You’ll soon be able to come face-to-face with one of the most famous dinosaurs of all time at as part of a new exhibition in Manchester.
Just in time for schools across Greater Manchester to break up for October half term, Manchester Museum’s newest exhibition, Triceratops: Eat, Roam, Repeat, will open to the public offering a close encounter with one of the most iconic dinosaurs in history.
Visitors will get the chance to come up close and personal with an incredible fossilised Triceratops skull as part of a family-friendly experience that will reveal how this three-horned giant lived, what it ate, and how it survived battles with predators like the mighty T. rex and more.
The exhibition – which opens later this month – is set to start with an ‘atmospheric glimpse’ into the Cretaceous world that Triceratops once inhabited.
Following this, visitors are invited to dive into the story of Triceratops in more detail, using its anatomy to reveal how it would have lived.
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A range of comparisons with other animals like bighorn sheep, deer, peacocks, and parrots will help visitors understand how traits and behaviours can echo across millions of years.
And then, at the heart of it all is, of course, the 1.9-metre long skull, which serves as a ‘striking connection’ to a lost ecosystem.
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“So many of us have a love of dinosaurs as kids and it’s not hard to see why,” commented Glenn Roadley, who is the Curator of Zoology at Manchester Museum. “But many people grow out of this curiosity as they get older, so we’re hoping this exhibition not only inspires the junior palaeontologists but also reignites that old flame among adults too.
Mancs can soon come face-to-face with one of the most famous dinosaurs of all time / Credit: Chris Bull | Manchester Museum
“Triceratops: Eat, Roam, Repeat is built around a rare Triceratops skull fossil, which is in Manchester for a limited time only, and we hope this incredible specimen will provide a portal into a fascinating lost world while also helping us to better understand the animals we share our planet with today.”
The exhibition will include interactive elements, such as a digital touch replica of the Triceratops skull that will allow visitors to feel its facial features in order to learn more about each element, and there’ll also he a hands-on fossil dig to learn how palaeontologists piece together the past.
Triceratops: Eat, Roam, Repeat officially opens at Manchester Museum on opens this month on 25 October and runs until 22 February 2026 – with the exhibition being free to enter, but tickets still needing to be booked in advance.
Horror film festival Grimmfest announces fear-filled return to Manchester next month
Emily Sergeant
Spooky season is just around the corner, and now a popular horror film has announced its return to Manchester next month.
Grimmfest, also known as Manchester’s International Festival of Fantastic Film, has confirmed its 2026 return dates, and has also announced its the full lineup – with four fear-filled days planned, showcasing the best in brand-new horror genre cinema.
You can expect some ferocious feature films, a savage selection of shorts, hair-raising horror classics back on the big screen, and more premieres than ever before.
Returning to Odeon Great Northern early next month, Grimmfest audiences will have an exclusive opportunity to see many of the films on the lineup long before their formal release – with both world, UK, and international premieres on the cards.
Some of the programme’s highlights this year include the UK premiere of Zachary Wigon’s darkly comedic period piece, Victorian Pyscho, shot in Ireland and starring big-name stars Maika Monroe, Jason Isaacs, Thomasin McKenzie, and Ruth Wilson.
Ángel Gómez Hernández’s Crawlers will also make its UK debut at the festival, and horror fans are also said to be eagerly awaiting Jason Lei Howden’s Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon – which is the highly anticipated follow-up to the beloved cult metal comedy-horror, Deathgasm.
There will also be an array of incredible short films screened throughout the festival, all in a huge range of styles, themes, and twisted sensibilities, proving that when it comes to Grimmfest, good things often come in small packages.
Grimmfest has announced its fear-filled return to Manchester next month / Credit: Grimmfest | Krists Luhaers (via Unsplash)
It’s not just new releases you can expect either, as some absolute horror classics are also set to return to the big screen for their anniversaries.
Respected guests from all around the world are set to descend on Manchester for the festival, and that include the film makers and actors from many of the selected films.
And of course there will be plenty of film introductions, Q&As, and signings for fans.
Grimmfest 2026 returns to Oden Great Northern from from 8 – 11 October, and you can see the full lineup and get tickets here.
Featured Image – Grimmfest (Supplied)
Art & Culture
Chester Zoo’s popular FREE Nature Fest returns this weekend with its biggest event yet
Emily Sergeant
A free festival helping people connect to nature is returning for its 10th anniversary, and organisers say it will be their biggest event yet.
Nature Fest is returning to Chester Zoo this weekend, and is set to explore the relationship between nature and wellbeing, with lots of new activities designed to help festivalgoers experience the benefits of connecting with the natural world
Around 4,000 people, and lots of families, are expected to attend across the weekend.
Visitors can take part in animal yoga sessions, relax in a zen den, and explore an interactive nature adventure based around the five pathways to nature connection, traveling along tunnels and through a tree along the way.
There will also be live music, puppetry, crafts, workshops and talks, alongside opportunities to discover how conservationists work to protect wildlife.
Chester Zoo’s popular Nature Fest returns this weekend with its biggest event yet / Credit: Chester Zoo
On top of that, the festival will feature stands from various nature organisations and community groups across the North West, talks and tips from nature professionals, and wildlife-friendly gardening sessions with the zoo’s schools team.
Chester Zoo has also teamed up with Outside Lives Ltd on the festival, giving visitors the chance to take part in other activities like crazy golf, den building, and willow weaving.
“We’re hoping our 10th Nature Fest will be the biggest yet,” commented Chris Ablett, who is the Community Volunteer Assistant Manager at Chester Zoo.
“Chester Zoo is well known for supporting conservation across the world but protecting nature here in the UK is just as important.
“We want people to know there are simple things they can do to help wildlife at home, and Nature Fest is a great way to link up with people and learn new skills you can put into practice in your community, all while enjoying a great day out.”
Chester Zoo’s Nature Fest returns for 2026 this weekend on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September. It’s free to attend, parking is also free, and no booking is required.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd October 2025 
