North West

All museums or galleries listed here love having young visitors - so get out and about and have fun!

Click on the museum names to find out where they are and when they open.

Harris Museum & Art Gallery, Preston

Go on the 'Scent Bottle Treasure Hunt' at the Harris Museum & Art Gallery - it's just one of their many family-friendly activities.

Photo © Carl Rose

World Museum Liverpool

Here you can find everything from real live bugs to Egyptian mummies, prehistoric pottery to space exploration.

Museum of Childhood at Sudbury Hall, Derbyshire

Find out how children have lived and played over the past 200 years.

If you're the adventurous type - and you're small enough - you can do a chimney climb and find out what it was like to be a sweep!

Make yourself tiny in the Shrinking Corridor - and don't miss the brilliant collection of toys, games and dolls.

Hat Works, Stockport

This museum is housed in a restored Victorian Mill, which used to be a hat factory. Here you can find out all about hats and hatmaking - you can even try some on!

During the school holidays there are craft workshops and special guided tours just for kids, and the museum's family fun days are not to be missed!

Tatton Park House, Knutsford

Tatton Park is home to Red and Fallow deer. Feed goats and chickens at the farm, get lost in the maze, search for clues in the Mansion with the children's quiz and discover your past at the Tudor Old Hall.

There's room to fly a kite, ride your bike or have a good run around, AND a fun adventure playground.

Salford Museum and Art Gallery

The museum's LifeTimes gallery tells the fascinating story of Salford over the last 200 years. Visit Lark Hill Place, a recreated Victorian street, with authentic period shops and rooms.

Look out for their great workshops during school holidays!

The Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

This gallery is packed full of wonderful paintings and sculptures from the past 700 years.

Our favourite bit is Big Art, the kids' gallery - find out more here.

Grosvenor Museum, Chester

This museum has a collection of Roman tombstones, and fascinating displays that build a picture of Roman Chester.

Watch out for the Roman soldiers along the way!

Catalyst - Science Discovery Centre, Widnes

This science centre is really unusual - it's all about chemistry.

Try your hand at experiments and find out how everyday materials are made.

Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester

One of the things we love best about this museum is that you get to go down a sewer! Yuck!

There is of course lots, lots more... why not go and check it out?

People's History Museum, Manchester

There are always hands-on things to do at the People's History Museum and they love having kids to visit. What are you waiting for?

Manchester Art Gallery

Be inspired by a wonderful collection of artwork, and have a go yourself.

Dewa Roman Experience, Chester

This is about as close as you'll get to seeing real Roman life - it's even a bit whiffy round the Roman loos.

Handle items such as pottery, try on a suit of Roman armour, fire the catapult and design mosaics.

Portland Basin Museum, Ashton-under-Lyne

Visit Tameside as it was in 1928 - you can even pop in to the doctor's surgery and see how medicine has changed. Plenty to explore, see and do.

Quarry Bank Mill, Styal, Cheshire

This Georgian Museum has amazing steam engines, a whole factory village to explore, country walks and even porridge to stir... it's a huge day out.

The Boat Museum, Ellesmere Port

This museum, as the name suggests, is all about boats. Find out about life on Britain's canals. All aboard!