Manchester Museum had queues stretching down the street this weekend when it finally reopened its doors.
The cultural institution has been closed for around 18 months while it underwent a £15m transformation project.
And Mancs have clearly missed the museum, with thousands rushing down to see its new look over the weekend.
Manchester Museum officially reopened on Saturday, showcasing its modern new two-storey extension, revamped cafe and gift shop, and brand new exhibition spaces.
It attracted around 5,500 visitors each day, and is expected to remain busy throughout the week.
Upon seeing the queues outside, the museum’s director Esme Ward said on Twitter that she was ‘an emotional wreck’.
She wrote on Saturday: “Oh my goodness, people queuing to visit @McrMuseum. Am now an emotional wreck.”
Then on Sunday, alongside another queue photo, she added: “And again today.. Manchester, you’re amazing.”
Wendy Gallagher, Head of Visitor Teams at Manchester Museum, said: “We’re thrilled to have opened our doors once again and be able to welcome people back into the museum. Our visitors are what make the museum what it is and it was such a joy to see the building full of excited faces during our reopening weekend.
The South Asia Gallery at Manchester Museum. Credit: The Manc GroupThe new extension at Manchester Museum. Credit: The Manc GroupThe new exhibition hall at Manchester Museum. Credit: The Manc Group
“The museum is likely to be very busy all week so we are advising people to book free tickets for Golden Mummies of Egypt to guarantee entry to this exhibition.
“When you’re here, please speak to a member of staff if you need some time out and to use a quiet room. We also have ear defenders and mindful activities available at the welcome desk.”
The £15 million transformation of Manchester Museum has been supported by UK Government through DCMS and Arts Council England, and by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The University of Manchester, and numerous philanthropic supporters.
New spaces inside include a brand new Exhibition Hall, which will open with the blockbuster exhibition Golden Mummies of Egypt, filled with more than 100 objects and eight mummies.
There’s also the South Asia Gallery (a partnership with the British Museum), which will be the UK’s first permanent space to explore the lived experience of South Asian diaspora communities.
All that is alongside the existing collections of fossils and other objects from natural sciences and human cultures.
Featured image: Manchester Museum
Art & Culture
The Manchester charity that’s championing the community one step at a time
Thomas Melia
There’s a Manchester-based charity which is helping uplift and champion communities throughout the city centre and wider Greater Manchester region.
Us Mancs certainly know a thing or two about community, whether it’s our influential music scene, football clubs, our hospitality scene and so on, but Forever Manchester takes this to the next level.
This charity has been consistently funding and supporting community initiatives throughout Greater Manchester by helping people achieve the extraordinary, all while maintaining plenty of local pride.
Forever Manchester was born from a mission to support the people and places that make Greater Manchester magic, and is all about making sure the community is at the forefront of everything they do.
Credit: Forever Manchester
The community-first charity has invested over £65 million into local communities and awarded £517,968 to over 100 different community groups.
This isn’t a new charity either, Forever Manchester has been deep in our city’s culture for quite some time since launching in 1989, most notably commissioning local poet Tony Walsh’s ‘This is the Place’.
The piece was originally published in 2012 before finding a very special place in our hearts back in 2017 when Walsh performed the poem at a vigil for the Manchester Arena attack.
This love letter to Manchester has not only gone on to become a part of the city’s history but also reaffirmed this organisation’s place throughout communities in the region.
Credit: Supplied
Now, the community-minded charity is ready to make a mark in 2025 with a whole host of initiatives, including a Forever Manchester lottery, pub quizzes, comedy nights and disco bingo.
Anyone looking to find out more information about this community-first charity and see some examples of the work it does can visit Forever Manchester’s official website.
Remember, this is a city that looks after its own – that’s the kind of energy we want to see you keeping up all year long.
And, if you have a soft spot for a tote bag or wall art prints, look no further than Forever Manchester’s shop, where every purchase directly contributes to community activities in Greater Manchester HERE.
A candlelit concert and drone show is visiting Manchester later this year
Thomas Melia
A drone show that doubles as a candlelit concert is stopping off in Manchester this autumn after visiting countries across the globe.
What’s better than a candlelit concert, I hear you ask? Well, how about a candlelit concert that also doubles as a drone show?
The masterminds at DroneArt Show have figured out a way to combine the two mesmerising experiences into one unforgettable night, and we are definitely not complaining.
You can expect to see visual displays in the sky of swans, parrots and even a ballerina, all of which will be synchronised to some of the greatest classical arrangements.
The DroneArt Show is visiting Manchester on 19 and 20 September.You can watch a candlelit concert and a drone show all in one night.Credit: DroneArtShow
While you sit back and gaze at these majestic illuminations, your ears will be delighted with the wonderful tunes and melodies of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Vivaldi’s ‘The Four Seasons’ and more.
As you watch this 65-minute-long show, your whole night will be soundtracked by a live string quartet as you’re surrounded by a 20,000 candlelit display and a synchronised team of 500 drones up above.
With this show expected to start at 8pm and run for just over an hour, families attending this event don’t have to worry about their child staying up past their usual bedtime.
And, you might not have to worry about the cost of an extra ticket, because if your little one is three or under, they get access to the candlelit concert and drone show for free.
Expect a live string quartet paired with synchronised drones.The DroneArt Show has travelled the world now stopping off in Manchester.Just a few examples of what the Manchester drone show will look like. (Credit: Supplied)
The organisers are encouraging anyone attending to get there early in order to secure the best seats for the night and sample some of the delicacies that the on-site food vendors have to offer.
Anyone looking to start their music enrichment early can do so too, as the full DroneArt Show programme is readily available to view, as well as all the information you need to know before you go.
The DroneArt Show is coming to Barton Aerodrome in Manchester across two dates: Friday, 19 and 20 September, with doors expected to open at 6pm and a kick-off time of 8pm.
Daisy Jackson -
20th February 2023 
