Manchester Museum

Manchester Museum is the University of Manchester's museum of natural history and world cultures, set on Oxford Road in the University Quarter of Manchester, England. Admission is free, and the collections of millions of objects are displayed across galleries that cover Egyptology, archaeology, zoology, geology and living animals. The Ancient Egypt collection is among the most visited, with mummies, coffins and everyday objects that show life along the Nile. The museum's fossil displays include dinosaur skeletons and the famous Stan the T. rex cast, which is a favourite with children. The vivarium keeps live amphibians and reptiles, including poison dart frogs, and the Living Worlds displays connect species to habitats around the globe. The Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture Gallery presents Chinese art and artefacts, reflecting the city's links with China and the nearby Chinatown. A redevelopment completed in recent years added new galleries, including spaces that take a more collaborative approach to telling the stories of the objects, and a cafe and shop. A typical visit takes one and a half to two hours. The museum is usually open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00 and closed on Monday, so check the website for current hours before travelling. Weekday mornings are generally quiet, apart from school groups on term-time days, while weekends and school holidays draw many families. The museum is on Oxford Road, served by buses 42, 43 and 142 from the city centre, and it is about a twenty-minute walk from Piccadilly station. The Whitworth art gallery is a short way down the same road, so the two make an easy pairing for a free day out. Photography for personal use is generally allowed, and the mummies, fossils and vivarium make popular subjects.