A timber-framed Tudor manor with over 820 years of history, sitting improbably in the middle of modern Ordsall a mile from the city centre. Entry is free, which for a Grade I listed building of this quality still feels like an admin error. The Great Hall is the showpiece, with furnished Tudor rooms and collections beyond it, plus gardens to let off steam in.
It is a genuine two-hour visit rather than a full day, so it pairs well with Salford Quays down the road. There is a cafe and shop on site, and the school holidays bring craft workshops and hands-on activities pitched squarely at primary-age kids, with outdoor theatre in the gardens over summer. Sundays and Monday to Thursday only, so plan the day around that.
What it costs: Entry is free; donations go towards the upkeep of the building.
Find nine imps and familiars hidden in Ordsall Hall and its gardens, 25 to 29 October and 1 November, during opening hours. £2 a child, paid at reception. Part of it is outdoors, so dress for the weather.
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One email a week: what is on this weekend within a sensible drive, and the places worth booking before they go.