Manchester - central - must sees for 9 and 11 yr-olds

[roisin]

We are staying at the YHA (nr Deansgate station I think).

MSIM is our first priority, especially as it's Science Week apparently.

They are allergic to shopping, apart from book shops. Where is the big Waterstones?

They love museums and such, and are both science nuts. I can't make head nor tail of the Science Week website. We have been to the Lowry and the city art gallery before.

What else should we target?

Museum of Science and Industry will occupy your DCs for at least half a day (if not more).

Manchester Museum is great too, especially their Egyptian displays and Stan the T-Rex.

The big Waterstones is on Deansgate near Kendals.

Other good museums are the Pump House People's history museum, and the Portland basin museum at Ashton out east (it wins awards in Guardian child-friendly museum competitions - canal boats, model railways, social history).

I think Lindow man (bog man) is at the Manchester museum at the moment, that might appeal.

www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/whatson/exhibitions/lindowman

Thanks all.
It looks like there will be plenty to entertain us for a few days

urbis

if you fancy some shopping, Hamleys is upstairs - 6th floor iirc - in Kendals on Deansgate

tons of fab toys and you can play with them too

Imperial War Museum North is very near the Lowry. Big Waterstones is on Deansgate, so about ten-fifteen minutes walk from where you are. Might be nice to go and eat in Chinatown (nearish Piccadilly Station) or Rusholme (curry belt) a few miles out of Manchester.

Lovely Japanese Tappanyaki restaurant on Liverpool Road near MOSI.

Manchester Eye if your dc are ok with heights. It is near Arndale Centre.

Oh thanks all. We are planning to come by train (though may change our minds) so things "a few miles out" are probably not on the itinerary this time.

I like the sound of the Japanese restaurant ... will look out for that one.

I checked the website and the People's museum is closed for refurbishment - temporary exhib space at MOSI, which is a shame as I wanted to go there!

Dh wants to go to the Holman Hunt exhib at the art gallery.

Does anyone know anything about the science festival?

Any more ideas? Has anyone been to any Science Festival events at Manchester?

no, I think all our faves have been covered!

PS : When in the Museum if SCi & Ind - if you look out of the windows when you are in the 'hands on' kids gallery bit at the top, you can see Coronation Street !!

Hi Roisin - I know nothing about Manchester sorry except that The Lowry museum is good but I see you've been there before - but just to let you know, I have emailed you!