Legoland Discovery Centre
Two rides, a 4D cinema, build zones and Manchester's skyline done in miniature bricks. Squarely aimed at 3 to 10, and it knows it: adults can only visit with a child.
Imperial War Museum North
- Cost
- Free entry
- Ages
- 7 to 11
- Where
- Trafford, Greater Manchester
- Weather
- Works in the rain
- Booking
- Just turn up
War told through objects and voices in Libeskind's shattered-globe building on the quays. Entry is free with no need to book, and it is open 10am to 5pm every day except 24 to 26 December.
Pitch it at seven and up; the themes are handled with care but they are real. Pair with a walk along the quays to MediaCity to lighten the afternoon.
The hourly Big Picture Show is the reason to time your visit: the lights drop and the 27-foot walls of the main gallery become the screen. It is the single most affecting free experience in Greater Manchester, and it is precisely why the seven-and-up guidance matters.
Look up as you come through the Air Shard, where the ceramic Poppies installation cascades down the walls. IWM runs free family activities for 5 to 12 year olds, and a relaxed opening on the first Sunday morning of each month. The car park is paid and card only, £2.50 for up to an hour and £5 for up to three.
What it costs: Free entry, no booking needed. The museum car park is paid and card only: £2.50 up to an hour, £5 up to three hours, £6 up to four.
Know before you go
- Pitch it at 7 and up. The themes are handled carefully but they are real.
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Manchester United Museum & Stadium Tour
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