FollowWhen you’re on a vacation and visiting lots of cities, spending money has a habit of running through your fingers like water. That’s why it’s great to find a few things to do for free every now and then, even in the middle of one of the UK’s biggest and brightest cities. Here are some top tips for what to do for free in Manchester.
Beautiful Public Libraries
Living museums in their own right, there are two magnificent public libraries to visit in Manchester. Established in 1653, Chetham’s Library is the oldest public library in the English speaking world. Members of the public can still access more than 100,000 books there, free of charge. Even if you just go in for a look around, it’s impressive.
#INNSIDEinfo: Manchester’s @ChethamsLibrary is the oldest public library in the English-speaking world pic.twitter.com/cXhFoHPaQp
— INNSIDE Manchester (@InnsideMCR) August 20, 2015
Another beautiful library to visit is the John Rylands Library on Deansgate, the main thoroughfare of Manchester city centre. The neo-Gothic Victorian building is beautiful on the outside and inside there are more than 200,000 books to admire and read.
Old Trafford
Old Trafford – the home of Man Utd
Even if you’re not a football fan, you’ll have heard of the Premier League team Manchester United. In fact, a 2012 survey named the team as the world’s most supported football club with 659 million followers worldwide. And a trip to Manchester would not be complete without a quick stop at the home of Manchester United, Old Trafford. Pick a non-match day and you can take some selfies with the stadium behind you and visit the merchandise store at your leisure. If you’re really keen, take a stadium tour. Although this isn’t free, for any fan the tour which includes the football museum within the stadium is definitely worth the relatively reasonable fee.
These days, the team is tantamount to a line-up of international all-stars. Of course, the same could be said of other big European sides but United were true trail-blazers in becoming a multi-national side. United’s most notably successful years of the 1990s and 2000s went hand-in-hand with the UK’s explosion in international population and contributed, in no small way, to the huge amount of football betting that now takes place online in the country at burgeoning sites such as bet365 (the biggest of them all) and many others. The Golden Generation of English players who were so favourably backed in the international football betting in the 2000s came largely from United. In short, today’s football gamblers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Sir Alex Ferguson and the magic he and his various sides weaved at the so-called “field of dreams” – a.k.a Old Trafford – over 27 years from 1986-2013!
Visit the MOSI
If you’re in the centre of Manchester, a trip to the Museum of Science and Industry (more often referred to as MOSI) will provide you with a couple of absorbing and entertaining hours. The focus of the museum is to look at how science and innovation has shaped modern society. Manchester was once the heartland of the world’s textile industry and there are demonstrations in the Textile Galleries of the museum every day, showing how yarn used to be spun and turned into cotton calico. As well as looking at the history of bygone industries, there are modern-day science exhibits, too. There’s currently a fascinating 3d-printing exhibition in the 1830s Warehouse building.
Trafford Centre
Indulge in some window-shopping – ideal if it’s raining as all the Trafford Centre is under cover
While technically it’s free to go to the huge shopping centre, the Trafford Centre, inevitably you’ll end up doing some spending here unless you’re incredibly self-disciplined. From a distance the Trafford Centre looks a little like a modern day palace, with green cupola rooftops giving it a distinctive style. Inside, you’ll find every high street chain and many designer name shops. Whatever you’re in the market to buy, you’ll be sure to find it there.
