Greater Manchester Visitor Attractions

Greater Manchester Tourist and Visitor Information with links to heritage, nature and tourist attractions, many with brief details of disabled access. Along with the attractions listed on this page you may also find places of interest on the Greater Manchester Heritage and Nature pages. We suggest that you also visit the pages for the neighbouring counties to see what else there is in the area.

We support 'Accessible Countryside for Everyone' in providing a brief guide as to the disabled access / facilities for the sites listed, where we have them.

Bolton Museum & Aquarium - Le Mans Crescent, Bolton - Museum exhibits ranging from Egyptian mummies to local history and wildlife, something for everyone. Fresh water aquarium with fish from around the world kept as close to their natural habitat as possible - disabled access, lift, interactive touch screens; that can be accessed from a sitting or a standing position, hearing loop system installed on the museum reception desk and also in the History centre, accessible unisex toilets (require RADAR key), baby changing facilities
www.boltonmuseums.org.uk

Bolton Steam Museum - Bolton - 27 steam engines that used to provide power for the machinery in the textile mills throughout the north of England - disabled access and accessible toilet, displays are entirely on one level and there is plenty of access for pushchairs and wheelchairs
www.nmes.org

Bramall Hall - Stockport - black and white timber-framed Tudor manor house, with Victorian additions, spanning six centuries and set in 70 acres of parkland, 16th Century wall paintings, Elizabethan fine plaster ceiling, Victorian Kitchens and Servants Quarters - we have no accessibility information for this site
www.stockport.gov.uk/services/leisureculture/museumsandgalleries/bramallhall

Bury Transport Museum - a Grade II listed ex-railway warehouse that dates from 1848, houses a collection of vintage vehicles including buses, steam rollers and trams, restored vehicles, original artifacts, interactive exhibits, bus simulator, outside picnic area, - we believe there are accessible toilets & baby changing facilities but would recommend contacting the site to confirm accessibility
www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/plan-your-day-out/bury-transport-museum.aspx

Chill Factore -Trafford Quays Leisure Village - the UK’s longest indoor skiing and snowboarding slope, 180 metre long, real snow, 12m climbing wall, Snow Play area, outdoor activity shops, restaurants, bars & cafés - Chill Factore is home to Disability Snowsport UK, a nationwide registered charity providing adaptive skiing for individuals with any disability, disabled-access toilet and baby changing facilities
www.chillfactore.com

Clayton Hall Living History Museum - Ashton New Road Manchester - Grade 2 listed building and a rare example of a moated, medieval site. Rooms in the later part of the building have been dressed in Victorian style and offer an opportunity to see what it would have been like to live here in the late 1800's (limited opening) - we have no accessibility information for this site
www.claytonhall.org

Elizabeth Gaskell's House - 84 Plymouth Grove, Manchester - Grade 2 listed Regency-style villa, period rooms, villa garden, tea room - House and garden are both fully accessible, lift to all floors, accessible toilets, baby changing facilities
www.elizabethgaskellhouse.co.uk

Ellenroad Engine House - Rochdale - The World's Largest Working Steam Mill Engines, Victoria & Alexandra, Steam days, exhibitions, events, cafe, picnic area - Limited disabled access with a motorised chairlift up to the Engine House, there are no disabled toilets
www.ellenroad.org.uk

Fusilier Museum - Moss Street, Bury - home to the collection of the XX Lancashire Fusiliers and the Royal Regiment ofFusiliers, commemorating over300 years of history and heritage, activities, temporary exhibition areas, cafe - we have no accessibility information for this site
www.fusiliermuseum.com

Gallery Oldham - wide range of exhibitions and activities targeted at audiences of all ages, talks, tours, art and craft workshops, cafe, shop - lifts, accessible toilets, and baby changing facilities, large-print maps available - Gallery Oldham is an Autism and Dementia friendly gallery and museum
www.galleryoldham.org.uk

Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum - Maclure Road, Rochdale - 23 larger exhibits make up the appliance fleet, supported by many other items of firefighting equipment, uniforms, models, medals and insignia, paintings, curios and other objects (limited opening) - The Museum is situated at ground floor level and, although compact, there is reasonable access for wheelchairs, buggies etc. Toilet facilities, including accessible and baby-changing, are available on site.
www.gmfsmuseum.org.uk

Greater Manchester Police Museum & Archives - 57a Newton Street, Manchester - one of the city's earliest police stations and has been lovingly restored to reflect the reality of policing in the late 1800's/ 1900's, cells, Magistrates Courtroom, shop - The museum has access ramps and a lift to the first floor but please check with them directly about accessibility
www.gmpmuseum.co.uk

Hall i’ th’ Wood - Bolton - A rare surviving example of a Tudor wooden-framed house, originally built as a half-timbered hall in the early 16th century, displays of 17th and early 18th century furniture, objects and artefacts, learn about the life and work of Samuel Crompton and discover about life in Stuart and Tudor times - Historic property with very limited access
www.boltonlams.co.uk/historic-halls/hall-i-th-wood-history

Hat Works Museum - Wellington Road South, Stockport - the UK's only museum dedicated to the hatting industry, hats and headwear, 20 fully restored working Victorian-style machines and a fantastic collection of over 400 hats from around the world, Family Fun Zone with interactive and educational play, shop - we have no accessibility information for this site
www.stockport.gov.uk/services/leisureculture/museumsandgalleries/hatworks

Imperial War Museum North - Salford Quays - striking building designed by internationally acclaimed architect Daniel Libeskind. Main exhibition space features a timeline of the conflicts that Britain and the Commonwealth, Big Picture Show, contemporary art, exhibitions, events, hands-on interactive displays, Water Shard Café & Kitchen, museum shop - Accessible toilets, lifts to all floors, audio described tours and object handling sessions, signed tours are regularly available, large-print copies of IWM North's Floor Plan and What's On leaflet, Induction loop systems
www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-north

The John Rylands Library - Deansgate Manchester - a masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture, one of the world's finest collections of rare books and manuscripts, exhibitions, events, cafe, shop - level access to all public areas of the building except the old entrance hall and the historic toilets, lift, accessible toilets
www.library.manchester.ac.uk/rylands

Legoland Discovery Centre - Trafford Centre - for children aged 3-10, over 2 million LEGO® bricks, 4D cinema, Kingdom Quest laser ride, Master Model Builder Workshops, café, shop - full access for disabled visitors, lift access to 1st floor (wheelchairs and pushchairs), full baby changing facilities
www.legolanddiscoverycentre.co.uk/manchester

The Lowry - Salford Quays - two main theatres and studio space for performing arts and gallery spaces showing the works of LS Lowry alongside contemporary exhibitions, restaurant, cafes & bars - The Lowry building has lifts, accessible toilets and baby-changing facilities. All floors are accessible by wheelchair, Induction Loops, Digital Hearing Aid Enhancement in the Theatres, Audio Described Performances and Gallery Visits please see their website
www.thelowry.com

Manchester Art Gallery - Mosley Street, Manchester - three floors, 21 rooms and over 2,000 items on display spanning over six centuries, offer a range of tours and events, family backpacks available for family groups with children aged between 7 and 12. - Wheelchair and buggy access is via the Nicholas Street ramp to the main entrance, gallery is completely accessible for wheelchairs and buggies, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities. There is a tour of the gallery in British Sign Language every other month, portable hearing loops are available for tours, monthly session for children on the Autistic spectrum
manchesterartgallery.org

Manchester Museum - Oxford Road, Manchester - dinosaurs, mummies and live animals, meet our frogs and reptiles in the Vivarium, 15 Galleries to see objects from the four corners of the world and almost every period in history, events, activities, cafe, indoor picnic area, shop - Accessible toilets located throughout the Museum, lift access to all floors, large print maps available
www.museum.manchester.ac.uk

Museum of the Manchester Regiment - Town Hall, Market Place, Ashton Under Lyne - Manchester Regiment from 1758 until 1958, thousands of objects on display in the museum; including uniforms, equipment and weaponry, to the souvenirs they collected and medals they won all over the world - there is access to all the museum galleries by lift from the ground floor, there are also baby-changing facilities
www.tameside.gov.uk/museumsgalleries/mom

Museum of Science and Industry - Liverpool Road, Manchester - history of the city and its industry in 5 buildings, family activities, events, Textiles Gallery see the machines that made Manchester’s cotton famous worldwide, Hidden Treasures and Handling Gallery, Air and Space Hall transport collection includes aircraft and a 1912 Ford Model T, simulator ride and 4D cinema, cafe, shop - step-free access to all floors of our multi-level buildings, except for the Electricity Gallery in the 1830 Warehouse, hearing loop in the Great Western Warehouse, large-print map available, wheelchair-accessible toilets, baby-changing facilities
msimanchester.org.uk

Ordsall Hall Museum - Ordsall, Salford - Grade 1 listed Tudor manor house was first recorded in 1177, landscaped grounds, immersive room settings, exhibitions, activities, cafe, shop - Accessible to wheelchair users. Disabled toilet facilities
www.salfordcommunityleisure.co.uk/culture/ordsall-hall

Party and Play Funhouse - Westhoughton, Bolton- children's indoor soft play centre, three dimensional and soft play room stimulates discovery and learning for kids of all ages and abilities, Baby Zone, Toddler Zone, Junior Urban Zone, cafe - fully accessible for wheelchair users, disabled toilet with an assisted change facility
www.partyandplayfunhouse.co.uk

Play Factore - Trafford Quays Leisure Village - family entertainment centre, slide, laser quest, go-kart track, zip wire and extensive toddler area, coffee shop and pizzeria - we have no accessibility information for this site
www.playfactore.com

The People's History Museum - Spinningfields, Manchester - the national museum of democracy, the largest collection of political material in Britain. The collections are hugely varied range from the early 19th century radical demands for the vote, through to the suffragettes, to the lowering of the age limit from 21 to 18 in 1969. Cafe bar, shop - The museum is fully wheelchair accessible, lift access to all floors, large print text and tactile maps are available from reception, Infrared hearing loop facilities are available throughout the building, accessible toilets, accessible baby changing facilities
www.phm.org.uk

Portland Basin Museum - Portland Place, Ashton-under-Lyne - housed within the restored nineteenth century Ashton Canal Warehouse with a 1920s street, industrial heritage, historic machines, activities, temporary exhibitions - fully accessible with accessible toilet and baby changing facilities
www.tameside.gov.uk/museumsgalleries/portland

Smithills Hall - Bolton - one of the oldest and best preserved manor houses in the North West of England and set in 2,000 acres, Tudor and Victorian wings, Medieval Hall, and a private Chapel, guided tours, tea room - we have no accessibility information for this site
www.friendsofsmithillshall.co.uk

Smithills Open Farm - Bolton - cows, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, llamas, owls, eagles, donkeys, ducks and deer, bouncy castles, an adventure playground, an inflatable assault course, a sandpit, donkey rides, a tractor tour, a souvenir shop, and a café - we have no accessibility information for this site
www.smithillsopenfarm.co.uk

Stockport Air Raid Shelters - Experience life as it was during a 'black out' in wartime Britain, Carved into the natural sandstone cliffs, the intriguing network of underground tunnels offers visitors an unparalleled insight into life in wartime Britain in the 1940's, state-of -the-art audio-guides, café, shop - accessible toilets, uneven and unmade sloped corridors throughout, documents are available in large print
www.stockport.gov.uk/services/leisureculture/museumsandgalleries/airraidshelters

Touchstones Rochdale - Arts & Heritage Centre with an Art Gallery, Museum, Visitor Information Centre & Local Studies Centre & Cafe - All Areas Accessible to Disabled Visitors
www.gmmg.org.uk/visitor-information/touchstones-rochdale

The Whitworth - Founded in 1889 as the first English gallery in a park, extensive and eclectic collection of art and design, contemporary exhibitions programmes, international collections,
Collections include Historic Fine Art, Modern and Contemporary Art, Textile, Wallpaper, Print, and Sculpture - The gallery is fully accessible, lifts, seating inside and outside the gallery, accessible toilets with baby changing, large print information about exhibitions at the Whitworth is available, audio descriptions for the gallery available, Audio Tours are available weekly and designed for blind or visually impaired visitors
www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

SEA LIFE Manchester - Trafford Centre - Octopus Hideout, interactive Turtle Beach experience, Rocky Hideout zone, sharks feed, coral reef, glass tunnel, rockpools, turtle feeding experience, - disabled / buggy access throughout the centre (except for a few activities), disabled toilets, baby changing facilities
www2.visitsealife.com/manchester