Top Picks
Guides
What’s on
Where to go
See all

The best lectures, talks & meetups in Manchester

Creative Tourist

From incredible free talks and encounters with moon rock through to literature and philosophy debates – these are the best regular events in Manchester.

There’s an old piece of wisdom that says “a problem shared is a problem halved”. That might be true, but here at Creative Tourist we have our own coinage: “double the company, double the fun”. With that soon-to-be ubiquitous phrase in mind, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite clubs, groups and societies, for meeting like-minded people and discovering more about art, astronomy, and much more.

Our top picks

Manchester Astronomical Society

Manchester Astronomical Society, Sackville Street Building, Godlee Observatory, Manchester, M13 9PL - Visit now

Not to be confused with astrology (when I mistakenly told friends I was off to an astrology meeting they thought I was joining a cult), the Manchester Astronomical Society holds weekly meetings open to the public. The quality of the speakers is simply astounding, with specialists on the cutting edge of interstellar research coming along to share their work. When I was there I got to handle an actual piece of moon rock – and if you join the society you get to use their amazing telescope at the Godlee Observatory in the city centre, which is a marvel in itself.

Find out more

Modernist Society

Modernist Society, 58 Port Street, Manchester, M1 2EQ - Visit now

As well as putting out a must-read mag, the Manchester Modernist Society organise regular events and activities. If you’ve got even a passing interest in design, city planning or architecture, this is the group for you. A recent screening of films about Hulme was one of the most informative evenings out in Manchester in a long time. Also look out for the magazine launch nights, which usually involve a few glasses of wine and a lot of impassioned chatter.

Find out more
The Modernist shop
The Modernist shop

Gaskell Society

Gaskell Society, Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, 84 Plymouth Grove, Manchester, M13 9LW - Visit now

For fans of Elizabeth Gaskell’s work, as well as those interested in her life and proto-feminist leanings, these talks in both Manchester and Knutsford are a must. Regular guest lecturers unpack the meaning and significance of her writing, and the Manchester meetings are held in either Elizabeth Gaskell house, or the striking surrounds of the Cross Street Chapel, where Gaskell’s husband William was minister.

Find out more

People’s History Museum (PHM)

People’s History Museum (PHM), Left Bank, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3ER - Visit now

Of all Manchester’s many magnificent museums the PHM seems to be the best at events for young families. Whether designing your own banknote, fashioning a sculpture from recycled material or engaging in a story-telling session, there’s something going on at least once a month and often every week. Sessions are somewhat irregular though, so you have to keep an eye on the events section of their website.

Find out more
People's History Museum Manchester
People's History Museum Manchester

Manchester Lit & Phil

Manchester Lit & Phil, C/O, Portico Library, 57 Mosley St, Manchester , M2 3HY - Visit now

For those who like to put their brain through some serious paces, there’s the Manchester Literature & Philosophical Society. Running since 1781, this group meet up to discuss – you guessed it – literature and philosophy. However, some more light-hearted offerings, like an upcoming lecture on the history of lesser-known small ball games, are also in the schedule.

Find out more
Manchester Lit & Phil
Sathnam Sanghera and Alan Lester in discussion at Contact. Image courtesy of David Lindsay.

Where to go in Manchester

Image of the outside of Altogether Otherwise at night with people inside
Manchester
Event venue
Altogether Otherwise

Altogether Otherwise is a haven of activity where all are encouraged to make, do, dance, read and enjoy pursuing creativity with no pressure.

Manchester Factory international Festival - People enjoying Festival Square in the city centre
Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Factory Square

Factory Square is a huge beer garden, on the banks of the River Irwell, with top-quality drinks and street food selections.

The Feel Good Club exterior
Manchester
Event venue
Feel Good Club

Our flagship Feel Good Club in Manchester, open 7 days a week, providing a beautiful friendly environment for coffee, brunch, lunch, cocktails and beers with an amazing selection of non alcoholic beverages too.

Manchester
Bar or Pub
On Bar

This multifaceted venue is primarily an award winning gay bar in Manchester’s Canal Street area – but that is not all…

Manchester
Bar or Pub
Vanilla

This award winning bar is open six nights a week due to popular demand. Described as the ‘mecca of the north’ for the lesbian community, it is no wonder why.

Manchester
Bar or Pub
Cruz 101

Everything you want in a Canal Street club can be found here. Cruz 101 – better known as Cruz – is an institution, and a must-visit in Manchester.

Manchester
Event venue
The Proud Place

Based in the heart of Manchester on Sidney Street, The Proud Place houses The Proud Trust and serves as a community hub for the wider LGBT+ population across Greater Manchester and beyond.

Manchester
Tourist Attraction
Paradise Skate World

Tucked into the first floor of Great Northern is Paradise Skate World, an intergalactic realm of quad skating and cosmically themed cocktails.

See all places

Manchester Visitor Guides

Afternoon Tea in Manchester

The finest places in Manchester to sip Darjeeling, eat dainty finger sandwiches and slap extra clotted cream on a freshly baked scone.

The Principle Hotel Oxford Road Manchester
Boutique Hotels Manchester

Some of the most unique places to stay in Manchester. We pick out the top upscale accommodations with a twist.

Sunday Roasts in Manchester

Looking for the finest roast dinners in Manchester? Look no further. We've picked out the very best Sunday dinners in the city.

Manchester Restaurant Deals

Manchester's restaurants are bending over backwards to create deals that take the sting out of eating out. Here are the best of the bunch for January.

Manchester District Guides

People enjoying drinking in Altrincham
Things to Do in Altrincham

Plan a day out down Altrincham way, and you’ll soon find that one day isn’t nearly enough. Getting there is easy on the tram, or how about cycling along the…
Chapel Street, Salford

Chapel Street has the different counter-cultural feel of another city: still industrial, more casual, temporal. Here’s what the area has to offer.
A coffee stand at Levenshulme Market
Levenshulme, Manchester

From cultural points of interest to unique watering holes, explore what Levenshulme has to offer in our guide.

Tib Street, Manchester

It’s not often that you find a street you could while away a whole day on: from beautifully made coffee in the morning, through to shopping, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner…
Cheetham Hill, Manchester

Cheetham Hill gets a bad rap as an area, however as you begin to look round you will find it has plenty to do. Let us be your guide.
Chorlton, Manchester

Chorlton is a left-leaning suburb a few miles south of Manchester’s city centre (and only 10-odd minutes away by tram). A sprawling hive of artisan coffee shops, boutique clothing stores,…
Castlefield, Manchester

The Roman General Julius Agricola founded ‘Mamucium’ in 79AD; the name means ‘breast shaped hill’, as this was what Agricola discovered in Castlefield, where the original settlement was based.
Ego Death
Spotlight on

Hidden Bars in Manchester

Manchester's best secret, hidden and hard to find bars - here's our guide.

Take me there

Destination Guides

Culture Guides

A woman sits in a car with hands holding the steering wheel.
Cinema in the North

Vintage Alfred Hitchcock and a family friendly film festival are amongst our highlights this May.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Dynamic dance, party-performance, high-energy stand-up and a site-specific show set in a pub. All this and more in our newest theatre guide.

the artist
Music in the North

The outsiders, the oddities and the outrageous – we’re keeping it weird with a hot new batch of underground gigs about to hit Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool.

A large sphere floats in a dark room with an ornate wall pattern, flanked by two arched windows and a checkered floor.
Exhibitions in the North

From precarious ceramics to photography festivals, spring is here and brings with it a breath of fresh air in visual art and exhibitions.

Poet Imtiaz Dharker. Photo by Ayesha Dharker
Literature Events in the North

It's like the Woolies pick'n'mix counter this month in live literature land – so much choice, we're not sure where to start digging in.

Classical Music in the North

Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.