Vital Signs: Things to do in Manchester
Here are a few ideas for things to do in Manchester either in the evenings or if you have time before or after the conference. This is a fairly haphazard selection which will be updated from time to time. We'll be happy to give delegates plenty of Manchester tips so you can make the most of your time when you aren't at the conference. It's a great city.
Food and drink
Chinatown in the city centre is worth a visit even if you aren't eating there. The Chinese arch is the largest in Europe and you will be spoiled for choice for restaurants. The chinese supermarkets (mostly in the square with the arch) are very good.
The "curry mile" in Rusholme is another Manchester attraction. Rusholme is about a mile further out of the city centre than the conference venue, along Oxford Road (which turns into Wilmslow Road).
Shopping
Head to the city centre and for the true Mancunian shopping experience go to Primark in Piccadilly Gardens for cheap clothes. Recommended for seasoned shoppers only. The Arndale Centre is another Manchester institution.
Market Street (just off Piccadilly Gardens) is the main high street with most of the big chain shops. One of the few remaining Fopp shops, on Brown Street opposite the Tesco Metro sells bargain CDs, records and books.
The Northern Quarter is the area to go to for a more relaxed browse around independent clothes shops, craft and art shops and cafes.
Places to visit
Museums
Manchester Museum is right by the conference venue and amongst other things has an impressive egyptology gallery, and Stan the T-Rex (deceased).
Anybody coming to the conference dinner will be able to see some of the collections at the Whitworth Art Gallery. The gallery has a very good textiles collection too. Having researched the food at the cafe to see if it is up to scratch for the conference dinner, we can safely recommend it for lunches and cake.
In the city centre, there is plenty of choice. The Museum of Science and Industry has everything from steam trains to daleks. Dr Who fans should be warned that seeing them at close quarters may rob them of their magic appeal slightly. Urbis is an "exhibition centre about city life". They also run quirky city tours.
Manchester Art Gallery has art, craft and design galleries, and the Chinese Arts Centre has exhibitions that range from the exquisite to the bizarre, sometimes both at the same time. The Centre for the Built Environment (CUBE) has architecture and urban design exhibitions, and also a shop full of very lovely and usually very expensive design books.
A little out of town, the Imperial War Museum North is in Salford (take the tram). The permanent collection is absorbing: ranging from huge tanks and planes to tiny fragments of lives caught up in wars from the First World War to the Iraq war. It is close by The Lowry which has permanent and temporary galleries and two theatres.
Sport
Keen swimmers should bring their swimming gear as the conference venue is a couple of minutes away from Manchester Aquatics Centre. The nearest place for other sports is the Sugden Sports Centre. Manchester Velodrome has a beautiful new track which you can try out for yourself at one of their taster sessions (bike and kit provided). Ignore the daft name of Manchester Chill Factor-e and go there for skiing and snowboarding in "more snow than you can possibly imagine" (again, they will provide the kit).
Manchester United fans can take a tour round Old Trafford and Blues fans can visit the City ground at Sportcity.
