Mario Trabucco della Torretta

This is a superb free venue right in the centre of Manchester. Whether you want to spend a whole afternoon or just have a stroll during your lunch break, this place will regenerate your soul, tickle your curiosity, and restore your confidence in the ability of the human race to create beauty. Inside the museum, created inside the brilliant Greek revival building designed by Charles Barry for the Royal Manchester Institution ( a marvel in its own right), you can find it all: from Corinthian oinochoes and Attic craters down to cutting edge pieces of design and fashion, through art collections built in the 18th and 19th century. The display is cleverly arranged to spark questions and engage the visitor, and the staff is extremely helpful, passionate, and knowledgeable (I'm looking at you, Patrick!). Just get in, folks; you really have nothing to lose.