A visit to Manchester city centre doesn’t have to break the bank. We know money is tight at the moment and following the last two years, we think it’s really important for families to get back out into the city, enjoy themselves and see what it has to offer, without needing to spend a fortune.
There’s a wealth of things to do in Manchester, with a vibrant food and drink scene, busy shopping centre and exciting nightlife, not to mention concerts and sporting events. But did you know that there’s dozens of completely free things to do that will make for a fun day out with the whole family?
We asked YOU what your favourite free things are to do in Manchester - you’d know best, after all - and the responses were fantastic. From parks and walks to exhibitions and libraries, you may even find yourself with a whole itinerary.
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So, pack a picnic, and perhaps a brolly this time of year, and discover exactly what Manchester has to offer with these fabulous free things to do in the city.
I’ll start with one of my favourites - John Rylands Library . This historic library was founded by Enriqueta Rylands in memory of her husband John Rylands, who died in 1888. It took ten years to build before it opened to readers and visitors on January 1, 1900.
Now open Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 12pm, and 1.30pm to 5pm, the building on Deansgate holds over 1.4 million items including manuscripts, archives, maps, works of art and objects.
And if books isn’t your bag, The John Rylands Library is one of the finest examples of neo-Gothic architecture in Europe, and recognised as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world.
Entrance to the library is free, and you can expect to spend at least half an hour, but probably much longer, admiring the Grade I listed building in all its beauty.
On a similar note, Kerry Wetton suggested the Central Library . She said: “You can go to Central Library too, with lots of old archive footage to watch. You could spend all day in there.”
Located on St Peter’s Square, the library is open 9am to 8pm Monday to Thursday, then 9am to 5pm Friday and Saturday.
Here, you can discover the story of Manchester’s rich history, uncover facts about the past or investigate the lives of your ancestors through rich archives, pictures, records and registers.
Naturally a number of our fantastic museums came up - you could even do a tour of them in one weekend, from the National Football Museum and the Imperial War Museum North to the Science and Industry Museum and Greater Manchester Police Museum.
Able Services, on Twitter, added: “Definitely MOSI! Museum of Science and Industry, fantastic day out for all ages.”
Not strictly in the city but just over the way in Salford, Narin Flanders loves to take her family to Ordsall Hall. She said: “We’ve taken our kids to @OrdsallHall in Salford twice when visiting Manchester for weekends and we all love it.loved it so much we went back a second time when visiting friends.”
Ordsall Hall dates back more than 750 years, although the oldest surviving parts of the present hall were built in the 15th century.
Free to enter, little ones can try on some chainmail, discover some of the foods that would have been cooked at the Hall in the 1500s, and listen to the story of the 450 year old Radclyffe bed. Outside, they can visit the allotment and herb garden, explore the sculptures in the grounds and much more.
Also in Salford, The Lowry often host free exhibitions which are well worth a visit. At the moment (until October 30), there’s the Picture This exhibition, which was recommended by Kate Goerner on Twitter.
Each section of the free family exhibition includes illustrations and artwork from six popular children’s books – which range from much-loved modern works to iconic classics. Alongside, will be filmed extracts from stage productions, with a variety of props, costumes, designs and posters.
Visitors can get involved with drawing, writing, performing, reading and playing and even devise their own production ideas. This is a great one if you’re stuck for things to do this half term - but be sure to keep an eye on their website for future events, too.
Nicole Wootton-Cane, our lovely news reporter, said: “I had a grand old time on the slides at Mayfield Park the other day (yes, we are adults).”
Manchester’s first new park for more than a hundred years, it’s injected some much needed green space in the city, and is located just behind Piccadilly station by the former Royal Mail depot.
The accessible play area features seven slides — one which takes thrill-seekers over the river — sunken trampolines, a climbing wall, balance beams, and a roundabout.
Our video whizz and keen photographer of our city streets, Andrew Stuart, says the best thing you can do to experience the city for free is ‘look up’. He said: “If you’re going from place to place, or maybe just on a walk around, look UP. So much to appreciate about this city by looking above street level.”
Other suggestions included a trip to Affleck’s Palace , the Northern Quarter’s unusual department store. You might struggle to keep your purse in your pocket, but you can spend hours getting lost in here window shopping all of the pick and mix wares.
And don’t forget to pay a visit to Manchester Cathedral, which is one of 15 Grade I listed buildings in the city, and has been a part of Manchester’s history for around 600 years.
The masterpiece of a religious structure in the city’s Medieval Quarter alongside Chetham’s School of Music, Chetham’s Library and the National Football Museum, and has survived wars and bombings, Henry VIII’s reformation and Queen Elizabeth I’s spy.
The Cathedral is free to visit, but there is a suggested donation of £3 per person. It’s open seven days a week, but be sure to check mass times before you visit, as it’s still an operating centre of worship in the city.
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