M16 9HE."

"Float Level is a premier float centre in Manchester that houses state of the art floatation pods that offers ultimate relaxation and all other health benefits for their clients. They offer a one of a kind holistic pampering service that would relax both the mind and the body, remove all stress and body pains that they are feeling and offer the comfort that they are seeking. They have 3 floatation pods located inside soundproofed rooms for utmost refreshment and deep rest."