Dorking around in Manchester, UK
April 28, 2013 6:24 AM Subscribe
Fingers crossed, I'll have a spare (if probably jet-lagged) day in Manchester, UK, soon, and am looking for a thing or two to do. The sort of stuff I go for includes museums (science/technology, art, transport), history, industrial archaeology, cool architecture (Calatrava style), walking about, local cheap/take-out food, that sort of thing. Thanks!
Something along the lines of this question from The Whelk from a couple of years ago, I'm assuming there may be new things to do.
Something along the lines of this question from The Whelk from a couple of years ago, I'm assuming there may be new things to do.
I was going to recommend MOSI. Parts are definitely geared towards kids, but overall I really loved it. The room with the looms was awesome!
posted by kendrak at 7:18 AM on April 28, 2013
posted by kendrak at 7:18 AM on April 28, 2013
Best answer: If you're of a leftist bent, The People's History Museum is a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours.
posted by hydatius at 7:40 AM on April 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by hydatius at 7:40 AM on April 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
And this might be a useful list to pick through with regards to decent food.
posted by hydatius at 8:50 AM on April 28, 2013
posted by hydatius at 8:50 AM on April 28, 2013
Above museums are ace, also for another specialist defunct local industry hop on the 192 bus from Picadilly to the Stockport Hat Works hatting museum. Rubbish website, fabulous reconstructions of the local hatting trade.
posted by runincircles at 9:14 AM on April 28, 2013
posted by runincircles at 9:14 AM on April 28, 2013
Best answer: MOSI definitely! And if you have the time, you could take the train (25 minutes) down to Macclesfield and see the beatifully preserved jacquard looms in the Paradise Mills (which like the Hat Works is a great museum with a terrible website).
posted by Erasmouse at 10:44 AM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Erasmouse at 10:44 AM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks everyone so far! Paradise Mills looks neat, Erasmouse - that's a nice Flickr photo - and also, there's the punch card connection (I'm assuming).
posted by carter at 12:21 PM on April 28, 2013
posted by carter at 12:21 PM on April 28, 2013
Best answer: Punch cards galore! It's an extraordinary space. Though there's jacquard looms, I believe, in the MOSI as well, if the haul out to Macclesfield is too much.
If you do decide to go, visitor info that's a little hard to grok from the website: you can only see the Mills as part of a small tour, they go (in summer season, on now) 11:45, 1pm, and 2:15 (suggest phoning ahead to double-check). You buy a ticket and meet the guide at the Silk Heritage Museum, in a separate building up the road (about a 15 minute walk from the train station). The Silk Industry Museum nearby, on a joint ticket, is also full of amazing machinery. It's all a bit of a faff but it's very beautiful and interesting, and highly recommended, if you have the energy.
posted by Erasmouse at 1:12 PM on April 28, 2013
If you do decide to go, visitor info that's a little hard to grok from the website: you can only see the Mills as part of a small tour, they go (in summer season, on now) 11:45, 1pm, and 2:15 (suggest phoning ahead to double-check). You buy a ticket and meet the guide at the Silk Heritage Museum, in a separate building up the road (about a 15 minute walk from the train station). The Silk Industry Museum nearby, on a joint ticket, is also full of amazing machinery. It's all a bit of a faff but it's very beautiful and interesting, and highly recommended, if you have the energy.
posted by Erasmouse at 1:12 PM on April 28, 2013
The Pankhurst Centre (Emmeline was a prominent suffragette).
posted by brujita at 2:35 AM on April 29, 2013
posted by brujita at 2:35 AM on April 29, 2013
The best fast-food in Manchester is at Ho's Chinese Bakery in Chinatown.
My favourite walking-about bits are the bits behind Market Street - the Northern Quarter has interesting stores, but go a bit beyond and you'll see a lot of different things - the remnants of the Industrial Revolution like the Ragged School. I'd highly recommend picking up the Pevsner book on Manchester before you go if you like architecture - that will point you to industrial buildings and interesting things to see.
posted by mippy at 3:33 AM on April 29, 2013
My favourite walking-about bits are the bits behind Market Street - the Northern Quarter has interesting stores, but go a bit beyond and you'll see a lot of different things - the remnants of the Industrial Revolution like the Ragged School. I'd highly recommend picking up the Pevsner book on Manchester before you go if you like architecture - that will point you to industrial buildings and interesting things to see.
posted by mippy at 3:33 AM on April 29, 2013
I would recommend a pint at The Temple. It is a remarkably small pub.
posted by bouvin at 7:49 AM on April 29, 2013
posted by bouvin at 7:49 AM on April 29, 2013
Response by poster: Went over to the silk museums in Macclesfield today. It was dork-tastic, and the Paradise Mills collection of Jaquard looms was especially good. So thanks very much Erasmouse! Went back to Manchester for the Museum of Transport, also very good.
posted by carter at 10:37 AM on May 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by carter at 10:37 AM on May 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yay! So glad you enjoyed them!
posted by Erasmouse at 5:48 AM on May 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Erasmouse at 5:48 AM on May 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
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posted by BinaryApe at 6:46 AM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]