by Anna Hann
posted on 4 November 2024
Manchester is a fabulous place and a world-class city. Some visitors say it’s their absolute favourite UK city, and the fiercely loyal locals are huge advocates of their home town — not to mention its legendary football teams.
While there’ll always be the firm tourist favourites in Manchester, including exploring the likes of the Science and Industry Museum, shopping in the Trafford Centre, and touring Old Trafford, if you’re returning to the city for a second, third, or fourth look, you might be looking to uncover some of Manchester’s hidden gems. These locations might fly under the radar, but when you discover them, you feel like you’ve been let in on one of Manchester’s best-kept secrets.
From the literally out-of-sight (see numbers 6 and 7) to the spots that simply don’t get the attention they deserve, this list covers the top places to learn more about Manchester’s history, places to enjoy family moments, and a couple of hidden bars to round off a day in the city perfectly.
Here are nine hidden gems waiting to be discovered as you explore Manchester.
1. Portico Library
The Portico Library is a must-see for discovering stories in the Georgian and Victorian eras. With books and archives focusing on life in Manchester during the Industrial Revolution, you can take a journey of discovery through the city’s history.
Is it open to visitors?
Yes. Portico Library is open Monday to Saturday. You can park directly outside the library on Charlotte Street and then pop in to discover the collection of 25,000 books — it’s free to visit. Plan ahead to see what pop-up exhibitions and talks might be taking place.
What makes it special?
As well as exploring the library, you can order food and drinks at Portico Kitchen, one of the oldest lunch spots in Manchester, and admire the beauty of the Regency-era dome as you dine.
2. Victoria Baths
What once opened as a municipal swimming pool in 1906 and remained open for 87 years is now one of Manchester’s finest hidden gems. Many of the baths’ original features, including stained glass, mosaics, and original glazed tiles, have been lovingly restored. The setting lends itself perfectly to historical dramas, and it appeared in season two of Peaky Blinders.
Where is it?
The Victoria Baths are nestled in the Victoria Park area, a couple of miles south of the main city centre. It’s a great hidden gem to pair with a trip to the Pankhurst Centre, as they’re both in the same Manchester neighbourhood.
Do you need to book?
There are guided tours every Wednesday to see the three magnificent pool halls, the clock tower, and the Turkish Baths suite. Or look out for seasonal events like the winter market or live music events. The Victoria Baths are often booked out for private events, so it might be worth calling ahead to see if you can access them before making the journey.
What makes it a hidden gem?
The Victoria Baths tell stories of life in Edwardian Manchester and how locals spent their leisure time, providing a fascinating glimpse into Manchester’s history. But its location, slightly out of the heart of the city, means it’s not on the radar of most visitors to Manchester. And as the renovations aren’t fully complete, it remains a hidden gem in the city.
3. John Rylands Library
The castle-like aesthetic of the John Rylands library instantly tells you this is not your average library. This Grade I-listed neo-Gothic library holds an impressive collection of books, including medieval manuscripts and a 1476 copy of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
Do you need to book?
You can pop into the library for free with no booking needed from Wednesdays to Saturdays. Look out for regular activities, literary events, and history talks, or explore at your own pace. You’ll find the library at Deansgate, right in the heart of Manchester.
What makes it special?
Considered one of the finest libraries in the world, for many visitors, John Rylands Library’s cathedral-like beauty makes it a must-visit in Manchester. It took ten years to build, founded by Enriqueta Rylands, who opened it in memory of her late husband, and it’s the third-largest academic library in the UK.
4. Pankhurst Centre
Visit the place where Emmeline Pankhurst lived and where the first-ever meeting of the suffragette movement took place. The house has become a museum of the movement and a site of women’s activities then and now, with exhibitions revealing more about the suffragettes. It’s the perfect place to get under the skin of Emmeline Pankhurst’s life and story and her fascinating impact on history.
Where is it?
The Pankhurst family lived at 62 Nelson Street. It’s slightly southeast of the main city centre, close to the Manchester Royal Infirmary.
How do you visit?
The Pankhurst Centre is only open on Thursdays and Sundays (although the beautiful gardens are open all week), and you’ll need to book tickets up to four weeks in advance if you don’t want to miss out.
What makes it special?
Don’t miss events celebrating International Women’s Day and evenings that tell guests more about the suffragettes’ secret missions. The Pankhurst Centre is also a great hidden gem to take children to—check ahead to see if there are any special events over the school holidays.
5. Ancoats Peeps
In 2002, a secret art exhibition popped up in the Ancoats area of Manchester. Far from your typical gallery, the Ancoats Peeps was a series of hidden brass spy holes scattered across the area that you peep through to see the street art hidden behind. New ones continued to crop up in secret spots in the decade that followed, but how many remain to discover in hidden spots through the neighbourhood today is a mystery.
Where is it?
The location of the remaining peeps are located in the regenerated Ancoats neighbourhood, a little east of Manchester’s Northern Quarter. There are no maps – you’ll have to have your wits about you.
What makes it special?
Art exhibitions rarely come more intriguing than this. What remains of the original peeps are truly hidden gems in Manchester and a treasure trove of surprises if you have a little time to dedicate to exploring.
6. The Washhouse
Manchester has several secret bars hidden behind faux shop fronts or requiring secret codes to access them, and new ones are constantly opening, so keeping track of what’s cool can be tricky. One of the most novelty options is The Washhouse, disguised as a laundry. Once you’re granted entry, it serves top-notch drinks and cocktails (but is utterly useless at service washes).
Where is it?
On Shudehill Street in central Manchester, not far from the Northern Quarter. You’re looking for a place that looks like a classic laundrette, and then the real bar reveals itself.
Do you need to book?
Booking is essential to visit The Washhouse.
What makes it special?
If you’re looking for cool and unique experiences, this one’s right up there. The fun factor of going into a laundry that reveals itself to be a bar promises to be a great night out with friends.
7. Heaton Park Boating Lake
Being outside and exploring the city’s green spaces is unbeatable on a spring or summer day in Manchester. Heaton Park is the biggest park in the area, with lots to do, including playgrounds, an animal centre, and even ziplining. But the collection of swan boats is often overlooked, and it’s a lovely way to spend an hour in the city as part of a fun day out.
Do you need to book?
Swan boats are available seasonally between April and October. Booking is optional, but to bag your boat on a hot summer’s day and avoid disappointment, it’s helpful to know that boats can be booked online.
Where is it?
Heaton Park Boating Lake is towards the south of the park. The best place to park your car is Heaton Park Sheepfoot Lane car park – it’s just a short walk to the boating lake.
8. Chetham’s Library
The oldest public library in the English-speaking world is located within one of Manchester’s medieval buildings. Step inside Chetham’s Library, and you’ll sense its distinctly Harry Potter feel and the history in its bones.
Where is it?
The library is on Long Millgate, a central street in Manchester, not far from Manchester Arndale shopping centre and the National Football Museum. It’s within steps of Manchester Victoria train station.
How do you visit?
Booking a pre-guided tour is essential, so you have to be organised if you want to visit Chetham’s Library. There are several guided tours a day, focussing on the library’s history, with a small fee to book. The tours last around an hour.
What makes it special?
The atmosphere of the library and the sense of rich history you get when wandering around the aisles of books.
9. Science and Industry
Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum is hardly a secret spot, but the bar of the same name is one of the city’s best-hidden gems. Tucked away in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, this experimental bar offers a drink laboratory, using scientific experiments to develop one-of-a-kind cocktails and drinks.
Do you need to book?
Unlike other secret bar spots in Manchester, there’s no secret code to get in—this is just a top spot to know about for a night in the city. Booking is possible but not required.
Where is it?
Science and Industry is in Cane & Grain on Thomas Street in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
What makes it special?
Science and Industry is an unusual take on a city cocktail bar. Once you’ve tried one of the experimental cocktails, ascend to the next floor to try The Liars Lounge, a tiki bar and Caribbean rum shop. Or head downstairs for food – the Cane & Grain restaurant ribs are a taste of the USA in the heart of Manchester.
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