Stockport Air Raid Shelters
A labyrinth of tunnels carved under the town centre that sheltered thousands in the Blitz, explored with a self-guided audio tour. Atmospheric in the best way for 7-and-ups.
Anson Engine Museum
Stockport, Cheshire
The Anson sits on the site of the old Anson Colliery in Poynton and is run by volunteers, which shows in the good way: people who can tell you what an engine did, why it mattered and what happened to the company that built it. The collection is gas and oil engines, hundreds of them, plus the Doxford marine engine that has its own appeal fund, and a large model of Poynton that always draws a crowd.
Pricing is unusually kind. Adults are £8, or £10 on event days, children under 13 are free, and 13 to 16 year olds are £2.50. Parking is free. There is a tearoom for drinks and confectionery, a shop, disabled toilets, wheelchair access throughout, and a wheelchair or mobility scooter you can borrow if you phone ahead. They also hand out fun sheets, a quiz and brass rubbing, which buys you a decent stretch of adult attention span.
The season and the steam days are the two things to get right. It opens every Friday from 10 April to 23 October, 10am to 4pm, and the steam days in 2026 are 5 and 6 April, 3 and 4 May, 21 June, 30 and 31 August, 20 September, and 24 and 25 October. The 19 July date was pulled because of roof replacement work. On a steam day the machines are running and the place is loud, hot and genuinely memorable. On a quiet Friday it is a room full of impressive metal that does not move.
Know before you go
- Go on a steam day. On an ordinary Friday most of the collection is static; on a steam day the engines run, which is the entire difference between a good visit and a quiet one.
- Roof works started earlier than planned in 2026. The 19 July steam day was cancelled, parking is tighter than usual and not everything is running, so ring first.
- Under-13s go free, which makes this one of the cheapest museum trips in the borough for a family.
Seasonal: Fridays 10 April to 23 October, plus steam days. Check before travelling.
Looking for more museums & science near Stockport?
Also in Stockport
Lyme Park
A proper deer park on the edge of the Peaks: 1,400 acres, a herd of red deer, the Crow Wood adventure playground, and the house from the BBC's Pride and Prejudice.
Reddish Vale Farm
A proper small farm park tucked into the Tame valley on Stockport's edge: cows, goats, shire horses and alpacas, zip wires outside and a play area under cover for when it rains. Book online, the gate price is higher.
Etherow Country Park
A big lake crowded with waterfowl, a flat path alongside it and a cafe where you left the car: the easiest small-child walk in the Stockport area. Entry is free, the car park is not.
Bramall Hall & Park
A black and white Tudor manor house sitting in around 60 acres of parkland with woods, brooks and lakes. The park costs nothing, under 16s go into the hall free, and all-day parking is £3.
Hat Works Museum
The UK's only museum of hats and hatting, back open after a four-year refurbishment. The galleries are free and you can try hats on; the Victorian factory floor is a £7.50 guided tour. An hour well spent, not a full day.