Kids & Family

Interactive gaming, and world-first music exhibitions at the Science and Industry Museum this winter

You can take your pick from a whole host of immersive experiences and exciting activities.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 18th November 2022

Exhibitions that explore the power of music, and give you the chance to try out an interactive “hands on” gaming experience are just some of the activities on offer at the Science and Industry Museum this winter.

With the festive season right around the corner, and a chill settling in the Manchester air, the Science and Industry Museum is not just an ideal place to escape the cold in the heart of the city centre, but there’s also a whole host of immersive experiences and exciting activities you can get stuck into when schools are out for winter break in a couple of weeks.

The award-winning museum is inviting people to take a journey from the Sun back to the Earth in a brand-new science show led by the museum’s team of expert Explainers.

You can discover how light travels through our atmosphere, the science of solar flares, and the secrets behind the Northern Lights, while also getting the chance to get hands-on with a range of light-themed activities, tinker with shadows, and even experiment with reflections and colours to create their own miniature light show.

One of the most popular exhibitions currently on at the museum is Turn It Up: The power of music – a world-first event giving those curious the chance to explore the science of music’s mysterious hold over us through a series of “immersive musical experiences and interactive activities” at a specially-commissioned ‘musical playground’.

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There’s interactive gaming, and world-first music exhibitions to get stuck into at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester this winter / Credit: Science Museum Group

Of course, there’s also still time to head on down and check out the stand-out interactive gaming experience, Power UP – where players can enjoy the very-best video games from the past five decades, and try out over a hundred different consoles to rediscover childhood favourites and test out some of the latest developments in virtual reality.

Revel in nostalgia with retro arcade classics Pong and Pac-Man, rock out on Guitar Hero, and tackle a virtual reality mission with Astro Bot.

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Aside from those current exhibitions, the Museum is also hosting a series of special pop-up events on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 December with Winter Sprites from street theatre company Curious Cargo stopping by to share their enchanting knowledge of ice and snow.

Then, on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 January, Shadowgraph extraordinaire Drew Colby will be performing his renowned Hand Shadow show using the magic of light to share this ancient art.

Take your pick from a whole host of immersive experiences and exciting activities / Credit: Science Museum Group

And to round-out what is an impressive winter schedule, for those looking for something a little different this festive season, you can also watch the first of a series of ‘CHRISTMAS LECTURES’ from the Royal Institution on Tuesday 13 December, ahead of its broadcast on the BBC – where Professor Dame Sue Black gives what is being described as “an unprecedented insight” into her role as one of the world’s leading forensic investigators.

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Alongside the lecture screening, audiences can also enjoy a series of interactive activities to discover more about forensic science and how it is used.

The Science and Industry will be closed from 24-25 December 2022, and on 1 January 2023, but will be open to the public aside from that throughout November and December until early January, and you can find out more and book tickets in advance now.

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Book tickets either through the museum’s website here, or by calling 033 0058 0058. 

Featured Image – Science Museum Group

Kids & Family

This Manchester suburb has just been named one of the UK’s ‘happiest’ places to live in 2024

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia Didsbury named one of the best places to live in the UK

An annual poll has named the Manchester suburb of Didsbury spot among 70 locations said to be the ‘happiest’ places to live in the UK.

Greater Manchester has got lots to say for itself, especially with its diverse and unique cultural landscapes, as well as various vibrant communities, so it comes as no surprise that one of our beautiful suburbs has been voted in a list of the UK’s happiest places to live for this year.

The survey included submissions from 5,000 people and there’s a lot of love being shown to the neighbouring areas of Yorkshire like Doncaster, Bingley, and Harrogate – the lattermost placed in second in the entire country.

But, ranking 62nd out of a possible 70 places, the distinct and vibrant area of Didsbury has been noticed by Furniturebox as one of the ‘happiest’ places to live in the UK.

Credit: The Manc Group

The results took into consideration good state schools, affordable housing, as well as accessibility to pubs, bars, restaurants, independent shops, retailers and more.

With multiple parks, walking destinations, and top-notch travel links with Bee Network trams and buses easily taking you back into the city centre and out to other boroughs, East, West and Didsbury Village all remain some of the most sought-after areas in the region.

There’s a whole host of indie retailers to enjoy, especially on the likes of the main high street and Burton Road, which effectively serves as its own cultural district, home to vintage clothing shops like Steranko, tailored styling opticians Fox Brothers and much more.

Burton Rd also boasts countless fantastic food and drink spots like The Great Kathmandu, SANTÉ, Volta and Proove Pizza, just to name a few; we’ve spent plenty of time just on this stretch of Didsbury alone.

If you’ve spent even a little time in Dids, you’ll know there’s plenty going on and it’s certainly one our happiest places in all of Greater Manchester and therefore the UK.

You can also enjoy the famous ‘Didsbury Dozen’ right on your doorstep.

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Elsewhere, and somewhat unsurprisingly, Shakespeare’s ever-romanticised hometown of Stratford-Upon-Avon once again reigned supreme at the top of this list.

That being said, it’s refreshing to see that these locations weren’t entirely related to wealth and similar factors, the survey took affordability into careful consideration.

Cheshire was destined for success with its cracking views and grand properties, as the North West county made waves for the region managing to place in fifth position, holding up against Falmouth in Cornwall which placed in sixth.

Although not nabbing that all-important top spot, Didsbury is carrying the flag for 0161 and showing what all know to be true: Northerners do it best.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images – The Manc Group

Kids & Family

Manchester’s new real-life Pac-Man experience is coming soon and you can grab early bird tickets

Danny Jones Danny Jones Real-life Pac-Man experience Manchester

Manchester already boasts a whole host of interactive games bars and activity destinations to boast, but we feel pretty confident in saying that there are very places on the planet where you can find a place to play a real-life version of Pac-Man.

First announced back in October and now scheduled to debut in March 2025, the Pac-Man Live Experience is the newest addition to Manchester’s growing entertainment scene and it’s promising to be a popular one too.

This brand-new life-sized immersive experience plunges players into the nostalgic world of the iconic video game we all know and love, only instead of using joysticks on an old-school arcade machine, they’ll physically sprint, dodge, and chomp their way through a maze.

Although the launch itself is still a few months away, the team behind this ingenious idea are getting ready for the frenzy and putting early bird tickets on sale ahead of opening day.

Credit: Concept Image (supplied)

So how does it work?

Good question: participants can gear up in a PAC vest and step into the role of the instantly recognisable yellow chomper, collecting power pellets, dodging the classic ghost characters – BLINKY, PINKY, INKY, and CLYDE – and racking up points on their way to victory.

Guided through an epic 12-level adventure, players will be led by the ‘PAC-MASTER’: a lively gameshow host who serves as commentator and referee; players will also be accompanied by immersive in-game effects like sound bites, lighting, and haptic (vibration) feedback to elevate the experience. Cool, right?

The striking Arcade Arena will feature two massive PAC-MAN courts projected onto the floor, while dynamic visuals transform the walls, fully immersing participants in the retro arcade universe. There’s no need for headsets either, so players can embark on a multi-sensory adventure, seamlessly blending the real world with augmented reality.

Created by Tom Lionetti-Maguire, the CEO and Founder of Little Lion Entertainment – the same team behind The Crystal Maze Live Experience, Tomb Raider, and Chaos Karts to the likes of London and more recently Manchester –

The whole thing has been brought to life in partnership with Bandai Namco Entertainment, lending the proper licensing to make the experience feel both fun and authentic. It’s the real deal.

Credit: Supplied

Early bird tickets for Pac-Man Live Manchester

If you’re not sold on playing a human-sized, real-life game of Pac-Man in a huge augmented-reality arena right here in Manchester then we don’t know what to tell you, to be honest – all we know is that we’ll be first in line when it arrives.

The Pac-Man Live Experience comes to the Arcade Arena on 22 March next year in line with the game’s 40th anniversary, and they’re inviting players of all ages and providing engaging gameplay for younger participants while delivering a nostalgic throwback that parents and grandparents will cherish.

Better yet, if you book during the early bird window, you can access discount ticket prices from just £25 per person too.

Early bird tickets go on sale at 12 noon today (Thursday, 21 November) – you can grab yours HERE.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Supplied

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