Science and Industry museum Manchester
The Science and Industry Museum Manchester is one of our favourite free things to do in Manchester with kids. There are loads of great interactive exhibitions for kids to join in with and loads to learn too.
Where is the Science and Industry Museum Manchester?
The address is Science and Industry museum, Liverpool road, Manchester, M3 4FP.
It is a city centre attraction and as such it doesn’t have a car park of it’s own. There are a few public car parks around but they tend to be expensive and driving in the city centre isn’t the easiest.
We chose to visit by tram. We can drive to East Didsbury fairly easily and the parking is free. You can currently get a family, 1 day travel pass for £7.10 which took us to the nearest tram stop which is Deansgate. From here it is just a 10 minute walk.
Is there parking at the science and industry museum Manchester?
There is no dedicated parking for the museum. There are nearby pay and display car parks but visiting Manchester city centre is generally best done by public transport.
Is the science and Industry museum free?
Yes, admission to the science and Industry museum is free. Donations are always welcome to support the running of the museum.
They often have temporary exhibitions that do cost a little to enter. Find out more below.
What age is the Science and Industry Museum Manchester (MOSI) suitable for?
There is something for all ages here. I’d say school aged children are going to get the most out of the experience but there are some areas specifically for under 5s too.
How Long do families typically spend at science and industry museum Manchester?
We spent a half day at the science and industry museum. We could easily have spent more time there. Equally since it is free you could pop in for an hour or two to see which bits appeal to your children.
Best bits of the Science and Industry Museum Manchester for families
In my opinion, the hands on science area “Experiment” is the best area a for kids. There are loads of hands on science experiments. For example, you can lift a car with one hand? experiment with mini tornados, learn about heat vision and make music with your body.
There are also lots of different interactions for kids in each of the galleries that I will talk about below. My children were 7 and 10 years old when we visited recently and they really enjoyed Experiment!, Operation Ouch and the Revolution science show. We did explore the other galleries apart from power up. We found they moved us quicker through the textiles gallery and revolution Manchester but would have stayed in Operation Ouch and Experiment for as long as we had time.
Galleries at Science and Industry Museum Manchester
Experiment! – This is a hands-on science area with loads of interactive stations for kids to learn through play. They can explore forces with magnets, earthquakes, tornados, heat maps.
There is also a fenced off for little ones to play in.
Textiles gallery – Manchester was once the international centre of the world’s cotton industry. In this gallery you can find out all about it. You’ll find lots of information here as well as some of the machines on display. You can pick up a free kids activity trail to do in this area.
Revolution Manchester – This is the first area of the museum that you enter through. There are some items on display as well as text boards to read. This was probably the area our children wanted to spend the least time in. In this area you can learn all about how Manchester industrial innovations and scientific discoveries.
Revolution Manchester show – this is on at regular times through out the day. It last 20 minutes and the explainer manages to share lots of facts and keep kids entertained at the same time. Expect explosions and flying as you discover Manchester’s role as a nerve centre of the Industrial Revolution.
Operation Ouch – This is a temporary exhibition, on until summer 2024. It’s aimed at children 5 and over and teaches them about our digestive systems in a really fun way. It does cost to visit this exhibition. £10 per adult, £9 per child.
Find our full review here – Operation ouch Manchester
Power up – This is a gaming exhibition where you can enjoy playing the best video games from the past 5 decades! There are over a hundred different consoles with games like Pacman, Street Fighter, Mine craft and Mario. This exhibition is only open weekends and school holidays and again there is an additional charge. £8 per adult, £6 per child over 4 years.
As well as all these galleries, you’ll find more hands on activities for kids like these weaving towers, some tables with games on and large, soft building blocks for young children.
There are more areas to this museum but they are currently undergoing major renovations.
Accessibility and facilities at Science and Industry Museum Manchester
The science and industry museum is committed to accessibility. There are step free routes around the whole museum, a quiet room, ear defenders are available to borrow and so many more accessible features. Find out more here – Accessibility | Science and Industry Museum.
Cafe at Science and Industry museum
There is a large cafe near the entrance on the ground floor of the museum. You can also bring your own food as there are outdoor and indoor picnic areas.
Always looking for inspiration for family days out across the North West? Join the Family Days Out North West Facebook group to be part of a community sharing the best family days out across the region. Join here.
More Manchester attractions for families
Looking for somewhere else to go whilst you are in Manchester? Z-Arts is about a 20 minute walk away and it is a fantastic place for families. Find out more here – Z-Arts Manchester.
There is a fantastic family escape room. Find out more here – Z-Arts family escape room
Find more free things to do with children under 5 here – Free things to do in Manchester with toddlers
Another free museum in Manchester is the Manchester museum. Find out everything you need to know before you visit here – Manchester Museum.
