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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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.
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
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 26 May – 1 June 2025
Emily Sergeant
It’s bank holiday Monday and schools are out for half term.
May has been in full bloom for the last couple of weeks, especially as Manchester Flower Festival is still here, and with June arriving at the end of this week, there’s absolutely no shortage of things for the whole family to be getting up to in Greater Manchester.
Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though? No worries.
We’ve chosen a few of the highlights for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide, both free things, and those that’ll set you back a few pennies too.
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The Dachshund Pup Up Cafe
Manchester City Centre
Monday 26 May
The Dachshund Pup Up Cafe / Credit: Supplied
Are you a big dachshund fan? Love seeing lots of little sausage dogs in the same place? Looking for your little pup to make some sausage friends? Don’t even have a sausage dog but want to join in on the fun anyway?
Well you’re in luck, as the Dachshund Pup Up Cafe is back in our city for its second time this year… and what better day than bank holiday Monday.
Organisers are expecting more than 250 dachshunds to join in on the fun this time around, and there’s loads for them to look forward to.
Manchester Flower Festival 2025 / Credit: Manchester BID
Manchester is blooming with colour once again as the city’s annual Flower Festival has returned this late May bank holiday weekend.
Now in its eighth year, and always billed as being the city’s most Instagrammable event in the annual calendar, The Manchester Flower Festival is a fabulous floral spectacle that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors into Manchester city centre.
This year’s festival, which is organised annually by Manchester BID, is celebrating Manchester and other great cities around the world.
From the vibrant tulip fields of Amsterdam, to the urban energy of New York’s Statue of Liberty, and the high-tech influence of Singapore, this year’s theme is wide open for interpretation, and offers contributing gardeners the chance to showcase their designs which interpret the beauty of cities through iconic landmarks, floral heritage, or personal connections to global hotspots.
The GM Walking Festival is back for 2025, and it’s bigger than ever.
Coordinated by Greater Manchester Moving, and organised in alignment with National Walking Month, the month-long celebratory festival invites people from all across the region to experience the joy of walking and wheeling throughout May.
The festival brings together more than 400 free organised group walks hosted by local organisations and community groups in every borough of Greater Manchester.
Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You / Credit: Science Museum Group
You can plunge headfirst into the incredible world of our senses at a new immersive museum exhibition that’s now arrived at the Science and Industry Museum.
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Back by popular demand after a successful run over these past two years, but with a fresh new adventure lined up for 2025, Operation Ouch! is giving you the chance to journey through an ear canal covered in gooey wax, squeeze past sticky snot, and delve deeper into how our brains interpret the world.
Tickets to Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You are now on sale, and visitors are being told to prepare themselves for an “epic exploration of the senses”.
Stories – Brought To Life / Credit: The Manc Group
A major new National Portrait Gallery exhibition has arrived in Salford.
The ground-breaking new experience by FRAMELESS Creative has opened at MediaCity, bringing some of the world’s most famous portraits to life like never before.
Stories – Brought to Life will explore the fascinating lives of these figures, who have shaped the UK’s history and culture all the way since the Tudor period, and will combine the highest quality digital projection, Hollywood-style visual effects, and the latest audio technology, along with specially created musical scores and creative narratives to shine a new light on each individual.
Visitors will be able to step inside iconic portraits including Grayson Perry, Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Emmeline Pankhurst, Queen Elizabeth I, and William Shakespeare.
Balcony Greening Workshops / Credit: National Trust
Free balcony greening workshops are happening across Greater Manchester this spring to help people create their own ‘mini wildlife havens’.
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The National Trust is on a mission to help city dwellers create their own green spaces through its ‘Sky Gardening Challenge’, with the conservation charity encouraging people with balconies to ‘grow and green’ the town or city they live in from skyline spaces in the hopes that it’ll enhance their connection to nature and improve their wellbeing, all while helping wildlife thrive at the same time.
City dwellers can get a free balcony gardening guide, free seeds, and free workshops in collaboration with lots of brilliant community organisations across the region.
Classes are happening across the borough on selected dates up until 7 June, and you can find out more and book here.
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COMING SOON – Circolo Popolare
St Michael’s
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COMING SOON – Circolo Popolare / Credit: The Manc Group
Get ready to say Ciao to Circolo Popolare, Manchester’s newest Italian restaurant opening over in Gary Neville’s fancy St Michael’s development early next month, because we got to have a little look around and can confirm it’s an absolute feast for the senses.
From the jasmine-covered ceiling to the windows full of vintage booze bottles, all the way down to the hand-painted crockery, she’s certainly a looker.
On the menus you’ll find authentic Neapolitan pizzas, huge pasta bowls, authentic plates, and a gigantic wibbly-wobbly tower of a lemon meringue pie – plus cocktails poured from animal-shaped jugs.
It’s officially opening on 6 June and this is one you want to get straight in your calendar.
L.S. Lowry’s iconic masterpiece ‘Going to the Match’ is being brought to life right before your eyes in this brand-new exhibition now open at The Lowry.
Lowry 360 is an immersive experience forming part of the legendary The Lowry theatre’s 25th anniversary programme, and it means that, for the first time ever, you can see one of Manchester’s most famous paintings by, arguably, the city’s most famous artist come to life through sight and sound.
Better yet, after you’ve immersed yourself in this incredible experience, then you can then see the actual painting in the full gallery – Modern Life: The LS Lowry Exhibition.
Legendary musical The Rocky Horror Show is back in Manchester this week.
Having been seen by over 35 million theatregoers since it first debuted, The Rocky Horror Show will be making a grand return to one of Manchester’s biggest stages this week, and it’s starring none other than Australian superstar, Jason Donovan.
The Rocky Horror Show tells the story of two squeaky clean college kids, who meet the charismatic Dr Frank-n-Furter when, by a twist of fate, their car breaks down outside a creepy mansion whilst on their way to visit their former college professor.
It’s described as being an adventure filled with fun, frolics, frocks, and frivolity, and you can find out more and get last-minute tickets here.
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Half Term 50% Off Pass
Oxygen at MediaCity
Monday 26 May – Sunday 1 June
Half Term Pass / Credit: Jamie McPhilimey
Now that schools are out, families can get themselves one of Oxygen at MediaCity’s Half Term Pass, which gives pass holders the chance to visit the newly-opened £2.5m indoor activity park on any five days of the two-week break for 60 minutes of ‘Open Play’.
Weekends and the bank holiday are also included in the pass, so there’s plenty of time to go.
Kargo on the Docks / Credit: Supplied | Mark Waugh
Kargo on the Docks is back for the summer.
MediaCity’s al fresco dining pop-up has taken over the waterfront and gardens once again with a fresh wave of local food traders and stunning artwork by Salford-based creatives, all as the sun shines down on Salford Quays this summer.
A handful of Greater Manchester’s most popular independents have set themselves up Quayside inside those signature re-imagined shipping containers.
Foodies can expect a menu packed with bold new flavours including Caribbean, Lebanese, Mexican, Ethiopian, and Pan-Asian dishes.
Little Tikes x Bluey / Credit: Bluey | Wikimedia Commons
Fancy taking your little Mancs to meet Bluey herself this half term?
As schools across Greater Manchester are out for half term this week, toy manufacturers Little Tikes are heading to MediaCity, and bringing everyone’s favourite adventurous puppy Bluey along for the ride too… oh and better yet, it’s all completely free.
This day-long event – which is to celebrate the launch of Little Tikes and Bluey’s collaboration – will feature an abundance of Little Tikes toys for kids to try out, while parents can put their feet up and watch some Bluey on the big outdoor screen.
A popular festival full of pop-up live music, performance, food, drink, and family fun is back in Swinton this weekend.
Returning to the Salford town for the third year running at some of Swinton’s favourite venues and well-known locations, Swinton Sounds – which is a collaboration between Salford City Council and From The Other – is all about celebrating the local area and its vibrant community.
Throughout the weekend, local venues will welcome a lineup of Greater Manchester’s best musicians and DJs in a programme curated by the team behind the Sounds from the Other City festival.
Featured Image – Supplied | Pup Up Cafe | National Trust
Art & Culture
Manchester’s popular LGBTQ+ Film Festival returns this summer – and you can choose what’s screened
Thomas Melia
Manchester’s LGBTQ+ Film Festival is back later this year, and it’s set to be bigger and better than its summer debut.
SCENE, the LGBTQ+ film festival, is making its grand return to Manchester and is taking over some of the city centre’s most notable and popular locations.
Anyone attending can expect lots of fun – including screenings, panels, celebrations, parties, and above all, more pride than ever before.
Last year saw lots of familiar queer stars from TV and showbiz hosting events in iconic venues across Manchester city centre.
New Century Hall held a Queer As Folk screening, Q&A, and afterparty with original cast members such as Antony Cotton, alongside Owain Wyn Evans and Russell T Davies, while Davina DeCampo made an appearance at Fairfield Social Club to host a cabaret night named ‘Dragged to the Movies’, inspired by this queer film-centric festival.
SCENE Festival is returning to Manchester later this year / Credit: Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)
First Street Manchester got involved too, with a ‘Camp Cult Classics’ movie-marathon, screening films such as The Wiz, Grease 2, and Xanadu.
Even after its inaugural year, this LGBTQ+ film festival has rooted itself into Manchester’s cultural calendar, becoming a must-see event for the city… and this year’s edition will be no different.
Usual venues such as HOME, Aviva Studios,Gay Village, and of course the First Street Outdoor cinema, will all be making a fabulous return for the festival’s second year celebrations.
This year, the festival is also partnering with The Queer Filmmakers Network for a short film submission programme titled ‘Out of MCR: SCENE Queer Shorts Showcase’, where creatives can make a short film connected to Greater Manchester that can be broadcast throughout the event, if selected by the panel.
Alongside this, a curated selection of submitted films will be screened during SCENE Festival, and audiences have the opportunity to vote their favourite – with the winner announced on 20 August.
Gary Williams, Head of Events at CityCo, who are the producers of SCENE Festival, commented: “We were blown away by the response to the first SCENE Festival – the audiences, the energy, and the love for queer storytelling in all its forms.
“We’re thrilled to bring it back for 2025 as part of Manchester’s iconic Pride celebrations”.
Isobel Stainsbury, Senior Engagement Manager at Manchester Pride, added: “As we continue to grow and evolve, we welcome more events that spotlight the diversity of our communities while fundraising for Manchester Pride to ensure we can continue to celebrate, promote the rights, equality and visibility of LGBTQ+ people in Greater Manchester.”
SCENE, the LGBTQ+ Film Festival, is coming to Manchester city centre as part of Manchester Pride from 15 to 19 August – with a full lineup and tickets to be released HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
19th February 2025 
