Rainy day activities in Manchester

A family guide to Manchester

Keep a rainy day in Manchester feeling like an adventure with indoor places for families.

Persistent northern weather has given this city an unusually deep bench of dry alternatives, and the hardest part is narrowing them down to one. Museum of Illusions is the obvious pick when the pavement is soaked: more than 65 mind-twisting exhibits, a spinning Vortex Tunnel, an impossible Infinity Room and a Reversed Tram Room. Weird, wonderful and a little bit spooky is the pitch, and it lands just as well on adults. Victoria Baths stages Easter crafts inside the Turkish Baths. Printworks rebuilds Christmas as a digital advent tree, a prize calendar and festive light shows. Freight Island hosts a DJ dance floor and a Kids Social PJ Party. At the National Football Museum there is a VR experience and photo opportunities with the trophies, and you need not know the offside rule to enjoy either. Depot Mayfield's four-day festival adds competitions, music and food, with lift access to a wheelchair-friendly rooftop. Head Over Heels contributes slides. Manchester Museum, AO Arena, Co-op Live, Treehouse Manchester and the Science & Industry Museum sit on this list as well.