Art & Culture

Greater Manchester museum crowned the best FREE museum to visit in the UK

A title to be proud of.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 19th February 2025

A hidden gem museum in Greater Manchester has just been crowned one of the best free attractions in the UK.

With half term upon us and the Easter holidays not far off either, plenty of parents, carers, and guardians across Greater Manchester will likely be looking for a ways to keep the kids entertained and educated while schools are out, and without having to break the bank too – especially the classic rainy Manchester weather shows itself.

But luckily enough, one of Greater Manchester‘s popular museums has taken the top spot in a list of the best free museums and galleries to visit in the whole of the UK.

Not only that, but six other attractions in the region have also featured on the long list.

The list, which has been compiled by GoldCo, features some the UK’s ‘best-kept secrets for unforgettable family adventures’ – with all of the attractions described as being a ‘lifesaver’ during half term, thanks to their immersive learning experiences. 

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Inside Bolton Museum
Inside Bolton Museum
Bolton Museum has been crowned the best free museum to visit in the UK / Credit: Bolton Council

Whether you’re interested in history, science, or art, these top-rated venues promise an engaging experience for all ages, and all without having to pay a penny.

Surprisingly, it’s Bolton Museum – which is found on the Grade II-listed Le Mans Crescent in the town centre, dates back to 1852, and has been a part of the leisure and education of Boltonians for over 120 years – which takes the number one spot on the list, with 93% of visitors giving the attraction a five-star rating and review.

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The Council-owned public attraction is also home to an art gallery, library, and aquarium too, as well as the museum.

Some of the popular exhibitions inside the town centre-based facility include the Egyptology, Archaeology & World Cultures section, which is actually one of the largest regional collections in the UK, made up of over 10,000 archaeological objects, and a wide range of Zoology, Geology, and Palaeontology sections.

The museum is in the heart of the town’s centre, along with art the library, art gallery, and aquarium / Credit: Google Maps

There’s also an extensive local history section, with 38,000 objects from the 17th to 20th century relating to Bolton.

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In total, Greater Manchester has seven free museums and art galleries that rank in the top 100 list, including Greater Manchester Police Museum & Archives at 13, the People’s History Museum in the 78th spot, and The Manchester Museum taking 89th place.

Read more:

The North West as a whole is the region with the second most free cultural attractions in the UK, with 28 free places to visit across the wider region.

Featured Image – Bolton Council

Art & Culture

Manchester streaming platform StreamGM unveils four-part creative industry careers podcast

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

A new four-part podcast by StreamGM featuring some of Greater Manchester’s top creatives has launched with the aim of powering creative careers.

Produced by Rebecca Swarray, a.k.a. ‘RebeccaNeverBecky’ – the founder of the Manchester events and arts collective – this podcast is designed to “ignite and elevate creative careers in music.”

Swarray deep dives into the current Manc music scene and beyond with the help of fellow insiders who vary upon each episode.

There are four parts in this latest series and there’s lots to cover, especially in an industry that’s ever-changing and ever-challenging.

Some of the guests and speakers you can expect to listen to on ICAM.
Some of the guests and speakers you can expect to listen to on ‘ICAM’ (In Conversations and Masterclasses)
Credit: StreamGM/The Manc Group

Listeners can expect to learn all about ‘Women Behind The Music’ as part of the In Conversations and Masterclasses series with Sophie Bee, Sara Garvey and Kat Brown.

The next episode delves into another key music industry area, ‘Promoters, Venues And Events’, which is broken down by Baz Plug One, Strutty, Tashadean Wood and Liv McCafferty.

‘Artist Development And Management’ features Karen Boardman, Karen Gabay, Damian Morgan, and Via Culpan deep in discussion.

The final episode in this four-part series is ‘Videography And Photography In The Creative Industries’, which sees Johan Reitan, Alice Kanako and Ahmani Vidal talking all things visual.

These four features will be an incredible resource for any creative talents as it put together by professionals for upcoming professionals of any age from any background, race, gender and walk of life.

After all, that’s what is all about, right?

Abbreviated to ‘ICAM’, the podcast is certainly one to check out, with for aspiring artist managers, producers, photographers, promoters—anyone driven to make their mark in music and events.

These podcast sessions understand industry challenges, explore career journeys, creative influences, crisis management and lots more creative field concerns.

You can find the first episode in full down below:

The first episode of the new limited StreamGM podcast.

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This run of shows is the second instalment by StreamGM: Greater Manchester’s phenomenal streaming platform dedicated to all things music, nightlife and culture.

Whether you’re a budding creative arts talent or just curious to find out insights into this wonderful innovative industry, you can listen to all the episodes from the series directly on StreamGM HERE.

Elsewhere in Greater Manchester music news, another very special event is kicking off very soon:

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

Featured Images — Publicity Picture (Supplied)/The Manc Group

Art & Culture

Iconic music festival Suffragette City is returning to Manchester

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Suffragette City, known for its cracking performances by the greatest female and non-binary acts, is returning to Manchester next month.

Aptly named after the Suffragette movement, this event celebrates and supports ‘women and gender expansive folk’ through charity work and fantastic club nights, bringing together women and non-binary performers, DJs, artists and more for some non-stop music entertainment.

Even better, this club night is being hosted around International Women’s Day, meaning there’s even more reasons to dance the night away.

Manchester was one of the pioneering cities when it came to campaigning for womens’ right to vote.

Emmeline Pankhurst’s efforts will never be forgotten, as she and her fellow advocates managed to securing womens’ right to vote in 1918, a date that is cemented in UK and worldwide history. So much so, there’s a statue of her which sits heroically in St. Peter’s Square overlooking the city centre and all of its many commuters.

This event is named in honour of that very movement.

This year, Suffragette City is being hosted at one of Manchester’s most-esteemed nightlife venues, Yes Bar, where they will be taking over all four floors and you’ll be able to catch some of the hottest talent including Sarah Bates and Afrodeutsche.

As well as making sure people are having a brilliant time, this club night also aims to raise lots of money for a variety of important local charities and causes, all of which help women and non-binary people with different resources.

All the money from each ticket sale goes straight back to the charities MASH (Manchester Action on Street Health), Every Month, SAWN (Support and Action Women’s Network), and Contact Hostel.

A female led music festival is returning to Manchester later this year
The Pink Room line up returning to Manchester later this year
Iconic music festival Suffragette City is returning to Manchester next month / Credit: Supplied

As much as technology may be our new best friend, you’ll also find a handful of volunteers spread throughout the venue with buckets for you to put physical donations into, and you can also help contribute by purchasing merchandise online or at the event.

And to make the event even more accessible, for the first time ever, it will broadcast globally online thanks to an exciting collaboration with StreamGM – a not-for-profit streaming service showcasing music, culture, and nightlife from Greater Manchester – and their underground clubbing series, Main Room.

So whether you’re in Manchester, Madrid, Melbourne, or anywhere in between, you’ll be able to experience the magic of Suffragette City from the comfort of your own home.

Suffragette City is returning to Manchester on Saturday 8 March, which is International Women’s Day, and tickets are already on sale HERE.

There’s also an official JustGiving link dedicated to raising even more money for the event’s chosen charities which is live now.

Read more:

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

Featured Image – Publicity Picture (Supplied)

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