Best Museums in 1 Little Hurcot

"Manchester city centre, Manchester art gallery, viewing the art on public display|© Mark Waugh / Alamy Stock Photo. The city centre’s free-entry gallery often plays host to exciting exhibitions from world-renowned artists such as Joana Vasconcelos. Its permanent collections include an impressive array of costume, oil paintings and decorative arts, making this the perfect destination for whiling away several hours and getting inspired."

"In the heart of the city centre, just off St Peters Sqaure, you can find one of the country's finest art collections in spectacular Victorian and contemporary surroundings. Highlights include outstanding pre-Raphaelite paintings, craft and design and early 20th century British art."

": There’s no better way to explore Manchester than this exclusive tour for all the romantic couples visiting the city. A professional local guide leads the way as you both visit the most romantic and spellbinding places in the city. Take pictures, enjoy dates, and listen to historical love stories hidden in the city’s winding streets."

"For the die-hard football fan in your family, this is a great place to visit. Discover the history of the beautiful game and see the many collections displaying famous kits and even trophies. The Hall of Fame showcases the sport’s greatest players and icons."

"Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Gaspa used under CC BY 2.0. Merseyside Maritime Museum is part of the National Museum of Liverpool that was opened in 1980 and expanded on 1986. Their exhibits include collection about the maritime culture of the city as well as other exhibits that reflect the global importance of Liverpool as a doorway to the world."

"A museum built on the role of Liverpool in Trans-Atlantic Slave trade, the Merseyside Maritime Museum is perhaps one of the most heart-touching museums in the country. The exhibits all showcase the city’s rich sailing story with plenty of articles to read and interactive exhibits perfect for children."

"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."

"Opened in 1988, Tate Liverpool has been at the forefront of contemporary art in the city. Housed within a former docking warehouse on the picturesque Albert Docks, the Tate regularly hosts events, workshops and exhibitions and offers plentiful free displays. Tate Liverpool, Albert Dock|© Tate Liverpool/Facebook"

"Liverpool is famous for its art collections and Tate Liverpool is one of its most well-known galleries. Tate Liverpool features work from the Tate Collection which showcases British art from the 16th century to the present. Tate Liverpool specialises in contemporary and modern art."

"Having opened in 2011, The Museum of Liverpool is one of the youngest in the city. Devoted to the history of the city it is the world's first national museum to be dedicated to a regional city. From exhibitions on The Beatles to the secret life of Pembroke Place, this museum is perfect is you are looking to learn much more about the city you are staying in."

"One of the more recent additions to the museum scene is the Museum of Liverpool. Having only been opened in 2011, this is a great museum to visit – and it’s free!. The modern building took over the former Museum of Liverpool Life and can be found right on the waterfront."

"This wonderful museum showcases Liverpool’s amazing contribution to music, sports, and history in general. There is always something for you and your loved one to enjoy here. The museum of Liverpool will not charge you to enter."

"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"

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"Organised by the Ashmolean Museum, which holds a world class collection of over 200 prints made by Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn, it will present the artist as an unrivalled storyteller through a selection of around 50 outstanding prints, dating from 1630 to the late 1650s. Widely hailed as the greatest painter of the Dutch Golden Age, Rembrandt was also one of the most innovative and experimental printmakers of the 17th century, and the works displayed at the Lady Lever will cover a varied selection of subjects including intense self-portraits, atmospheric landscapes, intimate family portraits, biblical stories and confronting nude studies. June 1 to September 15, 2019"

"A grand focal point in the picturesque village of Port Sunlight, this gallery is named after Lady Elizabeth Lever, the wife of Lord William Lever, a Victorian-era entrepreneur who founded the village to house his factory workers. Its collection boasts some of the 19th century’s most decorative arts. Selected by Lord Lever for exhibits at the gallery, it is still considered to have some, if not the best works displayed to the public from his own art collection."

"Okay, so it’s not strictly in Liverpool, but the Wirral is close enough. Founded by William Hesketh Lever (1851-1925), the Lady Lever Art Gallery is dedicated to his wife Elizabeth and still features a large offering from his personal art collection, including the best collection of Wedgwood Jasperware in the world."

"Macclesfield is in the orbit of the Jodrell Bank Observatory, founded in 1945 and part of the University of Manchester. The primary telescope at Jodrell Bank is the colossal Lovell Telescope, built in 1957 and still the third largest steerable dish radio telescope in the world, at 76.2 metres in diameter. Amateur astronomers come a long way to savour this immense structure, which along with the rest of the station has been mooted for World Heritage Status."

"The building of the Dancehouse Theatre has had a fascinating history full of transformation, morphing from meeting halls to a multi-screen cinema complex. In the 1990s it was restored to its former Art Deco splendour and was reopened as The Dancehouse Theatre, home to the Northern Ballet School. While the venue presents a broad range of performances including comedy, music and drama, dance lies at the heart of this North West icon."

"Since opening their doors in November 2015, Hope Mill Theatre has become one of the most successful independent venues in England. Located in Ancoats, they produce full scale musicals from their Grade II listed former mill. The theatre will be reopening this summer, as well as hosting Hope Fest, an outdoor arts and culture festival."

"This wonderful independent venue, located out in New Islington, was one of the few theatres that managed to reopen last year after lockdown. It'll be back again with a reduced capacity and socially distanced seating for a Meet Me At Dawn, from HER Productions. You can get tickets at hopemilltheatre.co.uk."

"Liverpool Everyman Theatre, 5-9 Hope Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 9BH - Visit now. The Everyman reopened in March 2014 after extensive renovation to its stage, restaurant and backstage areas; the newly opened version is sustainable, accessible and really rather swish. Inclusiveness runs through the new design – its frontage, dominated by a new “portrait wall”, shows 105 different Liverpool residents, cut into a metal facade."

"Founded in 1964, the Everyman Theatre has been bringing groundbreaking talent to Hope Street for over half a decade. The stage for early performances from Julie Walters, Bill Nighy and Bernard Hill, this venue is steeped in history – the building itself won the 2014 RIBA Stirling Prize for architecture. Showing a range of plays from classic Shakespeare to brand new material, a show at the Everyman is not to be missed."

"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"