The world-famous Museum of Illusions is ready to open its doors in Manchester city centre, filled with optical illusions and interactive exhibits.
Inside the new attraction, which opens this week on Market Street, visitors will be able to dangle upside down on a Metrolink tram, have their minds blown in the Vortex Tunnel, and probably learn a thing or two while they’re at it.
This is the Museum of Illusions location in the entire UK, promising mind-bending illusions and curious games around every corner.
Taking over what was formerly the Sports Direct unit on Market Street, and set to open its doors this week, there are dozens of installations to explore.
There’ll be signature Museum of Illusions exhibits like the Walk-in Kaleidoscope, the Vortex Tunnel (where it feels like you’re spinning upside-down) and the Infinity Room (where clever mirrors make it look like there are hundreds of you).
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But also some brand-new, Manchester-exclusive installations, like The Reversed Room, which makes visitors look like they’re hanging upside-down from a Metrolink carriage; and The Building Illusion, where you can dangle, Spider-man-style, from a classic city brick terraced building.
Guests are even welcomed by an Alan Turing illusion, whose eyes follow you around the room as you pass by.
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Museum of Illusions Manchester has loads of different mind-bending installations. Credit: The Manc Group
And every illusion is explained as you make your way around the fully-accessible museum, explaining the intriguing science behind things that play tricks on our brains.
The Museum of Illusions has locations across 25 countries and draws in more than 15 million visitors every year across the globe, but this is its first UK location.
Steven Buchan, general ,anager at Museum of Illusions, commented: “We are delighted to have Manchester chosen as the first UK location for the Museum of Illusions, as it’s known for its vibrant cultural scene, rich history, and reputation as a hub for innovation and creativity.
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“Market Street, with its bustling atmosphere and central location, perfectly complements our mission to make interactive, educational experiences accessible to everyone.
“The Manchester location will offer a unique experience that blends our globally recognised exhibits with specially curated installations inspired by the city’s iconic landmarks and cultural heritage, making it distinct from our other locations around the world.”
The Museum of Illusions opens on Market Street in Manchester city centre on Friday 27 September – you can book your tickets here.
In pictures: Museum of Illusions Manchester
You can put your head into a kaleidoscope. Credit: The Manc GroupYou can put your head into a kaleidoscope. Credit: The Manc GroupThe Vortex Tunnel. Credit: The Manc GroupMerging faces at Museum of Illusions Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupYou can make yourself look giant or tiny in one room. Credit: The Manc GroupThere are loads of interactive exhibitions. Credit: The Manc GroupThe Infinity Room. Credit: The Manc Group
How much are tickets for Museum of Illusions Manchester?
Online / walk-in
Adult (15+) – £21.00 / £23.00
Child (5-14) – £17.50 / £19.50
4 and under – Free
Senior (+65) – £17.50 / £19.50
Student – £17.50 / £19.50
Blue light card holders – £17.50 / £19.50 (Police, Hospital, Firefighters – all service providers with blue lights)
Where to watch the 2026 Six Nations in Manchester city centre
Danny Jones
It’s that time again, the Six Nations is just around the corner, and we can practically taste the Guinness already — that being said, we thought it only right to put together a list of where to watch it and enjoy those pints.
With the tournament kicking off on Thursday, 5 February, we don’t want you scrambling around to find places showing the Six Nations in Manchester; we just want you to sit back and enjoy the games.
So, without further ado, here is our list of the 16 places to watch this year’s Six Nations here in Manchester city centre.
Don’t worry, you’re in good hands.
The best places to watch this year’s Six Nations in Manchester
Speaking of Guinness, as far as Manchester Irish bars go, there’s a very strong argument to be made that there isn’t any better than Mulligans.
A go-to for sports fans and punters in general, not to mention Guinness’ second home in Manchester, this traditional Irish pub, sandwiched just across the road from Spinningfields, will be showing the games and promising live music every night. It’s always good craic in here.
You don’t book here – you just keep your fingers crossed for a table, but now with the added floor upstairs, you’ve got a better chance than ever.
Back once again following the biggest in the whole country, Freight Island are teaming up with Jubel JUBEL Beer to bring another massive fan zone to Depot Mayfield – the question is, will it be even better vibes than last time around?
They’ve done this for a few years now, and certainly it’s always got bigger, and not only more extensive packages available to book, but plenty of room for walk-ins across the multiple rooms, the big warehouse might just be the perfect spot.
Best of all, general admission is completely free, meaning no one has to miss out on the action.
3. Tib Street Tavern – Northern Quarter
No list of Manchester sports bars would be complete without Tib Street Tavern, one of the most popular in NQ or the city centre in general, for that matter.
With recently refurbished booths for you and all your mates to pile into, massive screens filling the walls and solid grub, this place is packed out noon till night, so you’d best book whilst you still can.
You can call them up on 0161 834 1600 for bookings of six or more, but you can still try for a walk-in.
One of the biggest, best and busiest sports bars on this list, BOX on Deansgate brings a real sense of the American sports bar culture with shuffleboard, giant steins of booze, banging food and TV on every wall — including a big 360-jumbotron screen so nobody misses a second.
With all that in mind, it makes for the perfect place for all fans to come along and watch the Six Nations.
Next up, another Irish bar and a chain that still somehow feels like it’s one of ours, even though we know full well that it isn’t. Nevertheless, we love a trip to O’Neills in the Printworks, especially when there’s live sports on the box.
You don’t have to be a Celtic native, ex-pat or Ireland fan to watch the game here, of course, just bring a healthy dose of positivity and a willingness to drink plenty of good Guinness.
See you at the bar, I guess, but we don’t want to hear any lazy attempts at an Irish accent like we did last year (yes, really – it was painful).
Once again, whether you bleed green and gold or not, it doesn’t matter: Kiely’s is a prime location not only to watch the Six Nations in Manchester, but for any live sport and for a solid pint of the black stuff, for that matter.
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Yet another place for Guinness lovers and showing live sport all week-round before the rowdy live music kicks off in the evenings, we’ve spent many a night in here and can heartily recommend it for the rugby and good vibes in general.
We can’t think of many better places for a tipsy sing-song after the game than here; to be honest, you can’t go wrong with pretty much any Irish bar, so here:
For number seven, what better place to slot in than the seven screens over at The Seven Oaks? Tucked away on Nicholas Street just off Mosley St and round the corner from Chinatown, this place is great for watching all manner of sports, so of course they’re showing the Six Nations as well.
This place is always packed with plenty of regulars on matchdays and is even the local for the Northern Spurs fans, and even the Manchester branch of St Pauli Supporters Club from Germany. It’s also known for serving bartenders till late.
One of Manchester longest standing free-house sports bars, having first opened its doors all the way back in 1824, it’s known for having some of the friendliest pub staff you’ll find anywhere in town, as well as now hosting regular live stand-up, music and even the odd theatre production these days. Give it a go.
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8. The Waldorf – Piccadilly
Now, if you’re looking for something right next to the station so you don’t have to walk far for your first pint or, equally, can make a quick exit if the result doesn’t go your way, The Waldorf is the one for you.
Spanning across two floors, with the upstairs not just home to MCFC’s supporters ‘The Cityzen Arms’ but also regularly dedicated to big rugby fan bookings, you’ll catch many a face watching the sport here most weekends.
Again, it fills up quickly, so bag yourself a table while you can HERE.
Located just off Oxford Road Corridor, Brickhouse Social continues to cater to sports fans in the city centre, and its fan zones come tournament time just keep getting bigger and better.
With three floors, including a rooftop terrace, solid slices of pizza up for grabs and plenty of pool tables to keep you busy in between the ruck, this place has everything you need.
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Boasting a total of 12 screens and a state-of-the-art sound system for live entertainment and the club nights downstairs in Kable, this might be one of the best places for atmosphere in Manchester when it comes to summer sports. Book your table at [email protected] or on 0161 236 4899.
Another all-time classic Manchester sports bar, The Directors’ Box, just off St Peter’s Square in the city centre, has plenty of pints and an absolutely mint menu full of sharing platters perfect for watching the game with your mates.
We’ll be straight with you, it isn’t the biggest place for the amount of people that try and get in — it’s a local favourite for a reason — so we’d advise you book your Six Nations table now if you can.
No one likes being the one who suggested a place only to not get in. Trust us, we’ve been that person far too many times – the worst.
We’ve already had a couple of Irish bars on the list, what harm could another do? Third time’s the charm, as they say.
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Mulligans, Kiely’s and O’Sheas: the holy trinity of Manc Irish pubs and just like the other two, this boozer on the corner of Princess Street has a brilliant atmosphere, especially when the rugby’s on.
With great Guinness, classic Irish snacks like Taytos, a solid food menu and live music most nights, what more could you ask for? To be honest, at this point, we might as well just give all the places decked out in green – you won’t go far wrong with any the many mint Irish bars in Manchester.
Not a bad place to go Walkabout… See what we did there?
In all seriousness, the massive pub, club and local nightlife institution has plenty of food, pints and screens to cater to the hordes of punters, and it’s one of the last proper holdouts of Printworks classic lineup following the unfortunate closure of Bierkeller and Shooters (RIP).
Better still, with its Australian roots, there’s a real love for rugby in here, whether you’re a Wallabies, England fan or otherwise. Book your place HERE.
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Credit: The Manc Group
13. The Grosvenor – Oxford Road Corridor (formerly The Footage)
Another student favourite and budget-friendly venue, we spent many a uni day watching live sport in The Footage, and we have to say, no matter how many years and tournaments have gone by, there’s nothing quite like a fever-pitch rugby crowd in this place.
It might have changed name after a short hiatus from the busy student strip, but the prices in here are still great, and it’s looking bigger and better than ever. Big tellies, pool tables, beer pong – they’ve got you sorted from noon until night.
You can, of cours,e book a table if you want to secure the perfect spot, but this place always has plenty of rooms to try your luck with a walk-in.
The penultimate round on this fixture list, not only is this one of the cheapest places for a night in town, possibly the country, but it’s yet another prime location to watch the sport.
It might be very student-heavy most nights of the week, but with a large interior, huge outdoor area with coverage, as well as plenty of value for money grub and bevs up for grabs, you can’t go wrong with the old stomping grounds.
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You are never—we repeat, never too old for Courtyar,d and it NEVER disappoints when the game is on.
‘The Brotherhood of Pastimes and Pursuits’ is another tried and tested favourite come any matchday, and the team over there does a great job of building a proper atmosphere across their two floors. You can tell how much they love sports from the original posters they create for each tournament alone.
It’s a great post-work spot any day of the week, let alone when there are big events on like this. Food, pints, pool, table tennis and more. 10/10, no notes from us.
Not a bad place to love you and leave you to enjoy the Six Nations this year. Walk-ins are welcome, but you’re best reserving your table HERE.
So, if you’re still wondering where to watch the 2026 Six Nations in Manchester, that should be plenty of options for now. It’s one of the biggest competitions on the sporting calendar, and we don’t plan on missing a single second.
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It may still be a bit nippy this time of year, but we’ve never been ones to let the weather put us off going out and having a good time.
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 2 – 8 February 2026
Emily Sergeant
Hello February, it’s nice to see you.
A new month is here, the days are getting lighter, and spring is on the horizon, so of course, we’re really not short of exciting activities and events to be getting up to right across Greater Manchester – with everything from 360° walk-through projection shows and pie festivals happening this week.
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 are featured.
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The Festival of Pie 2026
The Black Friar
Monday 2 – 28 February
The Festival of Pie 2026 / Credit: The Manc Group
Did someone say £10 pie? The Festival of Pie is back at The Black Friar is Salford, and in case you didn’t know, that means delicious handmade pies are yours for a bargain price all month long.
Pick from the classic meat and potato, or opt for something a little different like garlic, chicken and leek, mushroom keema and onion bhaji, and our personal favourite, the truffle dauphinoise. Plus, you can add sides like mash and peas for just £3.
The deal is available all day Monday and Tuesday, and 12pm-6.30pm Wednesday to Friday, so don’t miss out before it’s too late.
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LUMINISCENCE
Manchester Cathedral
Monday 2 February – 26 March
LUMINISCENCE / Credit: Supplied
Manchester Cathedral has been lit up with a ‘truly stunning’ new 360° walk-through projection show this winter.
Combining 360° video mapping, new orchestral arrangements of iconic songs, and a narrative story celebrating everything that makes Manchester and its residents so special, visitors are now invited to step into a ‘spellbinding fusion’ of light, sound, and storytelling.
LUMINISCENCE pays tribute to Manchester’s rich cultural heritage through specially arranged orchestral renditions of iconic anthems – with the setlist including songs by Oasis, The Verve, Joy Division, and Elbow, just to name a few.
A huge gaming event is happening in Manchester at the moment.
With more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play, Power UP at the Science and Industry takes ticket-holders on a journey through five decades of gaming, with everything from retro arcade games, to state-of-the-art virtual reality, and so much more.
Power UP is taking place each weekend only throughout this month, with each ticket including unlimited play all day.
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.
Manchester’s swankiest postcode has a brand new resident, and just days after quietly opening its doors, it’s already looking pretty popular.
Kouba is a brand-new Lebanese spot serving everything from brunches and coffees, to Middle Eastern grills and shisha. It’s an all-day, beautiful restaurant with a menu of freshly-cooked, halal food, and it’s going to be absolutely rammed.
Looking to escape the elements and have your mind boggled this winter? Sounds like a trip to Museum of Illusions is on the cards then.
It’s time to let your competitive side out – get ready to experience the city’s most unique attraction like never before. Race through the vortex, create the best mirror image, and complete the brain gym the fastest to win the dazzling trophy at the end.
Whether you’re team building with your work lot, or taking your mates for a bit of healthy competition, it’s a great one to have a go at.
Horrible Histories – The Concert / Credit: BBC / Supplied
For the very first time, your favourite songs and characters from the BAFTA Award-winning CBBC TV series Horrible Histories will be appearing live (and dead) on stage in our city.
Taking to the Manchester Opera House stage, featuring a live band performing the sensational TV songs, including guest appearances from Charles II, Dick Turpin and a bunch of Vikings that we couldn’t stop barging through the stage door, this is one show you don’t want to miss.
A brand-new dessert spot has opened its doors (or should that be windows) in Ancoats this week, and there’s just one thing on the menu… tiramisu. Layr is a hole-in-the-wall for dessert, with three different tiramisu flavours on offer – pistachio, matcha, and classic.
These perfectly-portioned puds are all freshly-made, alcohol-free, and halal.
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Bubble Planet Experience
Depot Mayfield
Saturday 7 February – onwards
Manchester will welcome a ‘dreamlike world’ filled with giant colourful bubbles this week when Bubble Planet Experience arrives.
Bubble Planet Experience has already been visited by more than four million people in cities across the globe, but now it’s time for its first trip to Manchester, where it’ll pop up inside Depot Mayfield, and visitors will be able to explore 10 themed rooms, each one offering a different surreal landscape that will ‘blur the boundaries between dream and reality’.
Tim Burgess – Live and In Conversation / Credit: Supplied
Tim Burgess returns to AO Arena by popular demand, once again, for Q&A-Sides with Chris Hawkins.
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Fans of the iconic musician are in for a treat, as you’ll be treated to an intimate evening of acoustic music and conversation.
This setting offers a unique opportunity for fans to connect with The Charlatans frontman, as he reflects on his storied career, musical inspirations, and personal anecdotes, so expect candid stories, unforgettable music, and more.
Read our full interview with Tim and get your last-minute tickets here.
Daisy Jackson -
24th September 2024 
