This spring half-term, families can explore a host of Manchester firsts at the city’s famous Science and Industry Museum.
Home to a host of inspiring innovations, clever contraptions and construction-themed activities designed to suit all ages, from 2 to 18 April families can explore the city’s revolutionary heritage and cutting-edge science through a range of hands-on activities and live science shows.
From an indoor ‘builders’ playground filled with larger-than-life foam cubes, bricks and cogs, to an incredible moving sculpture that brings cartoons to life, there’s loads of fun to be had whether your kid’s a dreamer or a hands-on builder.
In the newly revamped Experiment gallery, visitors can play with a new selection of interactive experiences.
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Here, you can use a thermal camera to learn about heat energy, make magnetic art and even throw some shapes on the museum’s new interactive shadow wall.
Image: Science Museum Group
Elsewhere, in the brand-new Mega Makers indoor playground, little ones can build their own contraptions by stacking and connecting large foam cubes and bricks – drawing inspiration from the building work currently going on at the museum to restore and transform the historic site.
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Storytime is held daily between the hours of 1030-11am, and 1.30-2pm, with curious kids invited to settle down with the Explainer team as they enter into the world of Izzy Gizmo, a girl who loves to invent.
During storytime, children are encouraged to immerse themselves in her tale with actions and props before exploring the Mega Makers activity where they can go on to create their very own invention.
This means some areas including the Power Hall remain closed to the public and there is ongoing work being done to revamp the Revolution Manchester Gallery. However, there’s still plenty for families to do, see and enjoy during the holiday period.
The Science and Industry Museum in Manchester. Credit: Science Museum Group
Inventors of all ages can investigate clever contraptions with expert Explainers at Science Stops around the museum, discover how to take an idea from a curious concept to a real-life creation, then get crafty and design their own inventions to solve problems you never knew you had.
There’s plenty of fun activities for younger visitors too. Under fives can borrow one of the Construction Packs containing a high-vis jacket, hard hat and wooden tools—everything little ones need to ‘work’ around the museum.
Free tickets for the Spring Holidays are available now and can be booked in advance through the museum’s website (www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk) or by calling 033 0058 0058.
Feature image – Science Museum Group
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You can step inside a fashion show with Vogue’s immersive ‘Inventing the Runway’ show in Manchester
Thomas Melia
A Vogue immersive show titled ‘Inventing the Runway’ has arrived Manchester, and it’s even co-created by Anna Wintour herself.
Ever fancied learning more about the fashion world? Well, now’s your chance to hear everything you need to know from global fashion leaders and lifestyle magazine Vogue.
The Anna Wintour-approved immersive experience comes alongside the announcement of Factory International‘s Winter lineup, which features another new event all about voyaging to the moon.
Vogue: Inventing the Runway incorporates interviews, visual media and more to help attendees visualise fashion shows of the past, present and future.
Visitors will be surrounded by incredible visuals on all sides (including underfoot), fully stepping inside the world of high fashion.
As well as understanding how fashion shows became the pinnacle of a designer’s vision, this runway-themed display also includes looking back at iconic moments of fashion and pop culture.
‘Inventing the Runway’ by Vogue is focusing on outfits worn by models and A-listers alike, with narration from the one and only Cate Blanchett.
A glimpse inside Vogue: Inventing the Runway. Credit: The Manc Group
You can expect to see curated pieces by significant creative minds in fashion history like Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood and lots more.
Throughout the Vogue experience, as well as coming visually face to face with fashion, you will also hear a soundscape that perfectly reflects this innovative industry with a fusion of classical and pop music.
This fashion exhibition uses the same Lightroom technology behind the impressive David Hockney experience that opened back in December.
Anna Wintour, Chief Content Officer, Condé Nast, and Global Editorial Director, Vogue said: “At Vogue, we’ve been lucky enough over the decades to see many incredible runway shows, which have often told the story of fashion as much as the clothes themselves.”
“This Lightroom experience is a wonderful opportunity for a lot more people to experience first-hand the thrill of watching the history of fashion unfold right in front of them.”
You can experience Vogue’s ‘Inventing the Runway’ immersive show from 18 December to 10 January.
Find out more information and grab your tickets HERE.
Record 37.5 million journeys home for Christmas expected before the big day
Emily Sergeant
Drivers are being told to prepare for long queues, as a record number of festive trips are predicted across the UK ahead of the big day.
With the festive season generally known to make the roads nationwide busier than usual, travel warnings have now been issued to all those making Christmas getaway trips for the holidays – with an annual study by the RAC and INRIX suggesting that 37.5 million journeys are planned before Christmas Day arrives.
With Christmas falling mid-week again this year, the figures are suggesting that drivers are keen to set off early to avoid what will be an undoubtedly frantic coming weekend on the roads.
Around 18% of getaway journeys are expected to be made today and tomorrow (Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 December, respectively).
But, the RAC expects the main wave of festive journeys to start this Friday (19 December) with a whopping 3.6 million trips planned, before this escalates even further to 4.1 million on Saturday (20 December).
A record 37.5 million journeys home for Christmas are expected before the big day/ Credit: Highways Agency (via Unsplash)
The figures predict this will be the busiest Saturday of any Christmas getaway period since its records began in 2013.
Approximately 3.5m journeys are then expected on Sunday (21 December), while a further 5.3 million trips are set to take place at some point between 19 and 21 December, although drivers haven’t decided what day they’ll travel yet.
According to the RAC’s research, there will then be a slight lull in festive trips at the start of Christmas week – with Monday and Tuesday being normal working days for many people – however, volumes of traffic could be at their highest since COVID on Christmas Eve when 4.2 million getaways are expected, making it the single busiest day for getaways over the period.
When it comes to the best and worst times to travel over the festive period, the research has revealed that the times to avoid when travelling along major routes will be from 4:30pm onwards, with queues of more than half an hour expected in Manchester on the M60 clockwise from J7 Altrincham to J18 for the M62 for Leeds.
On the two busiest days over the getaway period – this coming Saturday (20 December) and Christmas Eve – the RAC and INRIX are advising drivers to expect lengthy delays on major roads between 11am and 7pm, as this is when most journeys will be made.
After the big day, drivers are expecting to make 4.6 million journeys on Boxing Day and 4.1 million on Saturday 27 December, as they travel home or continue their celebrations elsewhere.
The Manc -
28th March 2022 
