Rainy day favourites in Manchester - museums, soft play, indoor climbing and weatherproof family days out for when the forecast lets you down.
AirHop · Manchester
An indoor trampoline and activity park with designated zones for different age groups and abilities. Features include performance trampolines, battle beams, slam dunk zones, and climbing walls. Pre-schooler sessions offer gentle introduction to bouncing.
Bolton Council · Manchester
A regional museum with Egyptian mummies, aquarium, natural history displays, and interactive zones. The varied collection keeps curious minds engaged while regular workshops and activities add hands-on learning. It's an underrated gem offering big museum experiences free of charge.
Chill Factore · Manchester
Real-snow slopes for sledging, skiing and snow play — great for a rainy day out.
Mission Mars · Manchester
A family-friendly pizza spot with quirky décor, colouring activities, and generous portions. The relaxed atmosphere welcomes families while the creative pizza combinations appeal to adventurous eaters. Weekend brunches include kids' options and unlimited coffee for weary parents.
National Trust · Manchester
A Georgian mansion set in an ancient deer park with wandering fallow deer and landscaped gardens. The house showcases Edwardian interiors while the grounds offer woodland walks, adventure playground, and seasonal trails. Perfect for combining heritage with outdoor adventures.
Eureka! The National Children's Museum · Manchester
A dedicated children's museum in nearby Halifax packed with interactive exhibits across science, society, and the natural world. Designed entirely for under-11s and endlessly engaging.
Flip Out UK · Manchester
A warehouse-sized trampoline park featuring interconnected bouncing areas, foam pits, and obstacle courses. Dedicated toddler sessions provide safe bouncing for little ones while main sessions cater to energetic older kids. It's pure high-energy fun.
University of Manchester · Manchester
Home to the iconic Lovell Telescope with interactive space science exhibitions and beautiful arboretum grounds. The Space Pavilion features hands-on galleries while outdoor trails explore cosmic themes. Special events bring astronomy to life throughout the year.
Jumping Junction · Manchester
A large trampoline park with dedicated toddler sessions, dodgeball courts, and freestyle jump areas. A reliable energy-burning option for children of all ages on a wet Manchester day.
Merlin Entertainments · Manchester
An indoor LEGO playground featuring build zones, 4D cinema, and Miniland Manchester made from over a million bricks. Two rides, a soft play castle, and dedicated toddler area ensure everyone gets hands-on. Master Builder workshops run throughout the day.
National Trust · Manchester
A grand estate on the Derbyshire border offering Pemberley-famous house tours, moorland deer park, and challenging walks with panoramic views. The adventure playground and lake provide gentler family fun. Red deer roam freely across the dramatic landscape.
AO Arena Manchester · Manchester
A behind-the-scenes tour of one of Europe's biggest live music venues covering the stage, dressing rooms, and production areas. A memorable experience for music and sport-obsessed teenagers.
Manchester Art Gallery · Manchester
A free city centre gallery with a strong permanent collection and regular family workshops and creative drop-in sessions. The interactive gallery for younger children is thoughtfully designed.
Manchester Cathedral · Manchester
A magnificent medieval cathedral in the city centre that's free to enter and impresses even reluctant young visitors with its scale and stained glass. Worth combining with a Northern Quarter explore.
Manchester City Council · Manchester
A stunning circular building with a dedicated children's library featuring storytime sessions, activities, and interactive displays. The architecture alone is worth seeing, and the regular family events make it more than just books. Free WiFi and study spaces available throughout.
Manchester Jewish Museum · Manchester
A beautifully restored Spanish and Portuguese synagogue housing a moving museum about Manchester's Jewish community. Thoughtful family programming makes it accessible and engaging for older children.
University of Manchester · Manchester
A free university museum with an outstanding natural history collection, Egyptian mummies, and a brilliant new South Asia Gallery. The bug house and aquarium delight younger visitors.
Science and Industry Museum · Manchester
A vast free museum celebrating Manchester's industrial heritage with working steam engines, aircraft, and hands-on science galleries. The Experiment gallery is a firm favourite with primary-age children.
National Football Museum · Manchester
The world's largest football museum in the heart of Manchester city centre with interactive exhibits, historic kits, and hands-on skill challenges. Free entry and a must for any football-mad family.
Salford City Council · Manchester
A Tudor manor house with interactive displays, costume handling, and ghost stories. The Great Hall features stunning original timbers while the gardens offer a peaceful retreat. Free entry makes it an accessible slice of history.
People's History Museum · Manchester
A free museum telling the story of working people and democracy in Britain, with engaging galleries that bring history to life. Particularly well-suited to curious teenagers.
Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council · Manchester
Explore Tameside's industrial heritage in a restored warehouse at the junction of three canals. Interactive galleries cover everything from Victorian life to coal mining, with hands-on activities throughout. The canal-side setting adds to the historical atmosphere.
National Trust · Manchester
Step into the Industrial Revolution at this water-powered cotton mill with working machinery demonstrations. The Apprentice House reveals the lives of child workers while gardens and woodland walks provide contrast. Daily demonstrations bring the mill thunderously to life.
Manchester Airport Group · Manchester
Watch planes take off and land from dedicated viewing areas while exploring historic aircraft including Concorde. Indoor exhibitions cover aviation history and there's a play area for younger visitors. The roar of jet engines thrills plane enthusiasts of all ages.
Merlin Entertainments · Manchester
Journey through themed zones showcasing seahorses, rays, and sharks in the UK's largest aquarium collection. The interactive rock pool and underwater tunnel are perennial favourites. Regular feeding times and talks bring the ocean to life for curious minds.
Bolton Council · Manchester
A working farm with rare breed animals, indoor play barn, and seasonal activities. Bottle-feeding sessions, tractor rides, and close animal encounters make it hands-on. The combination of farm animals and playground keeps all ages entertained.
Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council · Manchester
Descend into the largest civilian Second World War air raid shelter system in the country. Atmospheric tours bring wartime Stockport to life with stories, artefacts, and recreated scenes. It's an immersive history lesson that captivates curious minds.
Little Lion Entertainment · Manchester
Step into the iconic TV show with teams tackling physical, mental, mystery, and skill challenges across themed zones. It's immersive team-building entertainment where families work together against the clock. The dome finale gets everyone's adrenaline pumping.
The Lowry · Manchester
A world-class arts centre on Salford Quays with free gallery spaces dedicated to L.S. Lowry's distinctive matchstick paintings. Regular family shows and creative workshops run throughout the year.
Odeon Cinemas · Manchester
Modern multiplex cinema showing mainstream family films with special weekend morning screenings. Baby-friendly screenings allow parents with infants to enjoy films in a relaxed environment. The Printworks location offers dining and entertainment all under one roof.
Aerial Extreme · Manchester
An indoor high ropes adventure course inside the Trafford Centre with multiple levels of challenge. Brilliant for primary-age children and teenagers looking for a physical indoor adventure.