THE MANCHESTER MUSEUM REOPENS ITS DOORS IN 2023

Paws for Thought

The prestigious Manchester Museum reopened its doors in February 2023 after a major renovation project, which aimed to offer a display of different cultures and their historical heritage.

By Angela D’Avino

Thanks to the Hello Future project which granted £15million to the Museum for a physical transformation and a curatorial refurbishment, the Manchester Museum reopened its doors in February 2023 with a host of new exhibitions and partnerships. The renovation was intended to bring new perspectives and ideas to the museum, as well as a display of different cultures’ heritage and historical value.

The crux of this process was to rethink restitution, addressing the British colonial rule and the civic spirit in which the museum was born, with the goal of creating stronger relationships with different communities around the world.

The key to this renewal is to remember that historical heritage is at the heart of building timeless bonds between cultures. The message sent out by this renovation is that recognizing and celebrating diversity through history is the key to a new brighter future.

Being one of the largest university museums in the UK, this institute has had a major role in representing the city of Manchester and all it has to offer for over a century. The various galleries and current exhibitions are certainly worth a visit.

From the dinosaur display to the Golden Mummies of Egypt, as well as the most recent additions of the South Asia and Lee Kai Hug galleries, a visit to the renewed museum is now able to offer a travel experience not only through different historical eras, but through different countries and cultures.

The fossils and dinosaur display situated on the ground floor of the venue is must-see. The exhibition is designed to encourage visitors to think like a palaeontologist, understanding evolution and questioning their thoughts on important issues such as climate change.

This display offers the opportunity to see Stan the Tyrannosaurus Rex and April the Tenontosaurus up-close and get to know more about the work and mission of palaeontology. Thanks to this spectacle, travelling back in time is possible and regardless of age and interests, dinosaurs always have the ability to spark interest in the Earth’s past, and make us question its future.

After being successfully displayed in USA and China, The Golden Mummies of Egypt exhibition is available from February to December 2023 at the Manchester Museum. This powerful display features more than 100 objects and eight mummies from the era when Egypt was part of the Greek and Roman world. This exhibition provides an opportunity to get to know more about the wonderful ancient population and its customs and costumes. Since the concept of afterlife is one of the most fascinating parts of ancient Egyptian culture, this exhibition can be considered mesmerizing not only in the artefacts that it features, but also in deeper understanding of the incredible ancient tradition and beliefs. As the concept of the renovation was to bring together a display of different cultures and their history, the reopened Museum offers two galleries displaying eastern heritage and the incredible value of its history. A partnership with the British Museum brings to the museum the South Asia Gallery, which celebrates the experiences and contributions of the South Asian diaspora.

Always dedicated to the eastern world is the Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture Gallery, in partnership with the Manchester China Institute. This gives visitors the chance to experience a dynamic 360° encounter with Chinese culture, as well as exploring the historical bond between Manchester and China.

The Museum is free to everyone.