Manchester Museum absolutely knocked out of the park on its reopening week, with a whopping 52,000 people paying a visit.
In case you hadn’t heard, Manchester Museum had been closed for around 18 months while it underwent a £15 million transformation project – but it officially reopened on Saturday 18 February, and has been showing off its modern new two-storey extension, revamped cafe and gift shop, and brand new exhibition spaces ever since.
It looks like Mancs have clearly missed the cultural institution too, with the reopening weekend seeing thousands rushing down to check out its new look over the weekend.
And now, it’s been revealed that the total visitor numbers for the first week was an impressive 52,000.
Manchester Museum saw a massive 52,000 people visit during its opening week / Credit: Manchester Museum
The museum’s director, Esme Ward, previously said she was “an emotional wreck” after seeing the now-viral scenes of people queueing down the streets to get in.
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“Manchester, you’re amazing” she added on Twitter.
Having first opened in 1890, and housed inside a neo-Gothic building designed by Alfred Waterhouse, Manchester Museum is one of the largest university museums in the country.
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Inside its doors, the popular attraction has more than 4.5 million objects from natural sciences and human cultures.
The 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 the museum now include a brand new Exhibition Hall, which has opened with the blockbuster exhibition Golden Mummies of Egypt, and is filled with more than 100 objects and eight mummies, as well as the new South Asia Gallery – a partnership with the British Museum – which is the UK’s first permanent space to explore the lived experience of South Asian diaspora communities.
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All that is alongside the existing collections of fossils and other objects from natural sciences and human cultures.
One of the most immediate differences from the museum’s £15 million transformation though is the new accessible entrance straight off Oxford Road – which brings visitors straight into a stunning new gift shop.
The museum had been closed while it underwent a £15 million transformation project / Credit: Chris Bull (via Manchester Museum)
There’s also a new dinosaur in town too, who’s joined the museum’s legendary T-Rex Stan.
Dating back to the Cretaceous period, and having been found in the US state of Montana, April the Tenontosaurus has taken up her place in the former entrance beside the Fossils Gallery
Other new features created during the transformation project include a Changing Places toilet, prayer room, quiet room, picnic area, and therapy room.
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Find out more about what’s on at Manchester Museum here.
Featured Image – Chris Bull (via Manchester Museum)
Art & Culture
Corn Exchange has a cute new vending machine strictly for pre-loved books
Danny Jones
Every now and again we stumble across a clever little idea and we think ‘why hasn’t someone thought of this idea before?’ That was definitely the case when heard about Corn Exchange’s new vending machine for books.
Having appeared in the popular city centre food hall and trader spot only earlier this week, most people might be unaware of the Corn Exchange‘s fun new initiative and some people might have walked straight past it without noticing what’s actually in it — yet another reason we love stuff like this.
The concept is called ‘Read. Swap. Repeat.’ and the idea is to not only keep people reading when they come into the city or are perhaps staying here in the likes of the Corn Exchange, but also to provide a home for pre-loved books with an added incentive.
It’s a great little idea, isn’t it? You even get a free bookmark for your trouble.
As you can see, all you need to use the vending machine is to bring a book with you, ask a member of staff for a token and then select which generously donated second-hand read you want to select for yourself.
Beyond just being a cool and interesting way to entertain local book lovers and hopefully get more people reading again, it’s also good for the environment as it provides yet another outlet for people to donate their old texts without any waste.
So, if you’re looking for a new read or looking to share one of your favourite old books with someone else, why not give it a try?
Manchester to be filled with fresh blooms as annual Flower Festival returns this summer
Emily Sergeant
Manchester is set to become one of the most picturesque places in the UK this summer, as the city gets dressed up in celebration of the annual Flower Show.
Back by popular demand for its fifth year, the four-day festival – which is often dubbed the “most Instagramable event of the year” – will see Manchester bloom to life and be draped from head to toe in magnificent floral displays.
Plants and flowers will be seen covering landmark buildings, shop windows, doorways, balconies, statues, fountains, and more right across the city centre.
Taking place over the late May bank holiday, festival organisers say to expect a “fabulous floral spectacle” – with a dedicated ‘Manchester in Flowers’ floral trail gearing up to be the star of this year’s show, and several other stunning show gardens and green installations all set to weave through central streets.
Manchester to be filled with fresh blooms as annual Flower Festival returns this summer / Credit: The Manc Group
Organised annually by Manchester BID, the festival usually sees tens of thousands of people flock to the city centre – and this year will be no different.
With the event now only a few months away, festival organisers are on the hunt for budding and professional gardeners, florists, landscapers, businesses, charities, community groups, and schools across the region to be part of the celebrations.
Manchester Flower Festival is known for offering both seasoned and aspiring gardeners the chance to showcase their talent, while helping to create “a unique floriated experience across the city” – with opportunities open this year to lend a hand with large-scale headline gardens and displays, floristry displays, and smaller ‘Bijou’ gardens.
The annual event gives both seasoned and aspiring gardeners the chance to showcase their talents / Credit: Manchester BID
Local traders can also sign-up to sell the Festival Market, which will feature everything from plants, and produce, to garden decor, street food, art, and so much more.
Businesses in the city centre are also being encouraged to show their support for the festival by creating window, building, or in-store displays, and hosting dedicated events, and food and drinks specials.
Volunteers are also needed to help at this year’s event, with festival organisers promising the chance to “gain valuable experience” and enjoy being part of the team at one of the city’s annual flagship events.
Find out more about Manchester Flower Festival 2023 here.
Emily Sergeant -
6th March 2023 
