Get a friendly welcome at People's History Museum in Manchester, the national museum of democracy. Explore the museum and be empowered by the past to make a change for the future.
Follow the link below to plan your visit, and find out what to expect when you get to PHM.
Plan your visit
For group visits of over six people, follow the link below to fill in an enquiry form.
Booking is required to guarantee entry.
Group visits are not taken during our dedicated quiet time between 2.00pm and 5.00pm on Fridays.
Book your group visit
The museum is located on the corner of Left Bank and Bridge Street, opposite the Civil Justice Centre, alongside the River Irwell, in the Spinningfields area of Manchester city centre, postcode M3 3ER.
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Follow the link below for information on how to get to PHM.
Getting to PHM
The museum is Family Friendly throughout, from facilities to family favourites including hands-on interactives and activities connecting you and your family with PHM’s unique collections and stories.
Bring your buggies, refillable water bottles and expect a warm welcome, simple signage, accessible toilets, and plenty of picnic places.
The museum has a Quiet Room you can use during your visit and sensory tools can be borrowed from access stations throughout the museum.
Plan your family visit
We are committed to supporting all visitors during their time at PHM. We understand that everyone’s access needs are different.
Please talk to us if you have queries or require any assistance in advance of your visit on 0161 838 9190 or access@phm.org.uk.
For accessibility information check out our Detailed Access Guide on the AccessAble website.
Access at PHM
Explore PHM’s galleries, exhibitions, and hands-on and digital interactives engaging adults and children alike.
Use PHM’s visitor map to familiarise yourself with the museum building ahead of your visit.
Find out what's on
Take a break for brunch, lunch or an afternoon pick me up in PHM’s café Gather
Hot food served until 3.00pm.
For booking please call 01260 543977.
A picnic area is available for visitors bringing their own food and drink to the museum.
View menu
A unique gift shop in Manchester inspired by the museum’s collection, full of books, cards, homeware, souvenirs and great presents for kids and grown ups.
Shop the collection
Join other visitors and make a donation today, helping to ensure the museum remains free for all.
Support PHM
Looking for something to do this half term?
Pop into People`s History Museum and explore our brand new On The Line: 100 years of strikes & solidarity exhibition.
Step beyond the exhibition and discover galleries filled with powerful stories, hands-on activities and plenty to keep little minds entertained too:
📚 Join our Look For A Book giveaway trail around the museum
🎮 Get involved with interactive games and activities throughout the museum
🛠️ Step inside the Strike Den creative play space
👨👩👧 Discover exhibitions packed with inspiring stories, objects and history
It’s all FREE to visit, so whether you’re planning a day out with the kids or a slower wander through history, there’s plenty to explore.
Plan your visit and make a day of it.
#PeoplesHistoryMuseum #OnTheLine #FreeDaysOut #ThingsToDoManchester #FamilyFriendly
📚🔎 Look For A Book returns to People’s History Museum this half term.
From Monday 25 May to Monday 1 June (excluding Tuesday while the museum is closed), we’ll be hiding one book a day somewhere inside the museum galleries for families to discover.
Bring your little detectives along and play a game of finders keepers to see if you can find a hidden copy of @corinnebaileyrae `Put Your Records On`.
Every book also contains instructions on how to claim a golden ticket for the chance to meet Corinne Bailey Rae herself 🎶✨
Perfect for a FREE family day out this half term at Peoples History Museum, with galleries to explore and lunch at @gatherphm cafe.
#PeoplesHistoryMuseum #LookForABook #ManchesterWithKids #HalfTermFun #FreeThingsToDo
If you’ve loved exploring On The Line: 100 years of strikes & solidarity exhibition at People`s History Museum, why not take a little piece of it home with you?
From thoughtfully designed replica postcard prints, tote bags, tea towels and mugs and a carefully curated selection of books, our exhibition shop is filled with meaningful memorabilia inspired by the stories you’ve just discovered.
Whether it’s a small keepsake or something to dive deeper into the history, there’s something waiting for you to remember your visit by.
📍 Pop into the shop before you leave and continue the story beyond the gallery.
#PeoplesHistoryMuseum #OnTheLine #MuseumShop #ManchesterCulture #TakeItHome
Lines of Thought ✍️
Some of the most powerful moments in On The Line: 100 years of strikes & solidarity, aren’t part of the exhibition itself, they’re written by the people moving through it.
From memories of the miners’ strike and standing on picket lines, to reflections on protests, peace and solidarity, our Lines of Thought wall is becoming a living archive of shared experiences.
“The right to strike is one of the last powers we have.”
“As a striking teacher, two of my pupils joined us on the picket line. It meant the world to me.”
.... Be part of the conversation 🖊️
#OnTheLine #PeoplesHistoryMuseum #Solidarity #Strike #MuseumExhibition
Our May Makers Market is back again today ✨
Join us on Left Bank for a full day of independent traders, handmade finds, art, gifts, food and plenty of good vibes.
Whether you’re browsing, buying or just soaking up the atmosphere, there’s so much to explore from some incredibly talented local makers and creatives.
We’re here until 4.30pm today, so there’s still plenty of time to come down and discover something special.
📍 Find us on Left Bank at People’s History Museum
#PeoplesHistoryMuseum #MakersMarket #SupportIndependents #ShopSmallUK #WeekendPlans
✨ This weekend at People’s History Museum ✨
The May Maker`s Market returns this weekend (Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 May) between 11am-4pm bringing a celebration of independent makers, craft and creativity in our iconic Engine Hall.
Browse an amazing mix of traders from across the North West, ranging from handmade jewellery and ceramics to textiles, prints, homeware and accessories.
Shop ....
💍 Vintage-inspired jewellery and bold beaded designs
🏺 Contemporary ceramics and raku-fired pieces
🧵 Handwoven textiles, bags and one-off fabrics
🖼️ Printed works, mini banners and statement pieces for the home
🌿 Independent makers championing craft, sustainability and local production
Alongside our market, guests can explore On The Line: 100 years of strikes & solidarity exhibition, galleries and make a day of it with food and drinks from the @gatherphm café.
No booking needed. Free to enter.
#PeoplesHistoryMuseum #MakersMarket #SupportIndependents #ShopSmallUK #ThingsToDoManchester
General Strike | Day 9
On 12 May, the Trades Union Congress called off the General Strike.
After nine days, workers returned, but the miners’ dispute continued for months beyond. The strike ended, but its impact on labour rights, protest, and collective action lasted far longer.
On The Line: 100 years of strikes & solidarity exhibition is home to the objects, banners, and stories of the 1926 General Strike featuring items of national importance spanning 250 years of British social and political history.
🎟 Visit On The Line exhibition. Free entry, no booking required
#OnTheLine100 #GeneralStrike100 #HistoryThatMatters #PeoplesHistoryMuseum #OnTheLine
Day 8 | 10 May 1926
At the height of the General Strike, Britain’s most famous train, the Flying Scotsman, derailed in Cramlington, Northumberland. The shocking images of the overturned train quickly became one of the defining headlines of the strike, capturing a nation already gripped by unrest, uncertainty and protest.
Now, exactly 100 years later, Dr Dan Edmonds explores the dramatic derailment in the first of a new three-part blog series marking the centenary of the 1926 General Strike.
Dan’s work uncovers campaigns and activism through the collections of People`s History Museum and the Working Class Movement Library, helping bring marginalised voices back into the centre of political history.
But who derailed the train, and why?
Read the full story now via the link in bio✊🏼
#PeoplesHistoryMuseum #GeneralStrike100 #OnTheLine100 #FlyingScotsman #SocialHistory
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