The History and Heritage of Manchester

The blending of history and heritage in Manchester is driven by a number of factors including the staging of 2002's Commonwealth Games. The last decade has seen a serious programme of renovation and rebuilding as the city lives up to its reputation of the cultural capital of the north.

Manchester's museums have all benefited from the financial investment of late and there are a number of different options to choose from. The museum at the University of Manchester houses more than six million specimens and objects ranging from ancient mummies to a 200 million-year-old tree fossil and the skeleton of a sperm whale.

You can catch a glimpse into times gone by at the award-winning Museum of Science and Industry (MoSI) which is located in the oldest passenger railway building in the world and makes the perfect place to wile away an afternoon.

Manchester Art Gallery is popular with visitors and locals alike and was recent winner of a collection of prestigious tourism awards. The gallery provides you with the opportunity to view a fantastic range of permanent and touring exhibitions and should be an essential on the to-do list of any art lover.

At the other end of the scale the independent city centre gallery Cube is one of the best places to examine Manchester’s hugely diverse architectural history. As well as the old favourites there is an array of entirely new attractions such as the Lowry Galleries, which showcase changing exhibitions of the work of Manchester’s most famous artist, L.S. Lowry.

The Urbis exhibition centre, the architecture of which is a sight to behold in itself, is a must for contemporary art lovers. Urbis is renowned for its exhibitions of contemporary art and design and with the attractions spread over five separate floors there should always be something to suit everyone.

The Imperial War Museum North also takes a modern architectural form and was deemed as one of England's top 10 Architectural Highlights of the Year in 2003 by the Commission for Architecture and Built Environment's (CABE). The focus of the Imperial War Museum North is on different people and their stories, centring on how people's lives were, are and always will be shaped by war and conflict.

There are several more low-key but equally interesting museums dedicated to areas such as the police force, transportation and the city's Jewish community. Cultural diversity prevails in the arts and as Manchester has the second largest Chinese community in the United Kingdom, the Chinese Arts Centre plays a key role in the city’s contemporary art scene and has been going strong since its opening in 2003.

With so much going on, it is good to know that being centrally positioned at the heart of Great Britain, the city of Manchester is highly accessible; therefore, whether you’re considering flights to Manchester, catching the train or arriving by car then you’ll be pleased to hear that actually getting there should be simple and straightforward. This is can't be a bad thing, especially if it means you can be quickly at the heart of all the action that Manchester has to offer.

The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.

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Andrew Regan writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

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