The Atlas Obscura Guide To Manchester

35 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Manchester, England

Updated November 10, 2023

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Unusual Attractions in Manchester

Historic Reading Room

Manchester, England

John Rylands Research Institute and Library

A Victorian Gothic masterpiece housing a world-class collection of rare books and manuscripts.

Chetham's Library

Manchester, England

Chetham's Library

Dating back almost 400 years, the oldest public collection library in the United Kingdom was once the study hall of Karl Marx.

Looks can be deceiving.

Manchester, England

The Washhouse

This Manchester laundromat is hiding something.

Skulls in the Manchester Museum

Manchester, England

Manchester Museum

19th century museum with an eclectic mix of curiosities, from Egyptian artifacts to items on archery history to the skull of the world's oldest horse.

Victoria Baths

Manchester, England

Victoria Baths

These lovely Turkish-styled baths were brought back to life after winning a reality show competition.

Lark Hill Place.

Salford, England

Lark Hill Place

This dreamy street will transport you to wintertime in Victorian England.

Victoria Arches

Manchester, England

Victoria Arches

Hidden on the urban banks of a Manchester river are a series of abandoned waterside industrial sites.

Alan Turing Memorial

Manchester, England

Alan Turing Memorial

Have a seat with the father of modern computing at this Manchester monument.

See All 35 Things To Do in Manchester

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Manchester

Manchester, England

Circus Tavern

This tiny watering hole claims to have the smallest bar counter in Europe.

A Monument to Vimto

Manchester, England

A Monument to Vimto

A giant wooden soda bottle pays homage to a distinctly British drink on the very spot where it was invented.

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Stories About Manchester

An Ordnance Survey worker points his arrow at a revision point, while laughing children look on.

How Arrow-Wielding Men Mapped Britain in the 1940s

Recently unearthed photos show beleaguered surveyors in suits holding pointy wooden markers.

Alan Turing in 1930, long before computer music was even imaginable.

Listen to the First Computer-Generated Christmas Carols, From Alan Turing's Lab

"Jingle Bells" and "Good King Wenceslas" haven't sounded like this in a long time.

by Natasha Frost

December 20, 2017

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