People's History Museum
The national museum of democracy, from Peterloo to the present, free by the river.
Trade union banners, the story of the suffragettes and the Peterloo massacre, told in a former pump house on the Irwell. It is free, thoughtful and takes about ninety minutes. A good pairing with the Science and Industry Museum on a wet day; they are ten minutes apart.
When it works
Indoors, so the weather does not matter. Best morning, afternoon.
Good for going solo and step-free visits.
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Opening hours and prices change; the official site has the current ones. See everything in Manchester ranked for right now.