Manchester Activities by Budget and Weather
Choosing what to do in Manchester is mostly about cost, weather and which day of the week it is. Prices are in pounds sterling (GBP).
Free and indoors
- Science and Industry Museum, Liverpool Road: free, daily 10:00 to 17:00. Power Hall steam engines, textiles, the hands-on Experiment gallery. Parts of the 1830 railway buildings are under conservation work.
- Manchester Museum, Oxford Road: free, closed Monday, late opening to 21:00 on Wednesday. Stan the T. rex is on the ground floor. The Vivarium is shut until May 2027.
- People’s History Museum, Left Bank: free, closed Tuesday. A donation is asked for.
- John Rylands Library, Deansgate: free, Wednesday to Saturday only, 10:00 to 17:00.
- Pankhurst Centre, Nelson Street: Thursday and Sunday, 11:00 to 16:00.
Paid and worth the money
- National Football Museum: one ticket works for 12 months, and council tax payers in Manchester go in free.
- SEA LIFE Manchester: from about GBP 16 online, with sharks, turtles and rays.
- Old Trafford and Etihad stadium tours: each from about GBP 28 for adults.
- Aviva Studios: big shows and gigs, with some free exhibitions.
When it rains
Rain is common, so lean on the museums above, the Central Library and the Northern Quarter’s covered shops. The Snow Centre Manchester, an indoor slope near the Trafford Centre, is another wet weather option.
When the sun is out
Walk the Castlefield canal basin and climb Castlefield Viaduct, a free National Trust sky park open Wednesday to Sunday. Salford Quays has open waterfront space, and the Salford Watersports Centre runs supervised canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding. The rivers and canals in the city centre are not for paddling on your own.
Evenings and seasons
Aviva Studios on Water Street and the bars of the Northern Quarter carry most of the nightlife. From 6 November the Christmas Markets fill ten city centre sites, with most closing on 22 December and Albert Square staying open into early January. Match tickets for Manchester United and Manchester City are sold by the clubs, and the stadium tours are the easier way in for most visitors.
Getting around
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Bee Network adult single bus | GBP 2 |
| Bee Network adult day ticket | GBP 5 |
| Metrolink single, any one zone | GBP 1.40 |
| Metrolink single, all four zones | GBP 4.60 |
Fares are frozen through 2026. On the tram, tap in at the platform reader before boarding. There is no Manchester city pass.
Read more: Manchester sightseeing and Manchester family activities .
Official pages: Manchester Museum , Metrolink one-day travelcards , John Rylands Library . Search tours on GetYourGuide .