After looking at what you can learn and discover on campus we move further afield and have a look in the city of Manchester. Manchester International Festival ended this weekend but there’s still plenty to learn and discover about the original industrial city. Plus it’s only a 15 minute stroll up Oxford Road – even less if you’re based up on Sackville Street.
So get off campus for a while and see what hidden gems Manchester has to offer.
The first is literally called ‘THE hidden gem’- well St Mary’s Hidden Gem located between Albert Square and St. Anne’s square. Founded in 1794, it’s the oldest Catholic Church in Manchester and was the first to be built after The Reformation. Take a look inside at the Stations of the Cross painted by Norman Adams, they’re considered to be one of the great ecclesiastical artworks of the 20th century in the country.
Speaking of the oldest things in Manchester, Chetham’s Library founded in 1653, is the oldest public library in the public speaking world. Next to Victoria Train station, the library is still open to visitors and gives free tours daily.
If you’re fond of old architecture and books then why not visit Portico Library. It’s a 213 year old independent subscription library on Mosley Street and is open to the public six days a week. With a unique collection of books and archives spanning over 450 years, you can wander through the same stacks that John Dalton, Elizabeth Gaskell, Robert Peel and Emmeline Pankhurst once did.
Whilst staying on the theme of libraries, why not check out the British Film Institute Mediatheque at the Central Library. Situated on the ground floor of the newly refurbished central library the BFI Mediatheque has a huge archive and collections bringing together titles from the BFI National Archive and the North West Film Archive (NWFA).
Manchester City Centre has a number of great museums – Museum of Science and Industry, The National Football Museum, and our very own Manchester Museum. But did you know we also have a Police Museum? Located in the Northern Quarter on Newton Street, the museum is only open on a Tuesday 10:30am – 3:30pm, but admission is free and it’s definitely worth a visit to discover the history of policing in the Greater Manchester area.
If it’s too hot and sunny to be indoors over the summer, why not discover a different side to the city through various walking tours of Manchester. There’s the Manchester Free Walking Tours which cover the city’s history and culture. Scranchester tours for those of you wanting to discover new flavours and local cuisine. Alternatively, there are tours of the Northern Quarter with the history of the cities counter culture told through street art and murals. Manchester Music Tours offering a first-hand insight into the history and legacy of music in the city.