Manchester Museum is one of the must see attractions of Manchester in Britain. The Manchester Museum belongs to the University of Manchester. It is one of the leading university museums in the UK. The museum is nestled in the heart of the University's neo-Gothic mansions, providing entrée to witness about 6 million objects from almost every continent of the globe. The strategic location of Manchester Museum is at the Oxford Road of Manchester. The museum comprises 4 floors and exhibits numerous items of interest in its 15 galleries. The Egyptology galleries, featuring mammals, birds and some living animal specimens from South America are the most attractive galleries in the museum. Fossils and minerals are the other collections of the Manchester Museum.
Background of Manchester Museum
The Manchester Museum started with the collection of the producer and collector John Leigh Philips. After his death in 1814, a small group of affluent men came together to buy his 'collection', and set up the Manchester Natural History Society in 1821. The museum was then located in vast premises on Peter Street until 1835. The archive extended as the members and others donated antique items from around the globe. In 1850, the museum included the collections of the Manchester Geological Society. By 1860s the Natural History Society was shifted to the Owens College, which later on was renamed as the University of Manchester.
Collections at Manchester Museum
The first collections were gathered by the Manchester Society of Natural History, founded in 1821. Later, in 1850 the collections of the Manchester Geological Society were included in the archive of the Manchester Museum.
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Some of the present day collections at this museum include:
- Live frogs and ancient pottery from America
- Birds and bark-cloth from the Pacific
- Fossils and native art from Australia
- Plants, coins and minerals from Europe
- Mammals and ancient Egyptian craftsmanship from Africa
- Butterflies and carvings from India
- Beetles
- Simon archery collection
- Art from past civilizations of the Mediterranean
- Amour
The Manchester Museum is of a great help to the researchers, students and scholars. Moreover, it is the ideal place for attaining services like identification of objects, supporting with research, book for corporate events or as an ideal location for filming.
Egyptology is one of the largest and most significant collections of ancient Egyptian artifacts in the United Kingdom. The collection exhibits objects dating back to the prehistoric Egypt or 10,000 BC up to the Byzantine era or 600 AD. The museum also showcases around one million specimens of botany collection.
Ancient Egypt, Archaeology, Animal life, Living animals, Archery, Living cultures, Pre-historic life, Rocks and minerals, Human Remains, Plants and Money are the distinctive sections of the museum. The adjacent shop of this museum sells a wide range of items from African tribal trinkets to Roman weapons, Egyptian papyri to unique fossils. They also sell publications related to the museum collection. The visitors can also enjoy a relaxing time at the café and the picnic area.
Manchester Museum remains open from 10am to 5pm (Tuesday to Saturday) and from 11am to 4pm (Sunday, Monday and Bank Holidays).
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